Executive Search Case Study: Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer for a Growing Privately Held For-Profit Healthcare Operator

Need: Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer with Legal Background

The client is a prominent, for-profit health services company operating hospitals and healthcare facilities across the United States. With more than 23,000 employees and annual revenues exceeding $5 billion, the company has a strong history of rapid growth through mergers and acquisitions. As it prepared for another significant growth phase, the long-serving Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), who had been a crucial part of the leadership team for 21 years, announced plans to retire. This development initiated the search for a new Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer.

The successor CCO would play an integral role in the company’s continued growth through M&A, providing strategic support on due diligence and integration. This individual would also function as a strategic leader tasked with further developing, modernizing, and digitally transforming the organization’s compliance and privacy functions. Additionally, the new CCO would be responsible for leading and enhancing the compliance and privacy team.

The new CCO would work closely with the Chief Legal Officer (CLO), a two-decade veteran of the company and a close collaborator of the retiring CCO. Ensuring a strong cultural fit was paramount for this role. The position would report directly to the CLO, with a dotted line to the board’s Audit Committee Chair, necessitating regular presentations to the committee. The ideal candidate needed to balance assertiveness and confidence as the compliance and privacy expert while fostering strong relationships with the CLO and the broader team. This in-house role was based at the client’s headquarters, requiring the CCO to report into the office five days a week.

The search criteria included:

• Educational Background: A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree with knowledge of privacy laws and how they apply to health systems.
• Experience: A minimum of 10 years of compliance or related experience at a law firm or healthcare organization, including interpreting and managing compliance, investigating regulatory audit requests, participating in matters concerning healthcare regulatory agencies, and health information security management.
• Leadership Skills: Demonstrated leadership experience in a senior management role, with a proven history of leading, mentoring, and inspiring diverse teams. • Operational Knowledge: Proficiency in hospital operations, investigations, litigation, quality assurance, and human resources.
• Regulatory Expertise: Understanding of DEA regulations, price transparency, information interoperability, hospital and physician coding and billing, revenue cycle management, EMTALA, and CMS quality measures.
• Risk Management: Awareness of healthcare delivery risks in various settings, including hospitals, physician practices, urgent care, and research.
• Corporate Sensitivity: Experience handling sensitive corporate issues.

Recruiting Solution: Focusing on Cultural Fit and Holistic Assessment

Early in the search process, BarkerGilmore engaged in depth with the client’s executive team to define the ideal candidate profile, and to understand the unique cultural dynamics of the organization. A cornerstone of BarkerGilmore’s approach is a dual assessment process, combining qualitative evaluations with robust psychometric tools. These assessments provide the client with comprehensive data points for decisionmaking. This method ensures candidates not only possess the required technical qualifications but also align culturally and demonstrate the emotional intelligence necessary to thrive in the client’s environment.

Our qualitative assessment examines core competencies essential for in-house leadership, including business acumen, legal expertise, judgment, risk tolerance, and the ability to cultivate and sustain meaningful relationships. Candidates are evaluated for their capacity to influence and secure buy-in—a vital skill set for navigating complex compliance landscapes.

In parallel, BarkerGilmore administered a reputable psychometric assessment that further validated candidates’ suitability based on objective criteria. This rigorous approach yielded a diverse slate of candidates, leveraging a nationwide search strategy that emphasized local connections within the healthcare sector.

The selected finalist, a seasoned litigation counsel from a large, for-profit healthcare system in the same region as the client’s headquarters, demonstrated exceptional leadership in compliance and litigation, bolstered by endorsements from peers within BarkerGilmore’s extensive network. His proven ability to deliver cost-effective solutions while enhancing operational safety underscored his suitability for this high-impact CCO role.

The finalist’s strong executive presence and adeptness in public speaking further validated his alignment with the client’s need for a visible and confident compliance leader. His consistent tenure at previous employers indicated a commitment to long-term success—a critical factor in BarkerGilmore’s candidate selection process.

Client Impact and Feedback

The client affirmed that all candidates presented were highly qualified, with relevant experience and cultural compatibility. However, the chosen finalist’s comprehensive skill set, and emotional intelligence, set him apart, making him the ideal fit for this hands-on, strategic role of CCO. His poised demeanor and crisis management capabilities reassured the client of his readiness to navigate challenging scenarios effectively.