Barbara Pickens

Barbara Pickens is the founder and former Managing Partner of Pickens & Company, a retained executive search consulting firm specializing in consumer-facing companies.12 She began her career as a marketing recruiter, placing brand managers from top CPG companies into organizations building their brand management teams.1 Over time, she expanded her focus to include sales management recruitment, developing expertise in matching talent to company needs.1

Pickens & Company, under Barbara's leadership, focused on placing senior executives in C-level General Management, Customer Development, and Chief Marketing Officer roles.1 The firm has worked with a wide range of clients, from blue-chip companies to private equity-funded firms.1

Barbara retired from her position as Managing Partner at Pickens & Company in August 2023, after leading the firm for 19 years and 1 month.2 Throughout her career, she built a reputation for recommending and placing candidates that were custom-fit to each leadership position and company culture.1

In addition to her professional work, Barbara is a native New Yorker, an arts patron, and is actively involved in organizations supporting the city's homeless population. She also mentors disadvantaged teenagers.1