NEW YORK, January 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Options Group, a leading global executive search firm, announces the opening of a new business, h R -Squared Consultants, focused on providing human capital solutions, client-tailored strategic studies, and quantitative products to the financial services industry.  h R -Squared Consultants will operate as a separate division of Options Group. It will complement the firm's core search business by serving the broader HR needs of Options Group clients.  Its first offerings will be:

1. "h R -Squared Solutions," providing compensation and competitor analysis, as well as consulting in areas such as recruitment, selection, leadership development and performance management.
2. "HR Manager," one-on-one consulting that enables human resource officers to take on management responsibility or allows existing HR managers to improve their skills.
3. "Fast-Track HR," a program designed to broaden HR associates' understanding of strategic human resources.
4. "Career Launch," a program aimed at training students, recent graduates and junior professionals how to obtain employment and plan/shape their careers.

h R -Squared Consultants will be led by Jim Ward, a Managing Director based in Newport Beach, CA and by Steve Cohn, a Managing Director based in New York, NY.

Jim brings over 25 years' experience in the field of Human Resources. He was previously the Global Head of HR at PIMCO, one of the world's leading investment managers. Prior to PIMCO, Jim spent seven years as Head of Asia Pacific HR for a bulge-bracket firm. He holds a Master's degree in Human Resources Management from the University of Houston. He has published on numerous HR-related topics and previously served on the Advisory Committee of the Center for Human Resources at Wharton.

Steve Cohn has been with Options Group for 18 years, mainly recruiting statistical arbitrage traders for hedge fund clients.  He did his Master's studies in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  He also studied strategic human resources and organizational behavior and previously was a social psychology instructor.

Amy Margolis will serve as Senior Advisor. Before joining h R -Squared, Amy was the Principal of her own Human Resources consulting practice. Prior to establishing her consulting practice, Amy spent 28 years at Merrill Lynch where she held a number of senior human resources executive positions. Amy graduated from the University of Hartford where she obtained a BS in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences.

Michael Karp and Ike Suri, Managing Partners at Options Group, commented that h R -Squared Consultants adds "an important link to Options Group value chain by leveraging our existing client relationships and research capabilities. The combined expertise of this team will enable us to build a best-in-class HR consulting business."

http://www.optionsgroup.com

SOURCE Options Group