Jeff Leopold

Jeff Leopold is a Managing Director at Cook Associates based in the firm’s Boston office. For more than 20 years, his career has been focused on the software, technology-enabled business services, and professional services industries. Jeff’s prior operating experience with leading technology and professional services companies, as well as his extensive experience serving executive search clients, has helped him to earn a reputation for developing a deep understanding of client needs and delivering exceptional value.

Jeff has helped numerous clients ranging from well-established publicly-traded companies like IBM, Siemens, Mitsubishi and Dell to early-stage companies backed by top-tier private equity and venture capital firms like Bain Capital, Warburg Pincus, Goldman Sachs, Hellman & Friedman, Charles River Ventures, Valhalla Partners, General Catalyst, Fidelity Ventures, and Commonwealth Capital. Along the way, he has successfully recruited Board Directors, CEOs, CFOs, and COOs as well as vice presidents heading critical functions.

Prior to joining Cook Associates, Jeff was a Principal in the Technology, Media and Telecom Practice at CTPartners (formerly known as Christian & Timbers) and before that, he served as Vice President at a Boston-based boutique retained search firm.

Earlier in his career, Jeff was a consultant with Polaris Consulting (acquired by Deloitte and Touche). He was subsequently recruited to Microsoft where he helped design and launch the initial version of Microsoft Access and evangelized Microsoft's products to the large enterprise market. From Microsoft, Jeff joined the Yankee Group where he led its Distributed Computing Research Practice and later served as a Regional Vice President of Sales. Following Yankee Group, Jeff went to Sapient, a premier global business and technology services firm, where he helped some of the most respected retail and financial services brands to define and integrate internet-based business strategies. Jeff also has experience as an early-stage investor, having worked as a Vice President at a Boston-based venture capital firm.

Jeff earned a BS from the State University of New York and an MBA at the University of Michigan Business School. His long-time interest in human capital issues stems from a study he led during his second year at Michigan which focused on how corporate culture serves as a growth engine in Fortune 1000 companies.