Annie Ekstrom
Wilsonville,OR
Summary
Executive recruiting and talent intelligence leader with 10+ years of experience designing and executing early-stage search strategies for senior, niche, and highly passive talent. Deep expertise in executive search methodology, talent market analysis, ecosystem mapping, and capability-led assessment across product creation, engineering, design, and G&A functions. Known for translating complex market data into clear, decision-ready insights for senior leaders and for building long-term executive pipelines in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Principal – Executive Search & Talent Intelligence
Ekstrom Talent Consulting
06.2021 - Current
- Provide executive search strategy, talent intelligence, and early-stage pipeline development for high-growth and transformation-stage organizations.
- Lead front-end executive search strategy, including role scoping, capability definition, market mapping, and passive candidate identification
- Design and execute search methodologies tailored to niche and senior roles, prioritizing long-term pipeline development over transactional hiring
- Conduct deep talent ecosystem research to identify emerging leadership capabilities, competitor talent flows, and market availability
- Translate market data into clear, commercially relevant insights that inform hiring strategy, prioritization, and timing
- Partner closely with recruiters and senior leaders to refine assessment approaches and anticipate hiring manager needs
- Known for operating independently, driving assignments to completion, and navigating ambiguity with structure and clarity
- Representative Clients: On Running, Tesla, Summer, TWG Global AI, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Hadrian, Rippling
Head of Talent, North America
On Running, Inc.
01.2020 - 06.2021
- Led executive and senior-level talent strategy during a period of rapid global expansion.
- Built and scaled passive talent pipelines across product creation, engineering, and corporate leadership roles
- Designed global sourcing and research frameworks & trained 40-member talent org to support long-term hiring needs and workforce planning at all levels
- Led cross-regional recruiting teams while personally owning high-impact, hard-to-fill searches
- Partnered with senior leaders on talent forecasting, organizational design, and succession-oriented pipeline building
- Delivered ongoing market insights on talent availability, competitive dynamics, and hiring risks
Senior Technical Talent Sourcer – Global Recruitment (U.S. & China)
Tesla
05.2018 - 01.2020
- Focused on early-stage research, passive sourcing, and talent intelligence for highly specialized roles - became known as the go-to sourcer for the hardest-to-find roles
- Designed and executed market-driven sourcing strategies for niche engineering and manufacturing roles
- Built proactive pipelines to support Gigafactory launches in Reno and Shanghai under aggressive timelines
- Conducted primary and secondary research to map talent ecosystems across global markets
- Delivered data-backed insights on candidate availability, competitive hiring pressures, and market readiness
- Led sourcing workflow design during the global rollout of Avature ATS/CRM, enabling scalable executive research
Talent Acquisition Recruiting Lead – Global Product Creation & Design
Nike, Inc.
10.2014 - 05.2018
- Led search strategy and talent intelligence for a global innovation & product creation organization.
- Owned early-stage executive and senior talent strategy for design, development, innovation, and merchandising across footwear, materials & apparel
- Built long-term pipelines for highly specialized and creative leadership roles
- Partnered with business leaders and HR to align search strategy with capability needs, diversity goals, and future skill requirements
- Delivered talent mapping and market insights to inform hiring decisions across regions
Education
B.A. - International Affairs
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, OR05.2009
Skills
- HireEZ, SeekOut, Avature, Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, Taleo, Boolean & X-ray search, GitHub, Google Scholar
Accomplishments
- Nike: Designed and led executive and senior-level talent pipelines across global innovation, product creation, and technical ecosystems, delivering passive candidate networks that supported long-term hiring, succession planning, and growth strategy
- On Running: Scaled workforce 150% YoY while reducing time-to-fill by 50%, using proactive market mapping and evidence-based sourcing across U.S., EU, and APAC during hypergrowth
- Nike & Jordan: Led executive and niche talent search strategy across 4,000-person Product Creation recruiting organization, filling 150+ senior and hard-to-hire roles annually
- Tesla: Built China Gigafactory talent intelligence and sourcing strategy, scaling from 0 to 1,500 hires in under one year at the China Gigafactory by mapping highly specialized engineering and manufacturing talent markets
- Recognized for exceptional passive candidate generation, thoughtful assessment, and high-touch candidate experience in complex, high-pressure search environments
Additional Experience
- Senior Recruiter – Aquent
- Director of Marketing & Retail Sales – Blunt USA
- Writer & Researcher – National Geographic Adventure Magazine
Certification
SHRM - SCP
Timeline
Principal – Executive Search & Talent Intelligence
Ekstrom Talent Consulting
06.2021 - Current
Head of Talent, North America
On Running, Inc.
01.2020 - 06.2021
Senior Technical Talent Sourcer – Global Recruitment (U.S. & China)
Tesla
05.2018 - 01.2020
Talent Acquisition Recruiting Lead – Global Product Creation & Design
Nike, Inc.
10.2014 - 05.2018
B.A. - International Affairs
Lewis & Clark College