Leadership Team

Patrick Sylvester

Chief Executive Officer

Founder and CEO Patrick Sylvester has been a pioneering force in executive search for three decades, achieving trusted partner status with many of the world’s most respected companies.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Patrick served his country as an Officer in the United States Navy. His executive search career kicked off in 1993 at Management Recruiters of Cherry Hill, the top performing office in the world’s largest global recruiting network.

Consistently ranked as one of the top revenue-producing recruiters worldwide, Patrick launched Banister International in August 1999, expanding beyond Executive Search to include Advisory services, M&A Consulting, succession planning, interim executive placement, and global project outsourcing. In 2003, he acquired Banister from publicly traded CDI Corporation, propelling it into a new era of expansion and innovation.

With the historic merger of Forbes and Banister International, Patrick remains actively involved across all aspects of the business, recruiting new Partners while continuing to orchestrate executive searches for marquee organizations. His dedication to recognizing, hiring, and mentoring high-potential talent ensures that Forbes Global Talent will continue to thrive for years to come.

Gary Bachrach

Chief Operating Officer

Gary Bachrach is a senior operating executive who has built and led high performance teams for over three decades. Through his focus on connecting people, he has developed scalable, customer-centric organizations that drive client and team growth and retention. He is recognized as a trusted advisor to customers and a strategic and collaborative leader who delivers world-class experiences for all stakeholders.

Gary’s expertise includes helping companies achieve their goals by aligning customer needs with exceptional sales and service teams that provide solutions and deliver quality results. His philosophy is simple – everyone is a customer, external and internal, and every customer deserves our absolute best effort.

Prior roles include Chief Operating Officer for a global healthcare company expanding its U.S. footprint, and General Manager, Global Service for Integra Life Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: IART). Most recently, Gary led the home care business at The Joint Commission, the nation’s most prestigious healthcare quality and safety organization, where his team delivered record revenue growth while increasing customer retention.

Gary currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors for Hope Loves Company, the only nonprofit providing emotional and educational support for children living with a loved one battling ALS.

David Gassman

Chief Marketing Officer

David Gassman serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Forbes Global Talent, leveraging his experience and diverse background in marketing, branding, licensing and client services. David’s background, and his current role as Director, Licensing & Branded Ventures for Forbes Media, the parent company of Forbes Global Talent, provides a unique and valuable asset for Forbes Global Talent in the marketplace while fully leveraging the global influence and impact of the Forbes brand.

While managing multiple marketing agency sectors, David has created and sold over 100 marketing campaigns for high-profile film, television, and media clients while serving as VP, Film & Television, at A.D.D. Marketing & Advertising in Los Angeles. Adding to his portfolio, David served a variety of roles in sales, client services, and marketing on behalf of fashion brand, Hugo Boss.

Also a licensed attorney with a background in private practice, David combines a strategic, multi-disciplinary approach to brand growth and development, offering valuable insights across marketing, licensing, and legal landscapes.