Nelson Connects appointed Melissa Oliva as executive VP, field operations. Oliva has more than 25 years of experience in professional services. In addition, Nelson Connects appointed Lisa Soughers as senior VP, people operations. Soughers has more than 20 years of experience in HR, staffing, retail and human capital management.

SmartSearch Inc., a talent acquisition platform provider, appointed Doug Edwards as executive VP of sales. Edwards most recently served as VP of sales for TargetRecruit. He has 25 years of experience in the staffing industry and with software-as-a-service providers. His past experience includes working Erecruit (acquired by Bullhorn) and WorkLLama.

CompuGroup Technologies LLC (dba CGT Staffing) named Robert James as chief diversity and strategic growth officer. James brings decades of diversity, equity and inclusion as well as legal experience. James previously was VP for diversity, equity and inclusion corporate strategies for Allegheny Health Network/Highmark Health. He was admitted to the Hall of Fame for the MWWBE Governmental Committee in Pittsburgh and recently complete a term on the executive committee of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s advisory council for diversity, inclusion and small business opportunity.

Focus Search Partners, a Vaco Holdings company, named John Davidson as managing director. Davidson has more than 20 years of executive search experience. He is also an advisory board member at BRW Enterprise and a board member at DataPrime, an AI and machine learning company.

Executive search firm ZRG announced Managing Director Pablo Perella-Berdun and Senior Advisor Hugo Lara will lead its new office in Mexico City. Perella-Berdun has five years of experience in executive search and previously had a 27-year career in consumer, medical device, hygiene and safety products and specialty chemicals. Lara comes to ZRG from Korn Ferry. Lara previously held roles at Mexichem (now Orbia), Vitro, Parmalat, S.C. Johnson and Grupo Christianson.