SolomonEdwards has named industry veteran Michelle Chen as managing partner, accelerating the firm’s strategy to scale its Professional Search practice and expand its national footprint across key markets.
Headquartered in Philadelphia, SolomonEdwards provides professional services to companies navigating growth, transformation, and compliance-driven events. Chen, based in Orange County, California, will lead efforts to broaden the firm’s reach beyond its core Philadelphia and Tri-State markets while deepening its capabilities in accounting and finance recruiting for the Office of the CFO (OCFO) and Banking & Financial Services (BFS) business lines.
Chen brings nearly three decades of staffing and professional services experience, most recently serving as Vice President at Adecco, where she oversaw the U.S. Search team. Under her leadership, the division grew its headcount by sevenfold and increased revenue by fivefold. Previously, she launched, scaled, and sold two multimillion-dollar companies in the staffing and IT managed services sectors.
The appointment follows several recent leadership moves at SolomonEdwards, including the promotion of Carissa Robb to managing partner of the BFS practice and the elevation of George Kelly to lead the firm’s OCFO offerings—part of a broader push to expand capabilities and deliver long-term client value.
Chen holds an MBA in accounting and finance from UCLA Anderson and serves on the board of Operation Be Kind, a nonprofit focused on community engagement.
KEY QUOTES
“Michelle brings extraordinary leadership, vision and operational experience to this role. Her track record of scaling high-performing teams and driving measurable growth speaks for itself. Many of the clients we serve today need access to professionals who can become leaders and decision makers of tomorrow. SolomonEdwards is positioned perfectly to identify, attract and evaluate these professionals. Michelle and the Search team will ensure that our clients feel value beyond our consulting solutions.”
John Gulnac, CEO, SolomonEdwards
“I’m excited to join SolomonEdwards at a moment of such strategic growth. The firm’s commitment to partnership, innovation and integrity perfectly aligns with my own leadership philosophy. Together, we’ll continue to evolve our search practice to help clients identify and empower exceptional talent while supporting the firm’s broader mission of turning complexity into clarity.”
Michelle Chen, Managing Partner, SolomonEdwards
