Mark Arian succeeds Steve Kaye as CEO of Korn Ferry Hay Group

Korn Ferry has hired Mark Arian from EY to lead its Hay Group advisory business. Arian succeeded Steve Kaye, who held the role for four years and decided to leave at the end of the firm’s previous financial year.

Prior to joining Korn Ferry Hay Group, established late 2015 after the recruitment giant acquired the HR consultancy for $452 million, Mark Arian worked at EY for a over three years as a Managing Principal and leader of the firm's People Advisory arm for the Financial Services sector. He was previously at Aon for five years, latterly in the role of Global Leader in Aon’s Merger & Acquisition Solutions business in New York. Between 2006 and 2008 he worked at Towers Perrin, a legal predecessor to Willis Tower Watson, holding leadership roles in the firm’s Mergers, Acquisitions & Restructuring and Global Change Management practices. He spent the largest part of his career at Hewitt Associates, where he over a period of almost 20 years grew the ranks to become the firm’s Global Leader for Corporate Restructuring & Change.

In his new role, Arian will provide direction to Hay Group's global business, which spans around 3,000 employees across 50 countries. The firm operates as the HR consulting arm of Korn Ferry, which itself employs approximately 3,900 employees in 37 countries.

He landed the role after Steve Kaye, the former CEO of Korn Ferry Hay Group, decided to move on to a new challenge following the completion of the integration process between the two firms. Kaye had been with Hay Group for over twenty years, including as CFO prior to being named CEO, after starting his career with Big Four firm EY in 1986.

Arian brings more than 30 years of industry experience to the role. He is specialised in among others strategy, human capital, organisational culture; merger integration; restructuring; organisational effectiveness; rewards, leadership team effectiveness and change management.

Gary Burnison, CEO of Korn Ferry, said that he is confident Arian is the right person to further grow Hay Group's standing and footprint globally.

Mark Arian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Duke University, a Juris Doctor in Transactions; Labor & Employment, International Trade, and attended the Executive Management Program in Accounting and Finance from the Columbia University - Columbia Business School.