CrossCountry Consulting, a leading business advisory and technology solutions firm, today announced the elevation of its current Co-Presidents, Neil Smith and Amy Bjarnason, to the roles of Co-Chief Executive Officers, effective June 15, 2026. This planned leadership evolution builds on the firm's significant momentum and positions it for the next stage of growth. Co-Founder and CEO Erik Linn will transition to an Executive Chairman role where he will focus on the firm's strategy, partner recruiting, and M&A activity.
CrossCountry Consulting appoints Neil Smith and Amy Bjarnason as Co-CEOs effective June 15, 2026.
Co-Founder Erik Linn transitions to Executive Chairman for strategy, partner recruiting, and M&A.
Smith brings over 25 years of experience at Arthur Andersen, Capital Advisory Services, and BearingPoint.
Bjarnason brings over 30 years of experience at Navigant, EY, and Arthur Andersen.
Bjarnason has served as COO since joining CrossCountry in 2011.
The Co-CEOs will jointly drive firm-wide strategy including AI strategy advancement.
This move formalizes an already effective partnership between Smith and Bjarnason, aligning CrossCountry's leadership structure with its ambitious growth trajectory and increasing client demand. As Co-CEOs, Smith and Bjarnason will jointly drive firm-wide strategy and key decisions, including the continued advancement of CrossCountry's AI strategy, with Smith focusing on the advisory practice and Bjarnason also overseeing operations.
"Elevating Neil and Amy to Co-CEOs is a natural progression that recognizes their outstanding leadership and collaborative dynamic," said Linn. "This structure allows us to capitalize on their complementary skillsets and diverse perspectives, leading to sharper decision-making."
In his Executive Chairman capacity, Linn will dedicate his efforts to the long-term strategic positioning of the firm. His focus on attracting top-tier partner talent, pursuing strategic acquisitions, and enhancing market presence will ensure CrossCountry remains at the forefront of the industry.
In addition to his expanded scope, Smith is responsible for managing the teams that develop and deliver advisory services and technology solutions to CrossCountry's clients. With over 25 years of experience assisting clients with optimizing operations, finance, and accounting functions as well as leading organizations through complex change initiatives, Smith continues to serve as an advisor to executive-level clients at Fortune 500 and emerging growth organizations across industries. Prior to joining CrossCountry in 2011, he held consulting roles at several firms, including Arthur Andersen, Capital Advisory Services, and BearingPoint.
Amy Bjarnason Background
With over 30 years of experience in consulting, operations, and finance, Bjarnason oversees all people and business operation functions. Since joining the firm in 2011 as Chief Operating Officer, she has been a driving force behind building the firm's business platform and fostering a people-first culture. Prior to joining CrossCountry, Bjarnason served in operational leadership positions at Navigant, EY, and Arthur Andersen.
