Finding a Focus

Stuart Spencer, the San Francisco search firm hired to help fill “one of the highest-profile leadership positions now being advertised in the scientific world,” may have a little trouble focusing on the task.

That's because it is also bidding to become the search firm to find the new CEO at Hewlett-Packard.

To give you some idea of the magnitude of difference, the Wall Street Journal last week had several front page stories (more inside) on the HP vacancy. It had none on the California stem cell agency.

The HP position is also likely to pay something in the range of $5 to $10 million annually. The CIRM position is more like $500,000 or less. Stuart Spencer is being paid $150,000, plus expenses, for its job with the state of California. No word on the size of the HP contract.

Stuart Spencer reports that it has 300 "consultants" who are available to find execs. It also reports that it "conducted nearly 4,000 assignments" last year.

Writer Carl Hall of the San Francisco Chronicle came up with the description of the CIRM chief's position as the “one of the highest profile....”