Cornerstone International Group Opens New Office Johannesburg
May 7, 2026 – Cornerstone International Group has opened a new office in Johannesburg to deepen its footprint in South Africa. Leading the new office is Paul O’Brien, an executive search specialist with over 14 years of experience across South Africa, the U.K., Hong Kong, the UAE, and broader Africa. “South Africa is a vital growth frontier where exceptional leadership drives resilience, scalability, and success,” said Simon Wan, chairman and CEO. “Our Johannesburg office marks a key global milestone, blending worldwide talent resources with on-the-ground African market intelligence. With Paul O’Brien leading our local operations, we deliver personalized, quality-driven leadership hiring that creates lasting value across the continent.”
“Johannesburg is the economic gateway to Africa, making it the ideal base to expand our regional presence and support our global goal of 100 offices worldwide,” said Dan Heiman, global president. “This new office cements Cornerstone as a go-to partner for building future-ready leadership teams across Africa.”
Mr. O’Brien’s sector expertise spans engineering, mining, industrial, financial services (including banking, insurance, and fintech), technology, FMCG, and diversified commercial markets. He has delivered senior appointments at C-suite and leadership level, including CEOs, CFOs, finance heads, engineering directors, heads of technology, data and digital leaders, business unit heads, and senior risk professionals. His career includes founding, building, and scaling executive search businesses, as well as leading multiple business units and driving performance at group level. He has also gained in-house experience within a leading South African FMCG organization.
South Africa has the most industrialized and diversified economy in Africa, driven by sectors including mining, finance, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and services. The country is a major global producer of minerals such as gold, platinum, and chromium, while Johannesburg serves as a key financial hub for the continent. Despite its economic scale and sophisticated infrastructure, South Africa continues to face challenges including high unemployment, income inequality, energy supply constraints, and slower economic growth.
In recent years, the government and private sector have focused on investment, infrastructure development, and reforms aimed at improving economic stability and long-term competitiveness.
“African businesses need resilient, commercially aligned leaders to thrive in complex, fast-changing markets,” said Mr. O’Brien, managing partner of Cornerstone Johannesburg. “Our mission is to connect exceptional talent with ambitious organizations. By combining global reach with local insight, we deliver high-impact talent solutions that create lasting value for clients and candidates alike.”
Related: Cornerstone International Group Opens New Office in Rio de Janeiro
Cornerstone International Group provides executive search and leadership development services to global roster of clients. Both before (with psychometric assessment) and after (onboarding) its search process, the firm looks to ensure the highest possible chance of success in filling talent needs, the firm said. Cornerstone has 66 experienced member firms in both developed and emerging markets worldwide.
New Frankfurt Office
Cornerstone also recently opened a new office in Frankfurt and appointed of Florian Kittler as global sector head—hospitality, travel & leisure. “The expansion reflects increasing demand from hospitality, travel, and lifestyle organizations for leadership partners who combine global reach with deep sector expertise, as the industry navigates international growth, digital transformation, and evolving client expectations,” the firm said. Cornerstone operates more than 60 offices across over 40 countries, advising boards, owners, and senior leadership teams on executive search, executive coaching, leadership development, and talent strategy. The Frankfurt office marks the firm’s second location in Germany, following Düsseldorf.
“Hospitality is fundamentally a people business, yet it is facing unprecedented complexity,” said Mr. Wan. “By appointing Florian Kittler to head our Frankfurt office as managing partner while leading our global hospitality, travel & leisure practice, we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering sector-specific, globally integrated leadership solutions that help clients grow without losing their human core.”
“Frankfurt is one of Europe’s most internationally connected and economically influential cities,” said Mr. Heiman. “It provides a strong base from which we can support our international clientele operating across regions, while further strengthening Cornerstone’s European presence. We are also pleased to welcome YK Hospitality Consulting, founded in 2020, into the Cornerstone International Group.”
The Frankfurt office will focus on hospitality & leisure, travel & tourism, consumer services, restaurants, lifestyle brands, and adjacent sectors, providing clients with full access to Cornerstone’s integrated global talent platform.
Related: Cornerstone International Group Opens Office in Seoul
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
