Lauren Leader--Chivee Appointed Center for Talent Innovation President

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Center for Talent Innovation (CTI), a New York-based diversity and talent management think tank, has appointed Lauren Leader-Chivée, managing partner of Hewlett Chivée Partners, as president, effective January 1, 2014. Leader-Chivée will have a dual-role and will continue to co-lead Hewlett Chivée Partners with Sylvia Ann Hewlett, CTI founder and president. Hewlett will remain at the helm of the organization under her new title of chair and chief executive officer.

This deepening of CTI's executive ranks signals a shift from "startup" to mature organization and sets the stage for sustainability and continued success.

"This year we mark several watershed moments," said Hewlett. "In February 2014 we will celebrate our 10th anniversary, we've recently opened offices in London and San Francisco and our flagship project – the Task Force for Talent Innovation – has grown to comprise 75 global organizations. I'm incredibly proud of our accomplishments and we're building for the future. Lauren and I have worked together for four years and admire and respect one another. Our skill sets are enormously complementary and together we can underpin the growing scope and span of CTI around the world."

Leader-Chivée and Hewlett will share executive duties. Leader-Chivée, who will report to Hewlett, will manage CTI (strengthening the organizational and operational structure), support Hewlett in bringing the work of CTI to companies and forums around the world, and develop the Task Force community (spearheading fundraising). Hewlett will continue to develop intellectual capital, liaise with key stakeholders and lead the strategic direction of CTI. She will also continue to burnish the brand of CTI in the media and at high-profile events.

"I'm honored to be named president of CTI and look forward to working with Sylvia to build on the success of the last ten years," said Leader-Chivée. "I plan to amplify organizational capacity and reach out to member companies to find new ways of creating value for our community."

In addition to her new role as president, Leader-Chivée will continue to lead Hewlett Chivée Partners – the boutique advisory firm Hewlett founded. In that capacity she will continue to spearhead proprietary work for companies and organizations. Under her stewardship, Hewlett Chivée Partners has grown fourfold and now has a wide range of global clients.

In a move to further deepen the executive ranks at CTI, Carolyn Buck Luce, a longtime leader of CTI's Task Force for Talent Innovation, has been appointed "Executive in Residence," and, effective this month, will both play a senior advisory role and spearhead one of the high priority research projects. Peggy Shiller, who has been part of the senior team at CTI since inception, will continue as chief operating officer.

More information is available at www.talentinnovation.org.

About Center for Talent Innovation

The Center for Talent Innovation, a non-profit "think tank" based in New York City, has emerged as a thought leader in diversity and talent management, driving ground-breaking research and seeding programs and practices that attract, retain and accelerate the new streams of talent around the world. The Center for Talent Innovation's flagship - the Task Force for Talent Innovation – is comprised of 75 private-sector companies focused on helping organizations leverage their talent across the divides of gender, generation, geography and culture.