HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Occam was founded in 2012 on a simple yet uncommon belief: executive search could be more creative, thoughtful, and principled than the industry norm.
After a 25-year career shaping leadership at Fidelity Investments, William ”Bill” Holodnak partnered with his son, John, to build a firm defined by focus, judgment, and ethics.
From the beginning, we chose to partner closely with founders and entrepreneurial leaders as they navigate moments that define their companies. We understood that early-stage and high-growth businesses require more than resume shuffling — they require judgment calls made under incomplete information, the kind no algorithm can make for you. Today, Occam is a global executive search firm trusted by founders, boards, and investors in high-stakes leadership moments.
That judgment is built from pattern recognition — hundreds of these decisions, across every stage from founding team to post-IPO board — brought to bear on the search in front of us. It's why investors bring us in before the problem is even fully defined, and why the leaders we place deliver proven track records, real impact, and long-term value.
VALUES YOU’LL SEE EMBODIED IN OUR PRACTICE
PROFESSIONALISM
Driven by discipline and objectivity
TRANSPARENCY
Guided by open communication
CREATIVITY
Inspired by both improvised and structured thinking
ETHICS
Fueled by an unrelenting commitment to results
BEHIND OCCAM
We built our firm on the pillars of objectivity, undiluted ethics, and enlightened aggression.
The medieval philosopher William of Occam serves as the firm's adopted patron saint. William spoke plainly and his thoughts were infused with rigor and humanity. These qualities yielded elevated ideas that advanced Western philosophy but also got him into a few dust ups with the Vatican.
His enduring concept, Occam's Razor, embodies an unrelenting focus on essentials in problem-solving. His and our solutions strive for elegant simplicity.
OUR PROCESS TO FIND THE BEST LEADER
FAQ
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR DISTINCTIVE APPROACH
When was Occam Global founded, and where is it located?
Occam Global was founded in 2012 by William "Bill" Holodnak, after 25 years founding and leading J. Robert Scott, Fidelity Investments' global executive search firm, and his son, John Holodnak. The firm has associates in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles and recruits executives and board members across the United States, Europe and Asia.
Who leads Occam Global?
Occam Global is led by CEO John Holodnak, Chairman William "Bill" Holodnak and Partner Teresa Reti. Bill has more than 40 years of recruiting experience, including 25 years founding and leading J. Robert Scott, Fidelity Investments' global executive search firm, and continues to advise on CEO and board-level searches. John co-founded the firm with Bill in 2012, became CEO in September 2026 and focuses on deep tech and frontier technology recruiting. Teresa holds an MBA from USC Marshall and has built many of the relationships behind Occam's life sciences, technology and venture capital practices.
Why is the firm named Occam?
Occam Global is named for William of Occam, the 14th-century philosopher and one of the foundational thinkers of Western philosophy, whom the firm regards as its patron saint. His principle, Occam's razor, holds that the simplest explanation that fits the facts is usually the right one. Occam applies the same discipline to executive search. It sets aside the long wish list, identifies the few qualities that will decide whether a leader succeeds in a particular company at a particular moment, and judges every candidate rigorously against them.
Who does Occam Global work with?
Occam Global works with founders, boards and investors in life sciences, biotech, TechBio, AI, deep tech, robotics and defense technology. Clients range from stealth startups to public companies such as Recursion, and include leading investors such as Andreessen Horowitz, OrbiMed, Lux Capital and Bain Capital Life Sciences, along with their portfolio companies.
Does Occam Global invest in the companies it works with?
Yes, selectively. Occam Global sometimes takes equity in place of search fees, investing alongside the founders and boards it works with. It has made more than 50 early-stage investments across robotics, AI, life sciences, digital chemistry and software, so it understands company building from an investor's perspective as well as a recruiter's.
How has Occam Global helped first-time CEOs?
Occam Global believes the well-chosen first-time CEO is often the stronger bet, provided the right leadership system is built around them. At CHARM Therapeutics, Occam recruited serial biotech entrepreneur Gary Glick as Executive Chairman to mentor the founder CEO, and the company went on to secure a $50M Series A. At Anagenex, Occam helped first-time CEO Nicolas Tilmans build his leadership team and shape the company's board.
What values guide Occam Global's work?
Four values guide Occam Global's work. Professionalism means discipline and objectivity. Transparency means open, candid communication with clients and candidates. Creativity means what Bill Holodnak calls "elegant improvisation": a disciplined process, with the judgment to depart from it when a search demands it. Ethics means doing the right thing for clients and candidates, even when it's harder.