I am proud to be the Chief executive Officer of Alexander Charles Associates and lead such an amazing group of people, in London and across Europe.
My career started in accountancy and I gained 12 years’ experience, working my way up, until eventually I spotted a gap in the market and started my own firm.
The last thirty years have presented so many scenarios it’s difficult to recount them all here, but we have seen the birth of the internet and the year 2K boom. We have witnessed and experience the financial markets crash of 2008, the turmoil caused by Brexit in 2015 and the chaos around covid a few years later. Each event has had to be managed and we have gained deep experience.
One thing has remained constant and that’s the need to work with the best professionals you can find and it’s been my purpose to find those people, to hunt them out and then offer sometimes life changing opportunities.
These opportunities have included M&A, IPO’s both in the UK in first and secondary markets and across Europe. In fact I don’t think there is a public market we have not placed staff in!
For four successive years we were voted the number one finance recruitment firm in the UK at the FD’s Excellence awards which were sponsored by the ICAEW and CBI so a notable achievement. The runners up were all publicly quoted companies. When one of their PR directors called me to ask how we did it, I just said try much harder!
A third of our work emanates from the private equity, venture capital and hedge fund world for their portfolio companies. The balance comes from repeat business and recommendations
The future looks bright with AI bringing another era of opportunity and risk, but be assured we will be with you for the journey!
I am honoured to accept the role of Chairman of ACA Executive Search at what is an exciting and defining moment for the firm. Over the past 25 years, I have had the privilege of serving in C-suite leadership roles across Financial Services in Europe, the United States, Asia, and the UK. These experiences have shaped my belief that organisations succeed not only through strategy and capital, but through the quality, ambition and integrity of their leadership.
Throughout my career, I have held multiple Board positions where the central themes have been sustainable expansion, technological transformation, and the disciplined adoption of AI and data-led decision-making. In each case, the differentiating factor has been talent — the ability to identify, attract and empower individuals capable of leading change in complex and highly regulated environments. Whether scaling businesses into new geographies, overseeing digital transformation programmes, or embedding innovation at Board level, it has always been exceptional people who have delivered lasting value.
ACA Executive Search is uniquely positioned to support clients operating in fast-evolving sectors including alternative asset management, financial services, technology, real estate and life sciences. As Chairman, my focus will be on ensuring the firm builds on its sector expertise, deepens its international reach, and maintains the highest standards of governance, discretion and client partnership.
In an era defined by technological disruption, regulatory complexity and global competition for leadership talent, the role of a trusted executive search partner has never been more critical. I look forward to working closely with the Board, our leadership team and our clients to support the next generation of transformational leaders and to guide ACA Executive Search through its next phase of growth and impact.