ZRG appoints John Hetherington as managing director in Human Resources Officers practice

Rochester, NY — ZRG, the global talent advisory firm redefining executive search through a human- and data-driven approach, today announced that John Hetherington has joined the firm as a Managing Director in its Executive Search business, working within the Human Resources Officers practice.

“John brings exactly the kind of perspective our clients need right now,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “He understands that the future of HR leadership is not about replicating legacy models, but about applying insight, data, and judgment to build teams that can perform in new and complex environments. His global experience and thoughtful approach align perfectly with how ZRG partners with clients to deliver impact.”

John brings more than a decade of experience advising organizations on senior HR and functional leadership appointments across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. He partners closely with CEOs to appoint chief human resources officers and with CHROs to build leadership teams equipped to operate across complexity, scale, and change.

Prior to joining ZRG, John built his career at Leathwaite, beginning in the CFO practice before relocating to Hong Kong, where he led the firm’s APAC business. He later returned to the UK and rejoined the firm in 2020 to help scale its global HR capability following a period of travel and writing.

Known for his global mindset and appreciation of cultural nuance, John has extensive experience moving talent across borders and sectors, recognizing the transferability of functional leadership skills. He also helped introduce psychometric assessment tools to strengthen data-driven hiring decisions, reflecting his interest in de-risking executive appointments.

John is based in the UK. He holds a BA in Modern European Languages from Durham University and an MSc in Organizational Psychology from Birkbeck, University of London.