Stephen Beard spent nearly a decade as an attorney for executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, culminating in his role as general counsel. Recently he added the title of chief administrative officer (CAO) and became a member of the company’s management committee. He shares how he balances legal and business responsibilities and his unique perspectives on both.
How did more business-related responsibilities end up being added to your legal role?
Stephen Beard: It was a gradual progression. My first set of nonlegal responsibilities came with overseeing strategy and corporate development, an area of considerable interest given my experience advising clients on mergers and acquisitions with Schiff Hardin, LLP. After coming to Heidrick & Struggles, the complexity of the marketplace kept increasing, so I became more and more involved in conversations about business strategy. As I demonstrated capacity for managing larger teams and complex issues, I was given the opportunity to take on increasing responsibilities. Those now include human resources and marketing in addition to legal and corporate development.