Paul W. Schmidt

A member of our Consumer and Industrial Practice Groups, Paul has led a distinguished career for over 25 years with top-tier executive search firms. He focuses on C-suite and board-level engagements in the consumer and industrial sectors, and has experience recruiting senior leaders in a variety of functions including finance, supply chain, sales, marketing, technology, human resources and R&D.

Professional Focus

Member of the Consumer and Industrial Practice Groups
Leads C-suite, board-level, and senior functional search assignments in the industrial and consumer sectors for public, private/family owned, private equity sponsored, and offshore multinational industrials.

Business Expertise

25+ years executive search experience at the Partner and Managing Partner level.
Clients have included diversified corporations, startups, Fortune 500 companies, Fortune 1000 companies, US multinationals, as well as the US subsidiaries of offshore industrials.
Successfully completed numerous senior level executive search assignments including Member – Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, President, Group Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer.
Earlier corporate experience in marketing, sales and strategy with Beatrice Foods Co. Baxter Laboratories, and Exxon.

Additional Expertise

Automotive
Consumer Products
Industrial Manufacturing
Infrastructure & Transportation
Mining & Primary Materials
Supply Chain & Logistics

Areas of Expertise

Education & Certifications

MBA from Washington University in St. Louis
BS in Applied Mechanics from Washington University in St. Louis

Chicago

Case Studies

View All

CEO Succession for a Global Precision Manufacturer

Boyden partners with a highly engineered products manufacturer to recruit a CEO who combines strategic pedigree with entrepreneurial execution, positioning the company for its next phase of growth.

Identifying the Next Leader:
CEO Succession in the Industrial Services Sector

The successful identification and recruitment of a new CEO for an industrial services business in the Midwest was critical to ensuring a smooth transition as well as continued growth after the founder CEO’s retirement.

Succession: COO to CEO in the Global Food Processing Equipment Market

Delve into the strategic moves of a prominent company in the global food processing machinery industry, as they navigate the transition of their retiring CEO, revealing a tale of succession planning, creative sourcing of candidates, and rapid advancement of the successful placement.

Thought Leadership

View All

Articles & Papers

AI in CPG Leadership: Transforming Executive Roles

Explore how AI in CPG leadership is reshaping executive roles and driving operational, marketing, and sales innovation across the industry.

Boyden Report Series

What’s Next for Industry? AI, Transformation, and the Talent Imperative

Industrial Trends Report: Analysing markets, studies, and trends on how AI, machine learning, and digitalisation are reshaping the industrial sector, with expert insights on talent and leadership from Boyden’s Global Industrial Practice Members.

Boyden Report Series

Decoding Tech Trends and Leadership in the Digital Age

Technology Report 2024: Analyzing markets, studies, and trends reshaping business with expert insights from Boyden's Global Technology Practice Members