Amrop Expands in Ireland

September 12, 2018 – Amrop, a partnership of recruiting firms operating from 75 offices in 48 countries throughout Asia, EMEA and the Americas, remains in growth mode with the opening a new office in Dublin, re-launching operations in Ireland and strengthening its capabilities across the EMEA region.

Amrop appointed managing partner David Kelly to lead Amrop Ireland, which will focus on providing executive search and related leadership services to clients across a range of sectors, with particular focus on financial services, consumer and retail, and industrial.

David Kelly has two decades of experience working in world-class organizations. He was most recently a director in the Dublin office of international executive search and interim management firm MERC Partners. He is a chartered engineer and has worked professionally across a range of sectors including technology, telecoms, utilities and engineering services companies in Ireland and Canada.

“Amrop has held a prime position in Ireland for many years, with a recognized brand that stands for quality and professionalism,” said José Leyún, CEO of the Amrop. “David and his ambitious team are building the kind of forward-looking business that will drive our future success in this market, and reinforce Amrop’s vanguard position in Europe.”

Important Hub

“Ireland is also an important hub for key innovative sectors, including technology, financial services and life sciences,” he said. “Amrop’s renewed presence there will continue to support the senior leadership needs of some of the world’s most dynamic companies.”

Mr. Kelly said Amrop Ireland has been a leader among executive search firms in Ireland for over 30 years. “I am delighted to bring this global firm back to the market with a new team of professionals,” he said. “Our team uniquely comprises people with the skills and networks critical for executive search coupled with a professional track record in other industries. We look forward to working with our clients to help shape the future of leadership in Ireland.”

Ireland has a modern knowledge economy, focusing on services and high-tech industries and dependent on trade, industry and investment. The country’s famous drinks industry employs about 92,000 people and contributes billions to the Irish economy, making it one of its biggest sectors. It supports jobs in agriculture, distilling and brewing. But a growing financial services sector base is also important, employing some 35,000 people and contributing billions in taxes annually to the Irish economy. Ireland is the seventh largest provider of wholesale financial services in Europe.

Continued Global Growth

Amrop has undergone a wave of growth over the past year. In June, the organization added Adrián Chinchilla as leader of its operations in Costa Rica. He assumed the title of partner and general manager and leads the search for senior executives and independent members of boards of directors for national companies, multinationals and family business groups. Mr. Chinchilla has over 25 years of managerial experience in the private and public sector, and as a member of boards of directors. In the financial sector, he has been the pension manager of the Corredores Asociados Group in Colombia.

This spring, the partnership gained Woodburn Mann in South Africa. Led by managing partner Andrew Woodburn, Woodburn Mann was established in 1982 in Johannesburg. It serves a range of clients across southern and sub-Saharan Africa. With a staff team of 25, the firm offers client-focused processes and services to the most prominent African businesses, as well as government parastatal operations, multi-national subsidiaries and entrepreneurial ventures. Its services include executive and non-executive search, board reviews and succession planning, executive coaching and leadership assessment and development. The firm now operates as Amrop Woodburn Mann.

Amrop also added the Australian regional entity of executive search firm Carmichael Fisher Australia to its fold. The new partner helps bring significant national presence for Amrop in Australia and strengthens the group’s capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region, said Amrop. Established by Michael Markiewicz in 2002, Carmichael Fisher’s Australia business is led today by managing partner Jamal Khan. Carmichael Fisher Australia is a privately-owned firm, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne and a team of 13 partners and 14 professional staff. The firm will operate as Amrop Carmichael Fisher.

Amrop also recently gained Singapore-based executive search firm Reed Hamilton as a member firm. Founded in 2011 and led by Jason Reed Wagner, the firm has six consultants and offers professional and retained executive search experience in financial services, technology, consumer & retail, life sciences, private equity, hospitality and gaming, and industrials.

Lastly, the organization also added New York-headquartered Industrial Search Partners (ISP) as a member firm. ISP leads Amrop’s retained executive search services in the industrial, infrastructure and energy sectors for the U.S. The firm specializes in targeted talent acquisition dedicated to industrial manufacturing and services, transportation, supply chain & logistics, aerospace, automotive and the oil & energy sectors. Over the last two decades, ISP has placed more than 250 candidates in executive positions across a broad segment of the market. The firm recently expanded into Pittsburgh with the addition of Sarah Stewart as a director.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media