MJ Scott

MaryJeanne "MJ" Scott is the CEO of Kirk Palmer Associates. With over 25 years of experience in retail and executive search, MJ leads the firm's global expansion while serving as a trusted partner and advisor to boards, CEOs, founders, and the private equity community.

MJ is a collaborative and EQ-driven leader with a lifelong passion for retail, CPG, and consumer brands. She began her career as a merchandising executive, gaining firsthand exposure to retail fundamentals and the nuances of consumer-facing brands. She then transitioned to executive search with Kenzer Corporation and later founded MJ Scott Search Partners, which she successfully owned and operated for 16 years.

Most recently, MJ served as Managing Partner at JM Search where she launched and built the Retail and Consumer Practice, working closely with founders, private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, and established retail organizations to build leadership teams across the C-suite and their direct reports. She is known for identifying high-performance leaders who have achieved proven success and possess the core values on which her clients' cultures are built.

MJ is a native New Yorker and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology for Fashion Merchandising and Business. While not serving her clients, she loves to travel and spend time with family and friends. She is passionate about alternative medicine and wellness and loves cooking, entertaining, and, of course, retail therapy.