Richard studied accountancy and finance at Kingston University and began his career in a chartered accountancy practice before moving into financial recruitment. With over 30 years’ experience, he has led senior-level recruitment across commerce and industry, sales and marketing, IT, HR, and finance.

He has covered the African market since 2007, bringing specialist experience across fintech, agriculture, infrastructure, telecoms, FMCG, renewable energy, business and professional services, NFP, and oil & gas sectors.

During his career focused on Africa, he has been personally involved and led a significant number of executive-level searches across the continent completing numerous searches for CEOs and other CXO roles.

He also specialises in the identification of senior leaders for private equity firms and African-focused fund investors, providing support for their portfolio companies in securing appointments up to chair, NED, and advisory roles.

Sarah graduated from Oxford University in 1992 and worked briefly for Arthur Andersen before moving into professional finance recruitment for over ten years. Her career developed into emerging markets search in 2003 initially covering financial services in Russia and CIS.

After extensive travel across East, West, and Southern Africa, Sarah focused solely on the African markets from 2008. She co-founded Executives in Africa with Richard Putley in 2010 and has since delivered over 300 search assignments across C-level, senior management, and technical roles.

Her expertise spans financial services, fintech, payments, tech-enabled businesses, agribusiness, FMCG, and logistics sectors, and she remains hands-on with interviewing candidates on all the assignments she leads.

Sarah regularly speaks at conferences and served for four years on the Global Council for 100 Women in Finance supporting them in building their networks across Africa.

Having studied law at Liverpool University, Jon qualified as a chartered accountant with Grant Thornton in 1999. He moved from public practice into commerce, progressing his career within industry within various sectors, including marketing, media, film and sport.

Whilst at Tiger Aspect Television, he oversaw the finances for films such as Billy Elliot and Kevin and Perry Go Large and, as Finance Director at Ska Films, oversaw the financial production of the film Layer Cake. Jon was also responsible for running the takeover of the Football League club Peterborough United in 2006 for one of his high-net-worth clients.

Utilising his experience, Jon is now Finance Director for Executives in Africa, as well as for a portfolio of organisations, providing a balance of financial rigor and commerciality to the finance function.

Kiera graduated from University of Sussex and spent five years working in recruitment before moving into senior executive appointments in early 2007.  Kiera began her career with Executives in Africa in 2010, heading up the In-House Research Team.

Kiera is now responsible for Operations including Research, Business Services, HR and Quality Assurance.  With experience spanning the UK, European and African markets, Kiera’s experience working as a Search Consultant gives her an in-depth understanding of the industry, thus providing relevant support and Quality Assurance which is critical to the success of every mandate.

In 2010, Paul founded Lightbulb, a training and consultancy business with the mission to reduce the painful aspects we often experience when working within organisations and with other people. Lightbulb’s Painless People Management Programme continues to prove popular with organisations of all sizes, and its innovative Chinwag approach is replacing the annual performance appraisal and redefining how performance is managed at work.

Paul’s experience spans several blue-chip companies in operational and HR roles, as well as at board level as a COO in the recruitment sector. He is also the author of HR & Other Swear Words: Practical & Credible HR for Beginners. As a speaker, he is described as “engaging”, “memorable”, “non-fluffy”, “energetic” and “down to earth”. He has trained, coached, and worked with hundreds of people across sectors, from SMEs to well-known brands including Mulberry, Rank Entertainment, M&C Saatchi, BMW, Zenith, Eurostar, Macmillan Publishing, Condé Nast, ITV, Pizza Express, Primark, Citigroup, and the London School of Economics.

Steve has over 20 years’ experience in recruitment, having been responsible for the Global Centre of Excellence for Talent Acquisition across Africa, Asia, and Europe within FMCG. He has developed and introduced recruitment processes, profiling tools, and recruitment skills training, aligning recruitment strategy and processes to change programmes, resulting in improved cost control and retention.

Most recently working for PZ Cussons Plc, Steve’s focus over the last 10 years has been on sourcing local talent for operating units, particularly in Africa, with a consistent emphasis on building senior talent pipelines for the business rather than delivering single critical hires. He also brings over 15 years’ experience coaching HRBPs and line managers globally to deliver a strong end-to-end candidate experience and enhance employer brand and EVP.

Now working as an Executive Search Consultant for Executives in Africa, Steve continues to operate within his core sectors of FMCG, agribusiness, and industrial manufacturing.

Adam graduated with a master’s degree in philosophy and has over 14 years’ executive search experience purely focused on building senior management capacity for clients operating across Sub-Saharan Africa.

He has supported leading international companies and local SMEs on high-profile director and
C-level assignments and has developed his specialist sector knowledge to include agribusiness, food and beverages, financial services, FMCG, and the natural resources sectors.

Adam manages our London office and has worked with clients across a number of African countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.

Matt graduated in 2018 with a First Class Honours in History and joined Executives in Africa soon after. He progressed from the Research Team to become a trusted executive search consultant.

He supports a wide range of clients – from blue-chip multinationals and pan-African leaders to listed companies on major global stock exchanges. Matt also works with private equity and VC-backed start-ups and SMEs.

He has completed over 80 search assignments, focusing on board and non-executive directors, group executives, and C-suite roles across 29 African markets, as well as internationally in the UK, France, USA, Netherlands, and UAE.

Matt’s sector expertise spans telecommunications, financial services, and international development, alongside experience in renewable energy, construction, mining, FMCG, agriculture, retail, and sport & entertainment.

William holds a Business Management degree with the University of Surrey and joined the EiA team in 2012. Since graduation, William has risen quickly through the business, working as a Research Associate, Associate, Search Consultant and now Executive Search Consultant. He has travelled to Nigeria and Kenya to meet clients and attend conferences, takes an active role in Africa-focused networking events held in London and has worked on over sixty Search Mandates on the continent.

William has expertise within a variety of sectors but has a particular interest in the Agriculture sector, both within Agricultural Development not-for-profits helping small holder farmers across the continent and within Agricultural Cultivation for organisations growing Tea, Avocados and Macadamia Nuts and raising Livestock. He has also gained experience in Pharmaceuticals across Africa working with one of the world’s largest generic pharmaceutical companies. Working with PE funds has seen him deliver senior leaders in Life Sciences in East Africa as well as the Retail sector where he also worked with a multinational shoe manufacturer and retailer.

Simon has 13+ years of experience in executive search, including international markets. For the past 4 years, he has been a senior delivery consultant/strategic account director, specialising in senior commercial roles within clinical technology and commercial education.

He excels in securing top talent for C-suite roles (CEO, MD, CCO, COO, CFO/FD, sales director, marketing director, technical director, regional director, and country managers) across multinational companies and high-growth SMEs.

Simon has also worked with PE/VC firms to place C-suite executives in portfolio companies across Africa, the Middle East, UK, Central Europe, DACH, Nordics, and the US.  He has served as Head of Recruitment for Microsoft and Prudential, managing large teams and delivering complex recruitment strategies for high-profile appointments.

Simon helps clients access industry-leading professionals and advance the careers of those he places.

Andrea joined Executives in Africa after repatriating to the UK from South Africa in June 2018, bringing valuable local knowledge of Southern and South African culture.  She has a passion for identifying strong, impactful local African talent capable of delivering significant growth to the companies they serve.

She has over 35 years of sales and management experience, including 10 years in freight forwarding and clearing, and 25 years in recruitment and executive search. She previously owned her own recruitment firm in South Africa, specialising in financial services recruitment.

Andrea has led over 150 searches for senior-level and C-suite talent across sectors, including financial services, telecoms, conservation, agribusiness, shipping, technology, renewable energy, FMCG, start-ups, and impact organisations.

Her work has spanned countries such as Nigeria, Uganda, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, DRC, Chad, Benin, Togo, Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, and South Africa, among others.

After graduating in psychology, Stephen gained experience working for two leading recruitment firms moving into leadership roles before setting up and leading a specialist recruitment business that focuses on the delivery of executive level financial, legal and HR appointments.

He brings over 20 years of experience in delivering director and C-level assignments for corporate roles and has broad experience working across a diverse range of sectors, from financial services to manufacturing.

Stephen possesses in-depth specialist knowledge in sectors such as FMCG, not-for-profit, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, fintech, medtech, e-commerce, and hi-tech manufacturing.

He partners with businesses across the continent to build board-level capability that enables the execution of company growth plans for the future.

Louise has over 20 years of recruitment experience across multiple territories, including South Africa, Nigeria and Luxembourg.

She leads retained searches for executive and non-executive directors, C-level and senior management roles across Sub-Saharan Africa.  She recruits both sector-specific talent and candidates with transferable skills in finance, general management, operations, and clinical leadership.

She prioritises working with impact-driven industries that aim to improve the quality of life for humanity and the planet.

Working closely with leaders over the years, she is skilled in quickly understanding business drivers and matching people to purpose.

Clients and candidates value her for her ability to quickly build networks, applying market insights, and designing alternative recruitment strategies – particularly in skill-short markets. She’s known for building rapport and developing long-standing, ethical relationships.

Heba was born in Morocco and moved with her family to Paris midway through her primary education. She went on to achieve a master’s degree in international trade and Arabic from the Sorbonne and Dauphine universities in Paris.

Being trilingual (Arabic, French, and English) has enabled her to live and work in several countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe before settling in the UK in 2010.

Heba’s broad-based work and life experience, combined with her qualifications in psychotherapy, enhance her natural ability to understand and communicate with people at all levels.

She is a natural team player whose deep personal interest in Africa –  particularly Francophone Africa –  along with her resourcefulness, emotional intelligence, and keen sense of fairness and objectivity,  make her a highly focused and valuable addition to the team.

Adam spent three years working in B2B technology sales, covering cloud services, disaster recovery, and compliance solutions, before moving into consulting, where he specialised in customer analytics, data, and technology solutions. His recruitment career began with a variety of roles across the technology  sector – his passion – as well as property, legal, and media sectors in the UK.

Adam quickly built a strong reputation for excellent client relationship management, demonstrating a natural flair for profiling and headhunting the right individuals for senior roles.

Having moved to Tanzania in 2020, he continued to develop his expertise accessing senior candidates for executive appointments, filling roles such as Head of Product and COO amongst others.

Adam speaks Swahili which he picked up during the time he has spent living in East Africa. He brings strong networks in the region whilst retaining specialist focus on senior technology appointments.

Anju graduated from King’s College London in 1993 with a BA in Hispanic Studies. She began her career in public relations in the UK before moving to India, where she specialised in marketing, corporate communications, and investor relations, representing companies across various sectors.

Having spent much of her childhood in Nigeria, Anju returned to Lagos in 2009 and joined the Emel Group in 2010.

Over ten years, she held roles in marketing and communications, business strategy, and people and culture development. In her final five years, she played a key role in recruitment across all levels and divisions.

Anju brings strong knowledge of the Nigerian market and culture, along with hands-on experience managing local talent and multicultural teams. She is an insightful interviewer with a sharp ability to assess whether individuals have the skills and behaviours needed to succeed.

Bassam holds an LLB from the University of Kent and completed the LPC at Manchester Metropolitan University. He brings experience from the legal sector, including time at one of Ghana’s top law firms.

After transitioning into recruitment in the UK, he discovered a passion for the field and joined Executives in Africa as a researcher in 2022.

Bassam’s legal training developed his keen eye for detail, which he now applies to the research process, ensuring thorough market mapping for every search.

His previous client-facing roles have given him well-rounded business insight and a practical understanding of Africa’s operating environment.

A passionate reader, Bassam is rarely seen without a book – except when watching football, cheering on both his national team, Ghana, and Arsenal in the UK.

Graeme joined Executives in Africa in August 2019 after emigrating to the UK from South Africa in January of the same year. He brings valuable hands-on knowledge of not only Southern Africa but also the wider continent and the Middle East.

He has over 40 years of financial management experience, including 16 years with a leading mobile telecommunications company in Africa, having been based in both South Africa and the Middle East.

Most recently, Graeme applied his strong communication skills in a regional Customer Experience Manager role covering Southern and Southeastern Africa. He has also gained exposure to several other sectors, including venture capital, hospitality, and FMCG.

His extensive corporate experience provides him with a unique insight into the client’s perspective and equips him with first-hand knowledge of the challenges of operating on the ground in Africa.

James is a highly skilled professional with academic background from Southampton Solent University and five years of diverse experience spanning retail, hospitality, and logistics. Throughout his career, he has honed his telesales abilities, refined his customer service skills, and gained valuable management experience. His roles across these sectors have equipped him with a solid understanding of supply chain management, project management, and strategic planning.

A natural leader, James quickly advanced to management positions, excelling at overseeing teams and driving performance. His competitive nature, fueled by his passion for sports, drives him to achieve excellence in all his endeavors. This competitive edge is evident in his current role, where he plays a critical part in supporting the business through technology and data management. James ensures that the company’s technology infrastructure is secure and efficient, while also managing data to facilitate informed decision-making.

With his combination of technical expertise, leadership skills, and relentless drive, James is a valuable asset to the team, consistently contributing to the organization’s success and growth.

Theo is a core member of Executives in Africa, with a strong track record delivering senior executive search assignments across the continent.

He began in a research-focused role, gaining sector expertise in financial services, transport, trade and development, fintech, NGOs, FMCG, and manufacturing. Theo has supported appointments from senior management and heads of function to executive management, C-suite and non-executive director/board level.

Now involved across the full assignment lifecycle, he brings strategic thinking, analytical precision, and a people-focused approach. His ability to understand complex organisational contexts has helped build a strong network of senior leaders across Africa.

Theo holds a degree in history and international relations from King’s College London, which underpins his structured thinking and global outlook.

Yafet holds a master’s degree in Business Leadership from Addis Ababa University and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Arbaminch University. In 2017, he represented Ethiopia as a Global Volunteer with AIESEC in Cairo, gaining international professional experience.

He began his career in trading and construction services before joining Executives in Africa in 2019. After a brief period with an investment consultancy firm in the UK, he returned to focus on executive search across financial services, telecommunications, NGOs, fintech, FMCG, and manufacturing.

Now involved in the entire search process, Yafet combines strategic thinking, analytical precision, and a people-centred approach. His ability to navigate complex organisational contexts and connect with diverse professionals has enabled him to build a strong network of senior leaders across Africa.

Passionate about connecting people, solving complex roles, and understanding businesses, he brings insight and empathy to every assignment.

Tim graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from York University in 1983. After spending 12 years working in finance and accounting for various companies, Tim decided to join VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) and, in 1995, was posted to Guinea-Bissau in West Africa to teach IT at the National Business and Administration College. Following this two-year posting, Tim joined a medical research organisation as coordinator for their research station in a remote village in Guinea-Bissau. Later, he moved to the capital, Bissau, also within a health research environment, as international coordinator.

Tim returned to the UK in 2018 and continues to have a strong personal interest in Africa, in particular Guinea-Bissau and its development. Having worked in a research environment as well as in corporate environments, combined with many years spent in Africa, Tim is a real asset to the EiA Research Team.

Daniel graduated from the University of Bristol with a BA in French and Spanish, and a minor in Portuguese. He brings experience in the humanitarian field, having worked for an NGO in Bogotá, Colombia, during his year abroad, where he focused on research and project management. He also has experience in translation and interpreting, having obtained his Level 6 Certificate of Translation in May 2025.

Daniel’s background in customer service, combined with his interest in global current affairs, has given him a strong desire to apply his skills to research for Executives in Africa, simultaneously ensuring the company’s core values are upheld. He is also a keen sports fan, particularly of rugby and football, and supports Fulham and the Wallabies national team.

Yared studied software engineering at Adama Science and Technology University in Addis Ababa. During his time there, he was involved in a charity group and was also one of the founders and president of the Red Cross Club at the university.

As part of the Executives in Africa team based in Ethiopia, Yared works on research projects, including database integrity. In his spare time, he undertakes charity work and has a keen interest in photography and graphic design.

Surafel Fitsumsew has a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering from Addis Ababa University. As part of the Executives in Africa team in Ethiopia, Surafel works closely with our research team in the UK and contributes to research projects, including database integrity.

Surafel plays soccer and is a devoted Liverpool fan. He has a strong interest in technology and, in his spare time, enjoys working on electronics and programming.

Carla graduated from the University of Scranton (Pennsylvania, USA) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education in 1997. After a short time in private banking with Brown Brothers Harriman on Wall Street, New York, she moved to the UK, where she taught French and Spanish for nine years at secondary level.

Portuguese by birth, Carla joined Executives in Africa in 2012 to support consultants specialising in Portuguese-speaking C-level mandates, assessing candidates’ language skills to deliver to clients the best individuals who match the target profile. Now a permanent member of the team as Quality Assurance Manager, she is a critical part of the delivery team, ensuring excellence on every search.

Johannah brings over four years of progressive administrative experience gained across diverse sectors, including recruitment. Her self-driven motivation and excellent organisational skills ensure that an effective secretarial and administrative service is provided to the managing directors, senior management, and consulting team.

Johannah supports the EiA search process by making travel and visa arrangements, scheduling appointments and interviews, and assisting our Quality Assurance Managers with search documentation.

Meareg Hailu has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Addis Ababa University. As part of the Executives in Africa team in Ethiopia, Meareg works closely with our QA Manager in the UK and ensures the accuracy of documents. He also contributes to research projects, including database integrity.

Meareg plays soccer and is a devoted Manchester United fan. He enjoys travelling around the country and visiting the different “Ethiopian Treasures,” such as Axum and Lalibela.