TurnkeyZRG Expands to Europe with the Hire of George Williams
George Williams joins TurnkeyZRG as Managing Director, UK & Europe
NEW YORK, NY and LONDON, ENGLAND – TurnkeyZRG, a division of ZRG and one of North America’s top sports and entertainment talent recruitment firms, today announced its expansion into the European market with the hire of George Williams as Managing Director.
Based in London, Williams brings over 15 years of executive search experience in sports and entertainment and will lead TurnkeyZRG’s fast-growing practice in Europe. Williams is also a leading recruiter in the European media space and will also work closely with ZRG’s Sucherman division, the top advisory firm for media, content, direct-to-consumer, streaming and production around the world.
“Sports, entertainment and media are undergoing transformative change, and require new talent acquisition strategies. George Williams is ahead of the curve, with deep experience across European clients, and U.S. clients abroad, delivering bespoke, smarter, cutting-edge placements,” said Len Perna, Chairman and CEO of TurnkeyZRG. “George is trusted and respected in Europe and fits perfectly with our data-driven, more modern approach to talent.”
“As the connectivity between the U.S. and European Sport and Media industries grows ever stronger, there is a natural opportunity to provide industry leading talent solutions to clients on both sides of the Atlantic,” George added. “I am delighted to have the chance to lead TurnkeyZRG’s expansion in the region and support clients’ talent objectives at this exciting time in the sector.”
In his search efforts, Williams partners closely with clients to deliver consultative recruitment processes which provide fresh thinking and challenge industry norms. He has successfully appointed Board Members, Directors, Senior Managers, CEOs, and other C-Suite executives to a number of leading sports and media organizations. His clients have included sports rights holders and governing bodies, global sports leagues, international broadcasters, private equity groups, Premier League and European football clubs, Formula One teams, international motorsport series, production companies, OTT streaming platforms, digital disruptors, agencies, and e-sports organizations.
Notably, Williams worked on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games for Nielsen as business development manager, advising Coca-Cola, P&G, CISCO, and other clients on their sponsorship activation strategies. He boasts a strong track record of diverse talent placements and has attracted executives into the sector from adjacent industries.
Prior to joining TurnkeyZRG, Williams was a Partner at Savannah Group, where he led the Sport and Media Practice across Europe. Williams previously was an Associate at Odgers Berndtson where he supported the launch of the sports and entertainment and media practice. George Williams holds a BA (Hons) degree in Sociology from Newcastle University.
About TurnkeyZRG
TurnkeyZRG is North America’s top talent advisory firm in sports, music and entertainment with more than 1,800 placements since 1996. TurnkeyZRG has placed CEO’s, Presidents, Commissioners, and other executives, spanning all functional areas, into the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, SUM, NWSL, NASCAR, Indy Car, tennis, golf, college sports, etc. Recently TurnkeyZRG placed the Commissioners of the ACC, PAC-12, Big 12, Big Ten and the President of the NCAA and the firm was ranked as the 4th most influential player in college sports.
Since being acquired by ZRG in 2020, TurnkeyZRG has experienced tremendous growth from implementing ZRG’s data-driven, tech-driven talent process.
About ZRG
ZRG is a global talent advisory firm that is changing the way companies hire and manage talent. ZRG’s data-driven approach to executive and professional search has been changing the way clients think about how to find top talent. The company’s digital Zi platform combines talent intelligence, candidate insights, and process improvement to dramatically deliver executive searches quicker and with proven better results.
Today, with the help of private equity investor RFE Investment Partners, ZRG is among the fastest growing firms in the search industry and provides a full suite of retained search, on-demand talent, and consulting and advisory solutions across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Australia.
About RFE Investment Partners
Founded in 1979, RFE Investment Partners is a private equity investor with a long-standing small buyout heritage and a time-tested strategy for growing businesses. RFE equips companies with the capabilities and resources to scale by leveraging the extensive operational expertise, financial acumen, and broad business network of the RFE team.
Through over 75 small buyout transactions, RFE has consistently guided portfolio companies through multiple business cycles while driving value creation. RFE invested in ZRG Partners in December 2018, providing the tools and guidance needed to expand the capabilities and product offerings of the company, as well as grow the business on an international scale.