Espoo, Finland

Heidi Österlund helps boards and CEOs across the Nordics make the leadership decisions that shape their organisations’ future. She looks at the whole picture: the business, the team and the person.

Heidi Österlund is a Senior Executive Consultant at Birn+Partners. She advises boards, CEOs and HR leaders on executive appointments, leadership team composition and succession. She brings together executive search, organisational psychology and a clear sense of what drives business results. That combination lets her see what a role truly demands: what the business needs now, what the leadership team is missing, and which person will make the difference.

With more than 15 years of consulting experience, Heidi has supported organisations across a wide range of industries in executive recruitment, succession planning, talent management, leadership development and organisational development. Much of her work has focused on C-level and other business-critical appointments, where one leadership decision can shape performance, culture and long-term competitiveness. She understands the pressures and expectations that come with senior roles, and she works close to the CEO and the board to make sure each appointment fits both the strategy and the team around it.

Heidi’s background includes senior consulting roles at leading Nordic recruitment and HR consultancies, where she advised both international and domestic clients.

Heidi’s particular strength is understanding how leadership teams work together. When she recruits a new executive, she looks at the whole team: where the gaps are, how responsibilities are divided, and what the next phase of the business will require. Her studies in both psychology and economics help her connect people questions with business priorities.

Heidi holds a Master of Science in Psychology from Örebro University, with a focus on Work and Organisational Psychology, and has also studied Economics at Stockholm University. She is certified in leading international assessment methods and holds the Personnel Assessment Certificate from the Finnish Psychological Association.

Areas of Expertise
• Executive Search & Executive Recruitment
• Leadership Advisory
• Executive & Leadership Assessment
• Succession Planning
• Leadership Team Evaluation
• Talent Reviews & Talent Strategy
• Leadership Potential Assessment
• Assessment & Development Centres
• Leadership Development
• High-Potential Identification
• Psychometric Assessment
• Executive Coaching & Feedback