IX Communities originated and evolved out of our first community, Executive Search Information Exchange | ESIX.  ESIX started in 1996 as a research and discussion group for the heads of executive recruiting from leading global corporations, in response to requests from corporations to implement best practices in executive recruiting. For 20+ years, more than 100 Fortune 500 corporate members have improved their executive search effectiveness through their participation in ESIX.

During this time, we were frequently approached by the leaders of the talent acquisition function who shared that there was a void in networking and best practice sharing for the functional leaders of recruiting. In 2021 we created the Talent Leader Information Exchange | TLIX to bring together global leaders of the recruiting function. This invitation-only community of TA leaders participate in both open-forum and structured discussions with a shared commitment to participation, candor, and confidentiality. 

The growth of these communities and the conversations that they yielded led us to the creation of a third community in 2023, Diversity Strategy Information Exchange | DSIX. Members of this community lead the diversity recruiting strategies for their organizations and address the unique challenges and opportunities related to creating more diverse, inclusive, and equitable cultures through corporate recruiting strategies, processes, and practices. 

Similarly, in response to requests from our members, we most recently launched the HR & Finance Information Exchange | HFIX community. HFIX was created in 2024 to bring together corporate HR, recruiting, and finance leaders to develop strategic workforce plans and cross-functional alignment that drives efficiency, innovation, and culture.

Simon Mullins serves as the CEO of IX Communities. In addition, he has co-authored the book Leadership Recruiting: Strategy, Tactics, and Tools for Hiring Organizations with David Lord, ESIX’s founder, and Leadership Recruiting: Consulting Skills for Recruiters with Kelli Vukelic. Simon is also a course designer and instructor for the Executive Recruiting Specialization at the University of Washington in Seattle, and frequently speaks at industry forums and in the media.