Having the right people is key to the success of any business. Big 5 Search exists to ensure that companies in Emerging Markets have access to the very best leaders from the global talent pool.
Our Team
William McCaw
Partner
William began his career in search and, before joining Big 5 Search, headed the Private Equity teams at two leading international boutique search firms in London, Hong Kong and New York. He specialises in Emerging Markets Executive Search in Alternative Investments and represents clients in VC, Growth, Private Equity, Credit, Family Office, Impact Investing, Energy/ Infrastructure and Real Assets.
Will has completed multiple assignments from Partner to Associate level across North and Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and Asia, providing confidential advice on team composition, compensation, and competitor analysis.
James Adair
Partner
James previously worked in commercial shipping as a chartering broker with HSBC and subsequently covering the OSV market in Africa with a specialist brokerage. He lived in Ghana when working as a GM for a shipping agency and later represented local owners in setting up a successful JV with Swire.
Following this he moved into Executive Search, working as a Consultant for an Africa focused boutique. During this time, he completed numerous C-level assignments with success in representing both operating companies and private equity firms.
Antoinette Kley-Gomez
Consultant
Antoinette has recruited in a variety of functions for mid-level up to and C-Suite executives for startup, growth, and matured business in Europe and Africa. She has a wealth of experience in recruiting for Tech companies across sub-sectors including FMCG, BPO, Logistics, Micro-Mobility, Transportation, and Hospitality.
Antoinette grew up in Ghana and studied in the UK and Europe. She holds a BA in Sociology as well as an MBA in Human Resources from the EU Business School in Barcelona.
Colleen McIntyre
Consultant
Colleen grew up in South Africa and has 20 years' experience of executive search spanning both Africa and Europe. She has delivered on C-level mandates across a variety of sectors including Agribusiness, Healthcare, Education, Insurance, and not-for-profits.
Partnering closely with clients throughout complex searches, Colleen has placed senior executives in both multi-billion dollar organisations and early-stage clean tech companies.
James Stevenson
Consultant
James has over 20 years’ experience of senior placements in Africa, Europe and Australasia covering several sectors that include agribusiness, infrastructure services, technology and healthcare. In recent years he has focused on executive level searches in Africa.
On the Continent he has placed exceptional leaders with multinational and indigenous businesses. Highlights include placing a Kenyan MD for a listed, billion-dollar company and building the Pan-African team for an agribusiness across North, West, East and Southern Africa.
Zak Atta
Consultant
Zak began his career in Real Estate before moving into the Executive Search industry; specialising in Global Fixed Income where he served top-tier sell-side and buy-side firms before joining Big 5 Search.
Having spent three influential years living in West Africa, Zak is currently based in London. He holds a BA in Mathematics & Economics.
Tim Harrison
Consultant
Tim has over 15 years of recruitment experience, with the last decade solely focused on executive and senior management positions in Africa. Tim has executed searches in a variety of sectors including Banking, FMCG, Microfinance, Agribusiness, Fintech, Pharmaceuticals, Insurance, and DFIs.
With a particular interest in the Financial Services sector, Tim has completed searches to for both multinationals and local businesses in key functions including Risk and Compliance, HR, IT Directors, and General Management.
Lucy Deane
Head of Research
Lucy has 15 years’ experience in executive search and has headed the research function for several leading boutiques. She has worked on Board level searches for listed companies and SMEs across a number of sectors including Clean Tech, Energy, Infrastructure, Public Sector and FMCG.
Lucy has particular expertise in the infrastructure space in Africa. This includes leading research on senior level mandates for utilities, IPPs, project developers, development banks, funds, investment banks and top tier consulting firms.
Meena Sharma
Consultant
Meena has over ten years of experience in Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, and Executive Search having worked in leading international organisations including Freshfields, Barclays, EY and a leading Africa focused consultancy, Dalberg.
Meena was a client of Big5’s and worked at an Africa based tech-driven sustainable forestry company, backed by leading international investors where she ran talent acquisition across all levels and functions.
Daniel Owen
Consultant
Dan has 10 years of search and recruitment experience, with more than half spent covering Emerging Markets, predominantly Africa C-suite. Highlights include placing the CEO of the first Nigerian digital derivatives clearing house and placing the Group CTO for one of East Africa's largest banks, to build a leading Fintech.
Dan has strong focus on tech enabled businesses and strongly believes in the social impact which technology can bring to Africa.
Thandiwe Sibanda
Researcher
Thandiwe graduated from the University of Zimbabwe and is a trilingual researcher at Big 5 Search.
She has completed a variety of research assignments ranging from investment professionals to sit in an agri-focused private equity firm to a senior hire for a leading Africa focused strategic consultancy.
Felix Hobbs
Consultant
Felix started his career in executive search as a researcher in firm specialising in the Life Science industry, working with Private Equity and listed Multinational clients to expand their senior teams across the US and EMEA markets.
Felix has previously lived and worked in East Africa. He holds a degree in from the University of St Andrews.
Reece Owen
Consultant
Reece has been in Emerging Markets executive search for over five years, with the majority of his mandates being senior Africa roles. He has an outstanding track record of successfully leading difficult searches.
A few of his highlights are placing the CFO of an AIM listed energy business in West Africa and the Regional CEO in South Africa for a multinational telecoms business.