We place the C-suite behind sovereign wealth portfolios, Vision 2030 programmes and the region’s fastest-growing companies, drawing on leaders from London to Singapore and the Gulf’s own rising talent.
Every mandate follows the same disciplined process, led by a partner from brief to placement. Timelines flex with the urgency and complexity of the search.
01Step 1 of 5 · 1–2 days
Before we call anyone, we agree what great looks like and who signs it off.
Search strategy.
A discovery meeting on the role, its priorities and challenges. We align stakeholders on the plan and timelines, define the search parameters and sharpen the job description.
Deliverable: Search strategy and preliminary job brief
We map the whole market, not just the people who happen to be looking.
Mapping & longlist.
Systematic research and headhunting through our networks. We identify qualified leaders, test their fit, interest and compensation expectations, and prioritise them for the shortlist.
Deliverable: Market map and longlist of candidates
Every shortlisted leader is interviewed in depth and measured against the brief.
Shortlisting.
Qualifying interviews and candidate reports evaluated against the role requirements, with psychometric assessment where it adds value, before we prioritise candidates for interview.
Deliverable: Shortlist of candidates with fit assessment
What you see at each checkpoint, and how we get from a wide market to a small number of leaders worth your time.
Before the longlist
We agree where to look before we start looking.
The target list.
At intake we agree the organisations the search will target, grouped by how closely their leaders match the brief. The list is refined during mapping, in direct consultation with you.
Tier 1, direct fit: comparable scale and governance
Tier 2, relevant experience: organisations in active transformation
Tier 3, adequate experience: multinationals and advisory firms with the right functions
LONGLIST · CALIBRATION
Group Strategy & Transformation Director
Sample, fictional candidates
6
presented from 35 approached
ACandidate A · Group Strategy DirectorDiversified Industrial Group14 yrs · Abu DhabiInterested
BCandidate B · Global Head of StrategyLogistics & Supply Chain Group15 yrs · DubaiInterested
CCandidate C · Group CSOGovernment-Linked Entity10 yrs · Abu DhabiConsidering
ECandidate E · Strategy PartnerManagement Consulting16 yrs · DubaiConsidering
FCandidate F · Interim Transformation LeadManufacturing Conglomerate12 yrs · RiyadhQualified
Longlisting
A calibrated first look, not a pile of CVs.
The longlist.
Every longlisted candidate has been approached directly and qualified on fit, interest and compensation. We review the longlist with your hiring manager to calibrate the search before shortlisting begins.
Qualifications and professional experience
Relevant experience measured against the brief
Interest level and compensation expectations
Longlist review call with the hiring manager
Shortlisting
Fewer names, far more depth.
The shortlist.
Every shortlisted candidate has been interviewed in depth and comes with a full profile, plus a side-by-side fit summary across the whole shortlist.
Current organisation, role and career history
Relevant experience and achievements
Current compensation breakdown
Our recommendation and fit score
Assessment
Every candidate measured against the same criteria.
The scorecard.
Shortlisted leaders are scored against the criteria agreed in the brief: technical domain, stakeholder influence, leadership and transformation, and communication.
Consistent scoring across every candidate
Weighted to the priorities in your brief
Shared ahead of client interviews
5
Expert
4
Advanced
3
Intermediate
2
Below avg.
1
Unsatisfactory
Identification to selection
Full visibility at every stage
Each assignment is tracked from the first market map to the final prioritised candidates, with weekly reporting and a shared progress tracker so the hiring team always knows where the search stands.
Figures shown are illustrative.
For boards and CEOs
Hiring a leader who has to deliver?
A partner will respond within one working day, in confidence.
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