Overview
Kati Najipoor-Smith is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Frankfurt office. She leads the firm’s global Automobility sector and co-leads the CEO & Board of Directors Practice across Europe and Africa. Kati advises boards and senior executives on CEO succession, board succession, executive search, and leadership planning, helping organizations build high-performing, diverse boards and executive leadership teams. Her work spans the automotive industry and clients across a wide range of sectors.
Experience
Kati works closely with boards throughout the CEO succession process, from defining leadership requirements and assessing internal and external candidates to supporting CEO transitions and chair succession. She also advises on board composition and director appointments, helping organizations align leadership with long-term business strategy.
Before joining Heidrick & Struggles, Kati led the automotive and global CEO practice at another global executive search firm. She has guided boards through CEO and board appointments worldwide, including many high-profile leadership transitions, while ensuring that succession processes remain objective, confidential, and aligned with each organization's strategic priorities.
Earlier in her career, Kati held leadership roles at the management consultancies CSC Index and Roland Berger, advising organizations on strategy and transformation. She also gained industry experience with FEV Group, a leading engineering services company serving the automotive sector.
Kati has served as guest faculty at the St. Gallen Board Retreat, where she shared best practices in CEO succession. She is the co-author of Leading Global Champions and frequently speaks on CEO succession, board effectiveness, executive leadership, and the future of leadership.
Education
Technical University of Aachen in Germany, Doctorate in Engineering
University of California, MSc in Mechanical Engineering
University of Portland, BSc in Mechanical Engineering