SHANGHAI, China, Feb. 24, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (Nasdaq:HSII), the world's premier executive search and leadership consulting firm, today announced it has made an investment in Jobkoo, a platform for candidates to better manage their careers and for organizations to better manage their leadership needs.

Jobkoo's products and services focus on creating an interface between job seekers and employers. Its online executive talent management solutions complement Heidrick & Struggles' business in areas such as professional networking, community building, personal assessment and 24/7 career management.

A high end global executive search firm, Heidrick & Struggles is known for its product innovation. Gerry Davis, Regional Managing Partner for Asia Pacific, said, "The Jobkoo investment is about our first mover advantage in recognizing the need to build relationships with the up-and-coming executives in China who are also the next generation leaders in a country with growing global influence. We see the opportunity to integrate Jobkoo with existing services like leadership consulting allowing us to provide a broader range of leadership solutions to our major clients."

David Guo, founder and CEO of Jobkoo, said, "Jobkoo's business model totally redefines the career management experience for executives when compared to current online offerings and our association with the Heidrick & Struggles brand will give us added recognition in the market."

"The partnership with Jobkoo is exciting," said Davis. "It will enable us to understand the changing business environment and align our innovative offerings with these dynamics. It also complements our high-touch, relationship driven executive search business as we continue to foster dialogue with Asia's next generation leaders. We think that our use of Jobkoo's platform has enormous potential both in China and in other high growth markets where we work with Asian conglomerates to scale the next phase of growth."

About Jobkoo.com

Jobkoo is a vertical job search engine operating the largest online database of jobs. Our vertical job search engine collects job listings from job boards, company pages, online classifieds and other data sources. Besides helping jobseekers find employment, Jobkoo is a super tool for career-minded individuals to create a platform for enhanced career development opportunities. Jobkoo provides enterprises with job post channels, as well as video channels to display their own corporate culture and products. Distinguished by sheer convenience, our unique 'one-click send' feature enables candidates to send their resume to multiple vacancies. Jobkoo's feature-rich services provide jobseekers with access to the fastest, most up-to-date employment opportunities, to make finding jobs easier and more efficient. For more information, please visit www.jobkoo.com

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. is the world's premier provider of senior-level executive search and leadership consulting services, including talent management, board building, executive on-boarding and M&A effectiveness. For more than 50 years, we have focused on quality service and built strong leadership teams through our relationships with clients and individuals worldwide. Today, Heidrick & Struggles leadership experts operate from principal business centers in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about Heidrick & Struggles, please visit www.heidrick.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that may affect the outcome of the forward-looking statements include, among other things: our ability to attract and retain qualified executive search consultants; further declines in the global economy and our ability to execute successfully through business cycles; the timing, speed or robustness of any future economic recovery; social or political instability in markets where we operate; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; price competition; the ability to forecast, on a quarterly basis, variable compensation accruals that ultimately are determined based on the achievement of annual results; our ability to realize our tax loss carryforwards; the timing of the establishment or reversal of valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; the mix of profit and loss by country; an impairment of our goodwill and other intangible assets; delays in the development and/or implementation of new technology and systems; and, the ability to meet and achieve the expected savings resulting from cost-reduction initiatives and restructuring activities. Our reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also include information on factors that may affect the outcome of forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT: Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.
Investors & Analysts:
Julie Creed, VP, Investor Relations
+1 312 496 1774
jcreed@heidrick.com
Media:
Miranda Sun, Marketing Assistant
+(86) 21 6136 1971
msun@heidrick.com

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.'s business which are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report or Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year.