How it all began
We built our firm on the pillars of objectivity, undiluted ethics, and enlightened aggression.
With a process that’s rooted in relationships, data, and intellect, we’ve provided professional judgments that have made a lasting impact on our partners.
Our judgements are simultaneously inspired by instinct and pragmatism, resulting in balanced outcomes designed to endure.
A note from our founder
In 2012, we recognized a rare opportunity: to combine decades of hard-earned expertise with a new generation’s ambition. After a 25-year career shaping leadership at Fidelity Investments, I arrived in New York intent on building something more personal, focused, and purposeful. John, fresh from his MBA and a decade on Wall Street, brought a sharpened perspective and a drive to rethink what a search firm could be.
Together, we designed a family enterprise with a singular philosophy: precision over noise, clarity over complexity, excellence without compromise.
Occam emerged from that vision—where seasoned judgment meets modern creative force. Today, it stands as a global search firm trusted by founders and innovators who expect rigor, judgment, and results. Our culture reflects our standard: intuitive collaboration, deep respect, warmth of spirit, uncompromising ethics, and an obsession with purpose.
Occam was built with intention, and it continues to evolve with the same bold clarity that shaped its first day.
Bill & John Holodnak
Values you’ll see embodied
in our practice
01
Professionalism
Driven by discipline
and objectivity
02
Transparency
Guided by open
communication
03
Creativity
Inspired by both improvised
and structured thinking
04
Ethics
Fueled by an unrelenting
commitment to results
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
Day 1
INITIATION
Defining the project scope, objectives, and deliverables.
Day 3
PLANNING
Project plans are created.
Day 14 - 90
eXECUTION
Project plan is put in action and the cycle of execution repeats until the finalists are identified
Day 90 - 120
PRE-CLOSURE
Finalist prioritization and closure strategy
Day 120
CLOSURE
Candidate Negotiation & Closure
We offer more than just candidate lists. Our specialized knowledge, deep industry experience, and extensive network across life sciences and deep tech ensure we find leaders with the precise technical skills, cultural fit, and strategic vision to drive your innovation and growth. Furthermore, our dedicated partnership and venture funding arm provides unparalleled mentorship and consultative services, a strategic resource you won't find at a traditional search firm.
Life sciences executive search focuses on placing senior leaders and board members in sectors like biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical devices. Occam Global's unique advantage is our dual expertise in both life sciences and technology, allowing us to excel in TechBio and Deep Tech executive search. This positions us to successfully fill complex roles at the intersection of these two industries, which is critical for future innovation.
While we specialize in and are known for life sciences executive search, our experience extends to high-growth deep technology companies and venture capital portfolio companies, where we apply our rigorous executive search methodology.