Kestria Adds New Member Firm in Austria
June 6, 2022 – Kestria, formerly known as IRC Global Executive Search Partners, has added aristid Personalberatung in Austria as its newest member firm. aristid Personalberatung will now be called Kestria Austria. The consulting firm has been in operation for nearly 20 years, offering executive search and professional search and selection. The firm’s consultants bring practical experience in various business areas and functions, combined with local labor market experience in all regions in Austria. “We are excited to have a new member joining us and providing additional representation in the heart of Europe,” said Rohan Carr, president of Kestria’s executive board. “The experience of Kestria Austria team will further enhance the depth of the alliance globally.”
‘Since 2003, when aristid Personalberatung was founded, quality, long-term perspective and continuous improvement was always a key issue for us,” said Franz Schuster, managing partner Kestria Austria. “We consider becoming part of Kestria as a great opportunity and logical step, following this mindset. The exchange of information across borders and continents is inspiring and will help to enhance our service, and the opportunity of cooperation with our new colleagues will enable us to provide high-quality support of our clients on a global scale.”
Austria is the 12th richest country in the world in terms of gross domestic product per capita and has a well-developed social market economy. Austrian companies have been active players and consolidators in Eastern Europe over the past three decades. Labor movements are particularly strong in Austria and have a large influence on labor politics. International tourism is a vital part of the national economy.
Kestria has partners in over 80 cities across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The consortium has completed more than 30,000 assignments for more than 3,000 clients in virtually every industry segment and function, according to the firm. Kestria has completed over 40,000 searches for over 4,000 clients, serving everyone from start-ups to major global players.
New Executive Board
Kestria recently elected a new executive board. The board consists of the following members: Rania Abdalla, Tom Berray, Michael Kantel, Katerina Meimaroglou, and Mr. Carr (IRC Australia), IRC executive board president. Ms. Meimaroglou, the managing partner of IRC Greece (MEIHUNT, Corporate Talent Management), has been elected as a new IRC executive board member.
Kestria works to embrace the flexibility of entrepreneurs and the diversity of a global player. The organization is present in over 45 countries on six continents. More than 50 percent of its partner firms are led by females. IRC consultants speak 41 languages and represent 50-plus nationalities. “We are delighted that Katerina will join and strength our already talented board,” said Mr. Carr, president of Kestria. “She will bring a new and unique perspective and we look forward to her contribution.”
Ms. Meimaroglou focuses on executive search at senior levels especially in FMCG, pharma, and retail industries. Before establishing her own company, she was a partner of Cornerstone International Group. She brings corporate experience in HR management from multinational organizations such as the Coca-Cola Co., where she worked for almost six years in HR regional and marketing manager roles across Greece, Cyprus, and Malta. Prior to that, she worked for British Petroleum as HR advisor.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media