John Abele

John Abele is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles' Chicago Office and a member of the Marketing, Sales & Strategy Officers Practice. In addition to his functional focus, John is also a member of the global Industrial Practice where he focuses on CEO, board, and general management search assignments. He recruits CEOs, board directors, general managers, and top commercial and strategic leaders for a wide array of organizations across the industrial, consumer, technology, life sciences, professional services, and financial services sectors.

As leader of the Marketing, Sales & Strategy Officers Practice, John recruits a wide variety of CMOs, CCOs, CSOs, and leaders in strategy, pricing, customer experience, and other related arenas. Within the industrial arena, much of his work focuses on leading product manufacturers, building products, field service providers, and industrial distributors. John has helped clients develop corporate growth and sales strategies, navigate mergers & acquisitions, transform sales forces and distribution channels, improve marketing and pricing organizations, and successfully utilize technology as a means for growth.

Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, John spent eight years with McKinsey & Company where he was a leader of their marketing & sales practice and their industrial sector. At McKinsey, John served a variety of clients, but focused much of his time with clients in the industrial, technology, consumer, and services sectors. He has authored numerous articles and publicly presented on a variety of marketing, sales, and business development topics.

John has helped clients develop corporate growth and sales strategies, navigate mergers & acquisitions, transform sales forces and distribution channels, improve marketing and pricing organizations, and successfully utilize technology as a means for growth. Earlier in his career, John was also a manager with Hewitt Associates LLC and a consultant with Andersen Consulting.

Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University, MBA in Finance and Management Strategy, summa cum laude

University of Notre Dame, Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, summa cum laude

John volunteers additional time in numerous school activities for Incarnate Word Academy and in coaching several youth sports.