De Forest Search

POWERED BY TALENTOHC

For over 25 years, De Forest Search has connected top brands in toys, entertainment, and consumer products with transformational leaders.

Now powered by TalentoHC’s global reach, we deliver the executives who drive innovation, growth, and success.

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Building Brands. Placing Leaders.

From the largest global toy manufacturers to start-ups, De Forest Search has shaped the leadership teams behind the world’s most beloved consumer brands. Our story began when Jill De Forest launched De Forest Search, a search firm initially created and dedicated to Mattel. De Forest Search grew into a powerhouse talent partner for manufacturers, entertainment studios, licensing agencies and global lifestyle brands across marketing, licensing, sales, digital, creative, operations, product design, product development, and more.

De Forest Search has a longstanding history of placing senior-level executives across the consumer products space and is known for its deep relationships within the toy, entertainment, and licensing sectors - Hunt Scanlon Media

Meet Jill De Forest

President, De Forest Search powered by TalentoHC

Jill De Forest is a nationally recognized executive search leader with over 25 years of experience, and a name that has become synonymous with toy industry talent. Her career spans agency, corporate, and entrepreneurial success, with a proven track record of building high-performing teams for some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. 

Jill began her career at AppleOne, where she quickly earned back-to-back Top Performer of the Year honors. Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, she founded Sawyer & Associates Personnel Service, growing it from a single office to a four-location, 65-employee firm in just two years. 

In 1995, Jill was recruited to Mattel to run talent acquisition for the marketing and creative groups.  She sold her agency and joined Mattel as a Talent Acquisition Manager, overseeing recruitment across Marketing, Licensing, Design & Development. Within two years, she pitched and launched a dedicated recruitment firm to support Mattel’s expanding needs. With their full endorsement, De Forest Search was born just down the street from Mattel HQ. 

Over the next two decades, Jill placed 100+ professionals at Mattel and became a go-to search partner for the broader toy, gaming, licensing, entertainment, and lifestyle consumer products sectors. Her clients have included big and small toy brands, licensing agencies, content studios, and global lifestyle brands across Brand & Digital Marketing, Creative Content Communications, Design & Development, Sales, eCommerce, HR, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain. 

In 2023, after leading De Forest Search for 25 years, Jill merged the firm with TalentoHC—a like-minded executive search partner with global capabilities and a strong presence in the consumer space. Today, Jill continues her mission as President of De Forest Search powered by TalentoHC, combining deep niche expertise with expansive reach and strategic insight. 

 

Where Legacy Meets Leadership

De Forest Search has placed 700+ executives and senior leaders in the toy and lifestyle industries, including: 


President
Global Gaming Company

President
First Online Toy Company

Chief Marketing Officer
Global Toy Manufacturer

Chief Financial Officer
Global Toy Manufacturer

EVP, Consumer Products
Global Studio

EVP, Licensing & Partnerships
Entertainment Studio

EVP, Sales
Toy Company

EVP, Entertainment
Global Toy Company

VP, Global Brand Strategy
Toy Company

Head of Digital Marketing
Toy Manufacturer

of expertise in consumer products & lifestyle brands
Decades of Leadership

30+ years in consumer & lifestyle expertise 

of expertise in consumer products & lifestyle brands
Legacy Placements

700+ executive & senior placements

of expertise in consumer products & lifestyle brands
Global Partnerships

Exclusive relationships with top brands 

of expertise in consumer products & lifestyle brands
Transformative Talent

Strategic solutions driving lasting success

De Forest Search + TalentoHC

In 2023, De Forest Search joined forces with TalentoHC, a nationally recognized executive search firm with global reach. The result: a more agile, scalable, and insight-driven partner for brands across the toy, entertainment, and consumer products industries.

As De Forest Search celebrates 25 years of shaping leadership teams, this next chapter allows us to deliver even greater value, pairing our legacy of deep industry expertise with TalentoHC’s expansive capabilities.

Transforming What  
 Looks Like

Global Reach, Local Insight

With offices in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and the UK, our team brings regional knowledge and global connectivity to every search. We help you tap into top-tier talent across key markets—wherever your business grows. 

EXPLORE OUR GLOBAL NETWORK →

Executive Search Across Industries

We specialize in cross-industry placements across consumer products, technology, finance, media, and more. Whether you’re hiring for a legacy brand or a high-growth disruptor, we bring the depth and agility to find the right fit—fast. 

SEE OUR INDUSTRY EXPERTISE 

Scalable, High-Touch Solutions

Every business is different. That’s why we deliver customized recruitment strategies—from single executive hires to multi-role buildouts—backed by high-touch service and unmatched discretion. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROCESS   

Trusted By Industry Leaders

SEPT 10 2025

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UPCOMING EVENT

Toy Association Happy Hour 

Hosted by De Forest Search Powered By TalentoHC in partnership with The Toy Association 

Get in Touch with the De Forest Team

Whether you’re building out a leadership team, launching a new product, or navigating growth, De Forest Search Powered by TalentoHC is your trusted partner in talent.

Let’s start the conversation.

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