The last recruiter
you'll ever need.
Most recruiters fill roles.
We change trajectories. When a Gilbert Lennard search concludes, you’re not just hiring — you’re acquiring an unfair advantage over every competitor still relying on their internal HR team and a LinkedIn job post.
We operate in three sectors. We don’t spread ourselves thin. That focused depth is exactly why our clients stop looking elsewhere.
≤5
shortlist. Not
weeks.
96%
at 12 months
6
maximum at any
time
78%
return for their
next hire
We limit ourselves to six active clients at any time. Not because we can't handle more — because you deserve everything we have.
When you brief us, you don’t get a junior account manager and a templated search. You get us — fully,
obsessively, until the role is closed. That is the only reason our numbers look the way they do.
01
We say no — often
We turn down roles that aren’t right for us. Which means when we say yes to yours, we mean it completely.
02
Three sectors, full depth
Financial Services, Technology, Legal. Three markets. Mastered, not sampled. We know everyone worth knowing in each.
03
Dubai & Los Angeles
Two of the world’s most dynamic talent markets — covered natively, not through a third-party desk on the other side of the world.
Small on purpose.
Exceptional by design.
Alexandra Reid
Partner in Financial Services
20 years placing C-suite and VP-level talent across Business Bay and the GCC. Former VP at Heidrick & Struggles. Knows every GP, MD, and GC worth knowing in Dubai.
Alexandra's career history
2024
Gilbert Lennard
Partner in Financial Services
2018
Heidrick & Struggles
2012
Spencer Stuart
James Okafor
Partner — Technology & FinTech
Built the tech desk from zero to 40% of firm revenue in three years. Specialist in VP Engineering, CPO, and CTO searches across MENA and West Coast US.
James's career history
2024
Gilbert Lennard
2019
Egon Zehnder
2014
Korn Ferry
Natalie Cross
Senior Consultant — Legal & Financial Services
Specialist in in-house legal and compliance searches. Covers General Counsel, Senior Partner, and Chief Compliance Officer mandates in both the UAE and California.
Natalie's career history
2024
Gilbert Lennard
2020
Taylor Root
2016
Freshfields Bruckhaus
Ali Naqvi
Director, Financial Services Operations
Leads operational infrastructure for Gilbert Lennard’s Financial Services practice across Dubai and Beverly Hills. Over 15 years’ experience spanning wealth management, private banking, and SME business banking — including senior roles at Stonehaven Wealth Partners (London) and Mashreq (Dubai). Manages search delivery systems, candidate pipeline operations, and client engagement protocols across banking, asset management, and fintech mandates. Built the operational framework for the Dubai office launch and manages CRM systems tracking 800+ active Financial Services candidates and 150+ client relationships.
Ali Naqvi career history
2023
Gilbert Lennard
Director, Financial Services Operations
2020
Gilbert Lennard
Senior Operations Manager, Financial Services
2017
Stonehaven Wealth Partners
2015
Stonehaven Wealth Partners
Relationship Manager, Private Banking (London)
2009
Mashreq
Sales Manager / Business Banking (Dubai)
2004
HBL
Business Development Officer
Ali Syed
Director – Private Equity & Wealth Management Recruitment
Leads senior search mandates across private equity, wealth management, family offices, and investment management. Brings deep financial services expertise from KPMG UK’s Financial Services Advisory practice, with prior experience at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Manages retained and contingency searches for VP to Partner-level roles across PE funds, boutique asset managers, and wealth platforms. Key contributor to Gilbert Lennard’s international expansion strategy.
Ali Syed career history
2024
Gilbert Lennard
Director, PE & Wealth Management Recruitment
2021
Gilbert Lennard
Associate Director, Financial Services Recruitment
2020
KPMG UK
Manager, PE
2019
KPMG UK
Senior Associate, PE
2017
KPMG UK
Associate, Financial Services Advisory
2016
Goldman Sachs
Intern, Investment Banking Division
2016
J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Intern
Ali Syed Education history
Imperial Business School — Masters
Investment Banking & Wealth Management
Aston University — BA
Business Administration
Lewis Grey
Director, Legal & Technology
Leads Gilbert Lennard’s Legal & Technology practice across executive search engagements in legal services, legal technology, and corporate legal departments. Nearly 15 years’ experience in legal recruiting — including almost 8 years at Google where he progressed from Recruiting Coordinator to Senior Technical Recruiter across Legal, Privacy, Policy, and Compliance functions. Has placed 45+ senior legal and legal tech executives and built specialist candidate networks in legal AI, contract intelligence, and litigation technology. Earlier career includes legal recruiting roles at Kirkland & Ellis and Major, Lindsey & Africa.
Lewis Grey career history
2024
Gilbert Lennard
Director, Legal & Technology
2021
Gilbert Lennard
Associate Director, Legal & Technology
2018
Senior Technical Recruiter, Legal & Compliance (Los Angeles)
2016
Technical Recruiter, Legal & Trust (Los Angeles)
2013
Recruiting Coordinator, Legal & Policy (Los Angeles)
2012
Kirkland & Ellis
Summer Analyst, Talent Acquisition (New York)
2011
Major, Lindsey & Africa
Legal Recruiting Intern (New York)
Lewis Grey Education history
NYU School of Law — CLE
Legal Technology & Innovation (2003)
Columbia University
Political Science and Psychology (2000)
Sahar Saeed
Head of Talent Acquisition, MENA
Heads talent acquisition across Gilbert Lennard’s MENA practice, leading full-cycle recruitment across Financial Services, Technology, and Legal sectors covering the GCC, UK, and US markets. Brings experience spanning executive search, HR operations, employer branding, and Emiratisation initiatives — with prior roles at MA & Partners Executive Search, Risidio, and Ernest Talent (FIFA 2022 Qatar). Skilled in market mapping, headhunting, candidate assessment, and building consultative partnerships with senior stakeholders and hiring managers.
Sahar Saeed career history
2025
Gilbert Lennard
Head of Talent Acquisition, MENA
2025
MA & Partners Executive Search
Senior Consultant, Financial Services & Technology (Dubai)
2023
Money and Advice Enterprise
HR & Employer Branding Manager (Dubai / New York)
2023
Risidio
HR & Talent Acquisition Associate (London)
2022
Ernest Talent
Recruitment Assistant, Hospitality & Service Projects / FIFA 2022 (Doha)
2020
Freelance
Independent Recruiter, Finance & Legal (Qatar / UK)
Ready to stop searching
and start
closing?
We’re taking on new client mandates now. First conversation is always 20 minutes, no obligation — just an honest assessment of whether we can help.
- ✦ Prodigy Unit – P05, Building 10, Bay Square Business Bay, Dubai, UAE
- ✦ 9440 S. Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 301 Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA
- ✦ info@gilbertlennard.com
- ✦ gilbertlennard.com