Oak Brook, Illinois, Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WittKieffer, the premier executive search and leadership advisory firm dedicated to improving quality of life through impactful leadership, today announced that it is acquiring the assets of Ross & Company and that its founder, Larry Ross, will join WittKieffer as Senior Partner and Lead Partner for Private Equity. This combination accelerates WittKieffer’s leadership in building boards and executive teams for healthcare and life sciences investors and their portfolio companies. Through this transaction, WittKieffer will also acquire and integrate Ross & Company’s Healthcare Leaders (HCL) events and thought leadership brand, including its signature Dallas conference, further establishing WittKieffer as the authority on impactful leadership in the Quality of Life Ecosystem.

Larry Ross Appointed Senior Partner, Lead Partner for Private Equity

Larry Ross, one of the foremost names in executive search for investor-backed healthcare, will join WittKieffer as Senior Partner and Lead Partner for Private Equity. With more than three decades of experience, Ross has placed transformative leaders across healthcare and adjacent sectors, building trusted relationships with prominent investors, operators, and talent partners. His expertise complements WittKieffer’s purpose-built team of 50 professionals serving investor-driven organizations through comprehensive, tailored solutions. Throughout his notable career, Ross has worked with more than 200 sponsor groups across the venture, growth, and private equity continuum. As Lead Partner for Private Equity, Ross will work with WittKieffer's growing specialized team to shape the firm’s accelerated growth within this critical area for healthcare and life sciences.

“Larry’s reputation and track record in investor-backed healthcare are unmatched,” said Andrew Chastain, CEO of WittKieffer. “By joining forces, we are building the foremost platform – combining specialized insight, an unparalleled network, and a comprehensive suite of solutions – delivering impactful leadership for healthcare and life sciences investors and their portfolio companies.”

Integrating Healthcare Leaders: Advancing the Leadership Dialogue

Healthcare Leaders’ annual gatherings attract hundreds of senior leaders who are drawn from a highly curated network of the best and brightest healthcare investors and operators. With this acquisition, WittKieffer will expand HCL’s reach to the convergent healthcare, academic, and science pillars of the firm’s Quality of Life Ecosystem in the United States and beyond. With increasing interdependence and collaboration among these pillars, WittKieffer HCL will convene innovators, providers, educators, payers, and investors across diverse geographies and market segments. The HCL platform is expected to encompass a range of formats, from large conferences to small gatherings to podcast fireside chats.

“The foundational ethos of Healthcare Leaders has always been to employ its convening power to attract high-impact healthcare leaders and to drive meaningful change through dialogue and collaboration,” said Larry Ross. “By joining WittKieffer, we can extend this mission globally and across the entire healthcare industry, offering essential wisdom and critical connectivity to leaders and investors committed to improving quality of life.”

The Value of Combining Forces

The combination of WittKieffer and Ross & Company deliver:

• Deep Domain Expertise: Extensive experience supporting the strategic recruitment and development of board and C-suite leaders on behalf of investors.
• Targeted Solutions: Solutions meticulously designed for the accelerated growth and operational demands of investor-backed companies.
• Convergent Market Reach: Broad geographic reach across the increasingly convergent segments of healthcare, life sciences, and education.
• Convening Authority: An expanded network and formalized ability, through HCL Events, to connect influential leaders for collaborative problem-solving and strategic advancement.

This combination further enhances WittKieffer's preeminent global position in building, developing, and accelerating impactful leadership on behalf of organizations that improve quality of life worldwide.

About WittKieffer

WittKieffer is the premier executive search and leadership advisory firm developing impactful leadership teams for organizations that improve quality of life. We work exclusively with organizations in not-for-profit and for-profit healthcare, life sciences, and education – the “Quality of Life Ecosystem.” Leveraging our unwavering focus on this complex ecosystem, we help clients solve challenging problems through executive search, interim leadership, and leadership advisory services. We strengthen organizations that make the world better. Visit wittkieffer.com to learn more.

Paul Thomas
WittKieffer
6306325797
pthomas@wittkieffer.com