Pearl Meyer Chief Technology &Data Officer
About Pearl Meyer
Pearl Meyer is the leading advisor to Boards and senior management helping organizations build, develop, and reward great leadership teams that drive long-term success. The firm believes in the power of connecting compensation strategy with leadership development to help clients realize their business objectives.
Clients rely on Pearl Meyer to provide innovative, customized services that address the critical links between people and outcomes. Pearl Meyer’s global clients stand at the forefront of their industries and range from emerging high-growth, not-for-profit, and private companies to the Fortune 500 and Private Equity backed businesses. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco.
Following a strategic investment from Coalesce in early 2025, Pearl Meyer is seeking to accelerate its growth from both organic & inorganic initiatives. This is being done by creating a market-leading leadership practice in tandem with its stronghold in executive compensation advisory and by investing in technology (including but not limited to Artificial Intelligence) to drive productivity improvements.
Role Description
Pearl Meyer is seeking to hire a new Chief Technology & Data Officer (CT&DO). The CT&DO will report to the CEO and work with the leaders of the Executive Compensation & Leadership Practices as well as the wider C-suite to drive productivity growth through the development and implementation of data and AI-based tools across both practices. This is a unique opportunity for a high-caliber technology leader to join Pearl Meyer’s executive team and be a key leader in executing on the businesses’ ambitious growth plan.
This role is ideally based in Wellesley MA, Houston TX, or Chicago IL.However, given the global nature of the role – the role will require travel regularly to our US & India offices – we are very open to remote candidates.
The Chief Technology & Data Officer will be responsible for defining and executing Pearl Meyer’s firmwide technology, data, and AI strategy to enhance productivity, scalability, and data integrity across the Executive Compensation, Leadership and Survey practices.
The Chief Technology & Data Officer will be responsible for the following activities:
- Enhance data collection and validation activities with AI based data collection tools.
- Responsible for the current offshore data-collection and validation operations in Dehradun, India, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
- Lead the transition from manual data collection / entry processes to automated technology solutions that reduce cycle time and improve reliability.
- Define long-term structure and resourcing plan for the Pearl Meyer’s India function (currently called MDG) as automation tools are deployed.This will include enablingincreased use of India based employees to directly work on US client project work
- Development of Technology (including AI) tools to increase Executive Compensation & Leadership Practice Productivity
- Partner with practice leaders and subject matter experts to identify high-impact use-cases for technology including data products and AI (e.g., peer-group generation, compensation benchmarking, leadership assessment synthesis)
- Lead design, build, and rollout of data collection and analysis tools to enhance consultant productivity across both practices.
- Drive vendor selection, architecture standards, and model governance for all technology and AI initiatives.
- Survey Engineering
- Own the architecture, automation, and modernization of Pearl Meyer’s survey platforms to improve data quality, speed, and scalability.
- Implement end-to-end workflow tools to streamline survey design, distribution, response tracking, and analytics.
- IT (including Cyber Security)
- Oversee core IT operations (infrastructure, helpdesk, networking, business applications, and vendor management) to ensure high reliability and service quality.
- Define and enforce firmwide cyber-security policies, risk assessments, and incident-response procedures.
- Manage enterprise systems (ERP, CRM, HRIS) in partnership with functional leaders.
- Drive continuous improvement in data privacy, access management, and compliance with SOC 2 (firm currently holds Type 2 report).
Successful Candidate Criteria
- Technology experience
- Proven track record leading technology strategy and delivery in a professional-services, data-driven, or analytics-heavy environment.
- Experience designing and implementing modern architecture (e.g., cloud-based data platforms, AI/ML models, workflow automation tools).
- Demonstrated ability to translate business objectives into scalable technology solutions that enhance productivity, data quality, and client delivery.
- Strong understanding of product development lifecycle, vendor management, and build-vs-buy decision frameworks
- Data management
- Deep experience with enterprise data strategy, including data governance, integration, quality management, and analytics enablement.
- Understanding of data privacy, security, and regulatory compliance (SOC 2, GDPR, etc.).
- Track record of enabling AI and analytics use cases through clean, structured, and governed datasets.
- Project Management
- Exceptional organizational and program-management skills; able to deliver multiple, cross-functional initiatives on time and within budget.
- Experienced in agile or hybrid development environments, with a pragmatic approach to prioritization and resource allocation.
- Skilled in building and leading teams—both internal and offshore—and managing external partners to achieve defined outcomes.
- Strong financial acumen and experience managing technology budgets.
- Communication & Presence
- Clear, concise communicator capable of translating complex technical concepts into business terms for senior stakeholders and clients.
- Collaborative leadership style with confidence to influence at the Partner and Board level.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility across business units and external vendors.
- Culture/Attitude
- Player-coach: Operates effectively at both strategic and tactical levels. Independent and hands-on when needed. Influences broadly across the organization.
- Proactive operator: Moves with urgency. Anticipates needs, follows through quickly, and drives results without waiting for direction.
- Talent builder: Recruits and retains top talent. Develops people, manages performance, and holds teams accountable.
- Team player: Low ego, and a practical, hands-on approach
- Integrity & Discretion: Unquestioned integrity, ethics, and professionalism. Can be trusted with sensitive information and make fair decisions that balance employee well-being with company interests.
