Alexander Hughes Forms Alliance with CORE3
January 14, 2026 – Alexander Hughes has formed an alliance with CORE3, a strategic management consulting firm that is part of Balubaid Group, one of Saudi Arabia’s most respected family-owned conglomerates.
This agreement marks the beginning of a strategic partnership, through a planned Joint venture, focused on developing board advisory, governance effectiveness, executive search, human capital appraisal, and executive interim management services in the Saudi market. “It represents an important milestone in our ambition to strengthen our presence in the Middle East and to better serve both local and international clients in the Kingdom, as well as Saudi organizations expanding abroad,” Alexander Hughes said.
“Together with CORE3, we aim to combine global leadership advisory standards with deep local market insight, contributing to the Kingdom’s ongoing economic diversification and organizational transformation,” the firm continued.
For CORE3, this partnership provides access to Alexander Hughes’ global expertise and knowledge, further enriching its ability to deliver world-class leadership and governance solutions to clients across sectors.
Founded in 1957, Alexander Hughes is an international executive search firm advising senior management on key talent acquisition: executive and non-executive directors, senior managers and recognized experts. With 53 offices, Alexander Hughes has a fully-owned worldwide coverage offering local expertise combined with global capabilities. The team includes more than 130 consultants operating in 10 practices, ranging from financial services and technology to life sciences, industrial manufacturing, and consumer markets.
Related: Alexander Hughes Expands in London
Alexander Hughes also recently named Heather Baker and Pankaj Dutt as global co-leads of its digital & AI practice. “The appointments reinforce Alexander Hughes’ long-standing commitment to supporting clients navigating digital transformation and AI-driven change, strengthening its leadership across major technology markets including India, the United States, and other global innovation hubs in Europe and Asia,” the firm said
Expanded Global Focus
“Alexander Hughes has long partnered with clients at the forefront of digital transformation and emerging technologies,” said Julien Rozet, CEO of Alexander Hughes. “With this expanded global focus on digital and AI, we’re consolidating our expertise across key markets and deepening our ability to help organizations navigate the intersection of governance, innovation, and technological disruption.”
In their new roles, Ms. Baker and Mr. Dutt will co-lead the firm’s digital & AI practice, advising boards, investors, and CEOs on leadership strategies at the convergence of innovation, technology, and enterprise transformation.
“We’re thrilled to launch our AI practice group at a pivotal moment for companies building strategic AI leadership,” said Ms. Baker. “This space evolves rapidly, and organizations need a partner who can navigate that complexity while accessing top executive talent globally—including emerging hubs like India and the U.S. We’re positioned to connect companies with transformational AI leaders who drive real business impact.”
“This next phase of our practice brings together our global reach and deep local insight,” said Mr. Dutt. “Our focus is on helping boards and CEOs identify future-ready leaders who can balance innovation with governance, especially in sectors being reshaped by digital and AI-led disruption.”
Alexander Hughes also added Kienbaum Executive Consultants International in Paris as a member firm. The firm’s CEO Didier Guillot took over the responsibility for Alexander Hughes’ Paris office as client partner of Alexander Hughes Executive Search. His core expertise is mainly in the industrial, consumer markets, utilities and services sectors.
Mr. Guillot has gained extensive experience in the recruitment, general management as a CEO and leadership assessment in one of the international top executive search firm and development of international talents as well as the management of a very complex international transformation.
After starting his career at Henkel in France, Mr. Didier stayed for almost 20 years at L’Oreal, where he had been in various HR leadership positions in France, Americas, The Netherlands, Benelux, and Iberia. He then joined Le Duff Group, a family-owned leader in the bakery and food industry, present in Europe, Americas and Asia, as a HR of VP, before turning to executive search in 2019. Mr. Didier is fluent in French, English and Spanish, understands German and Dutch.
Related: Alexander Hughes Adds Three Former HR Executives
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
