Where talent finds its groove.

We're specialists in early-stage and growth lifecycles.

When you partner with TalentGroove, you'll benefit from decades of recruiting expertise. We’re able to conduct and manage your talent projects with the same level of precision and attention to detail as the most successful internal recruiting teams in the world... because we led those too.

We understand the unique talent challenges faced by early-stage and scaling companies.


Meet Our Team


CEO / Talent Advisor

John Ferneborg

John Ferneborg is a second generation veteran in the field of executive & technical recruiting. He brings over 25 years of experience to the table.

 John began his career in executive search at Smith, Goerss & Ferneborg, a pioneering firm started by three former managing partners at Heidrick & Struggles. A year later, he and his father co-founded The Ferneborg Group, one of Silicon Valley's earliest leadership & technology recruiting firms. John and his partners served hundreds of startups and renowned companies in the technology, entertainment, and consumer industries, including Adobe, Apple, Disney, EA, Google, Intuit, Microsoft, Nike, Oracle, Pixar, Sprint, Sony, and Yahoo, and many others.

After two decades in Executive Search, John wanted to impact and experience in-house recruitment. He joined Vungle, a scaling Ad-Tech firm that was acquired by Blackstone. In 2018, he was recruited to Google X, The Moonshot Factory as the Talent Lead for the Sandbox@Alphabet team.

During his time at Sandbox, John was part of a team of pioneers developing breakthrough projects at the intersection of quantum physics and AI. In addition, he helped establish and led a highly successful Ph.D. residency program that attracted leading AI and quantum students world-wide.

John's in-house experience extended beyond his time at Google. He was recruited to Roblox, where he managed technical recruiting teams focused on AI, monetization, fraud detection, developer apps, and cloud engineering. In his last in-house role, John served as Vice President of Talent at QuSecure, a leading post-quantum cybersecurity firm serving commercial and government clients.

In 2023, John founded TalentGroove, with a mission to bring best-in-class recruiting and team architecture to startups and scaling AI & Quantum companies world-wide. Described as an incredibly effective and thoughtful talent professional, John is a rare and valued resource for companies looking to attract the highest levels of talent.

Talent Advisor

Jeff Bank

Jeff Bank, is a highly experienced and trusted talent matchmaker, with an impressive track record in executive recruitment, talent acquisition, and career coaching. With over 20 years of industry experience, Jeff has been honing his craft working at major technology companies including Microsoft, Google, Adobe, Amazon, LinkedIn, and QuSecure. His deep understanding of the talent acquisition process and his ability to identify top talent make him a go-to resource for organizations seeking exceptional hiring results.

What sets Jeff apart is his unwavering commitment to developing personalized recruitment solutions for each client. With a particular focus on executive search, technical recruiting, and diversity and inclusion consulting, Jeff works closely with his clients to understand their unique needs and match them with the right talent. As a result, he strives to create bespoke sourcing solutions specifically tailored to the needs of each client.

With Jeff's expertise in talent strategy, your company can be assured that you're working with a true professional who has your company's interests at heart. Whether you're a fast-paced start-up or a well-established company, Jeff can provide the guidance and support you need to take your recruitment efforts to the next level. Don't settle for a generic approach to talent acquisition, partner with Jeff Bank to get the personalized service you deserve.

Talent Advisor

Kenneth Xu

Kenneth Xu is a highly regarded talent advisor with over two decades of experience in executive search and talent acquisition on a global scale. With his early achievements in the Asia Pacific region, Kenneth played an important role in the growth and establishment of China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) as a leading institution in Asia and a top-20 business school worldwide. Throughout his career, he has partnered with prominent global executive search firms such as CTPartners, DHR, Korn Ferry, and Russell Reynolds, assisting them in expanding their presence in the region and helping global clients tackle their unique leadership challenges in Asia. Notably, his client portfolio includes renowned companies such as Apple, Adobe, Cisco, Google, HP, McKinsey, Microsoft, and numerous local industry leaders.

In addition to his accomplishments in talent acquisition, Kenneth's entrepreneurial background spans multiple startups in SaaS and AI Health. This, coupled with his diverse experience in both agency and in-house talent acquisition roles in Silicon Valley, has endowed him with a strong business acumen and a unique approach to formulating and executing effective talent strategies. Leveraging his profound industry knowledge and extensive network globally, Kenneth has consistently delivered exceptional results and served as a trusted advisor to startups aiming to scale their workforces and established technology firms seeking both technical and executive-level talent.

Kenneth Xu's impressive track record, comprehensive industry insights, and proven expertise make him an invaluable asset as a trusted talent advisor. Whether you are a startup embarking on rapid expansion or an established technology company seeking top-tier talent, Kenneth's guidance and strategic insights will equip you with a competitive edge in the ever-evolving technology landscape.

Talent Advisor

Nazy Fotoohi

Nazy Fotoohi, an experienced talent acquisition leader, boasts a successful track record in building world-class teams for mid-stage and hyper-growth startups. With a strong consultative approach, Nazy specializes in inventing unique ways to attract, build, and retain exceptional tech and executive teams.

Throughout her career, Nazy has held key positions at Roblox, Udemy, OneLogin, and various Silicon Valley startups. As a result, she has successfully managed and mentored recruitment teams, met hiring goals, and implemented recruitment strategies that led to significant improvements in offer acceptance rates and headcount growth. Nazy has also played a crucial role in driving diversity and inclusion initiatives and developing company-wide recruiting events roadmaps.

Her earlier roles include Senior Recruiter at Current TV, Account Manager at TEKsystems, and New Hire Training Consultant at Google. Nazy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Business Administration from Boston University.

With a proven track record in talent acquisition, Nazy Fotoohi's expertise and dedication to innovation make her an invaluable asset for organizations seeking to build and maintain high-performing teams.

What Clients Say

BlueCoast Systems

When we choose someone to represent our company to prospective talent, we are “loaning” one of our most important assets – our reputation. When I am working with TalentGroove, I have full confidence that they are representing us as we want to be represented and have taken the time to understand our business, our culture and our challenges as they assess potential candidates for a career at our company.

Terry Dyckman Chief Human Capital Officer
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CEO, Next Issue Media

Over the past decade, I've worked with John and his team to recruit executive and technical candidates in different media verticals, including television, multiplayer gaming and digital publishing. Simply stated, he understands my needs and consistently deliver exceptional results.

Morgan Guenther CEO
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Let’s discuss how TalentGroove can help with your talent needs.

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