Founding Partner, HJB Management Consultants

HJB Management Consultants is a privately held independent executive search firm registered in the City of Konstanz on the Swiss-German border and the Lake of Konstanz, just 45 minutes from Zurich airport. 

The consultancy was founded in 1996 by Hans-Joachim (Hajo) Borsdorf, the then Co-Managing Director of Spencer Stuart & Associates (Deutschland) GmbH. A former A. T. Kearney Strategy Consultant, he has developed the company, together with a small staff, beyond traditional search into a premier league top management consulting boutique by pursuing a dedicated personalized approach focusing on Executive and Board Search, Executive Counseling & Coaching,
Management Audits and Appraisals.

The firm’s diversified client base covering all major industry sectors ranging from multinationals to medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups allows HJB-MC to avoid off-limit issues and conflicts of interests. As a seasoned and experienced generalist search consultant, Hajo always takes sole responsibility from initial client and candidate contact to final contract negotiations. His broad based industry experience and networks dating back to A. T. Kearney, gives him the skill and authority to advise the leadership of German companies, German/foreign joint ventures as well as owners of privately held enterprises, on their needs for Executive and Non-Executive Directors and Management.

He holds a Ph.D. from the law and economics faculty of Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz. Following four years as assistant professor he started his industry career in the media industry at the Bertelsmann Group where he at the age of 32 became Managing Director of their Book & Record Club Operations in London.

Managing Partner, Interconsilium (Pty) Limited

A former diplomat, Chris was appointed by Hill Samuel Bank and in 1974
was asked to start a search company under the auspices of the Bank.
As Managing Director, he negotiated the sale of the Bank’s interests to TASA International in 1978. TASA South Africa quickly became a very important part of the TASA Group and he joined the Board of the International Company. In 1985 he established Interconsilium, in conjunction with Mr J. T. Fulghum, the former Chairman of Tasa International.

In 1993, Interconsilium became the platform for the launch of Spencer Stuart Johannesburg with Chris serving as the Managing Director until he left in 2001. In 2002 he joined Leaders Unlimited Korn Ferry on a 3 year contract with a view to helping to grow this newly established firm. This contract ended in October 2005 and he left to re-commission Interconsilium.

Chris has more than 33 years of executive search experience in Africa and internationally, handling top level appointments, particularly chief executive, executive and non-executive directors, in the aviation, financial, industrial, service and vehicle manufacturing sectors. Chris was until recently commissioned in the South African Air Force Reserve with the rank of Captain and has more than 1000 military flying hours in transport operations.

Chris holds a BA Economics degree from Pretoria University and a MBA from the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. He has also completed short management courses at Wharton and London Business Schools.