Avant Executive Search & Talent Advisory Adds Partner
September 23, 2025 – Avant Executive Search & Talent Advisory recently expanded with the addition of Kristin Fry as a partner. In her new role, she will work with managing partner Sonia Prais, focusing on expanding the firm’s executive search capabilities in the retail sector.
“We are thrilled to announce that Kristin Fry has joined the Avant Executive Search & Talent Advisory team as our newest partner,” the firm said in a LinkedIn post. “We can’t wait to see the incredible success Kristin will bring to Avant and our clients. Her skills in building strong relationships, creatively sourcing global talent, and delivering customer-centric solutions will be invaluable as we continue to grow. Please join us in welcoming her to the team.”
“Could not be more thrilled to join as a partner with the most talented group of people,” Ms. Fry said. “They are full of integrity, heart, and excellence. What a joy to partner with Sonia Prais and David Gray Barnette to continue expanding search in the consumer and retail sector. Cheers to this next (and long) chapter as a partner.”
With over 20 years of recruiting experience, Ms. Fry brings a wealth of expertise to the firm. Previously, she served as an executive search consultant at Vanderbloemen, where she built strong relationships with clients and candidates, ensuring clear communication and expectations throughout the recruitment process. In this role, Ms. Fry managed full-cycle recruiting from establishing the job requisition, securing approvals, clarifying the role, intake with the hiring manager, source, screen, and interview and securing/closing the offer.
Proven Search Consultants
Avant Executive Search & Talent Advisory is a female-owned, retained executive search firm and talent consultancy serving capital markets, consumer, technology, healthcare, and media clients in the U.S., Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The firm has been named as a top 100 Private Equity search leader for the last two years by Hunt Scanlon Media and has placed over 100 executives since 2021.
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“With an optimized process that allows for more meaningful up-front discovery and earlier calibration, along with senior partners that espouse both empathy and authenticity, the firm has cultivated an experience that rejects arrogance and embraces conversation, drives collaboration and creativity, and delivers more thoughtful, uniquely relevant, talent solutions,” Avant said.
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Ms. Prais has spent more than 20 years in executive search. She works globally with start-ups, heritage iconic brands, and pure-plays in technology, fashion, and retail. Ms. Prais works with her clients across functions and levels within their business, consulting on internal organizational structure, succession planning, and global relocation of best-in-class talent, often to challenging markets.
Mr. Barnette is managing partner of Avant and has over 20 years of experience as an operating executive focusing on omnichannel sales and marketing, digital transformation, and product development. Since making the shift to talent acquisition in 2017, he has led technology practices at Korn Ferry and August Leadership.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
