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John Barrett
Boston

Business Services
Technology & Communications
Media & Entertainment

John Barrett is a Managing Director with the Executive Search division of Cook Associates Inc., and is based in the firm’s Boston office. He has built an expertise in the technology, online media, transaction processing, marketing services, consumer, and business services industries. John’s clients include private equity and venture-backed portfolio companies as well as the Fortune 1000, and he recruits at senior levels including CxO and functional Vice Presidents.

Prior to joining Cook Associates, Inc., John served as a Managing Director with Conley & Company where he focused on business services, consumer and online media with additional expertise in technology-enabled services. Previously, John was an Executive Director with Russell Reynolds Associates. In addition, John led Russell Reynolds Associates’ North American Financial Technology Practice and was a member of the firm's global Financial Services and Technology Practices.

Before entering the retained executive search industry, John was Vice President, Marketing for Citi f/i (financial interactive), an ambitious Internet start-up for the Global Consumer Bank at Citigroup. Earlier, he was Vice President, Strategic Planning. John developed customer acquisition campaigns and numerous cross-marketing alliances with retail and consumer companies. He also was instrumental in working across Citigroup's consumer product lines to design innovative approaches to customer acquisition, cross-selling and retention loyalty programs. He was recruited to Citigroup by a former client.

Previously, John was with Mars & Co, a French strategy consulting firm, as a consultant serving Fortune 500 clients across multiple industries, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, healthcare and auto. John began his career with ICI Americas, the U.S. subsidiary of the British chemicals conglomerate, where he helped launch and co-directed sales and marketing for a suite of products serving the emerging digital imaging market.

John received his BS degree, magna cum laude, in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and his MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College. Soon after graduating from Tufts, he won first place in the Old Guard competition, which is the top national prize awarded to students by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

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Testimonials

“John’s style is that of transparency, honesty and straightforwardness. He never tried to sell us on anyone and was very consultative during the candidate selection process.”
– Andrew Miller, Chief Executive Officer, Quattro Wireless

Quattro Wireless [PDF]

"John truly partnered with us and I felt like he was on our team in making this hire, as if he would be working with this person from day-to-day.”
– Emily Nagle Green, Chief Executive Officer, Yankee Group
Yankee Group [PDF]

“Some people are good actors and some are good producers; John is great at finding the producers. He consistently brought me candidates who were true ‘A’ players with track records of making an impact.”
– Michael Tupanjanin, Executive Vice President, Global Sales, Fast Search & Transfer
FAST [PDF]