Wilton & Bain Expands People & Culture Practice
May 6, 2026 – Wilton & Bain has appointed Claire Paramo as a partner in its people & culture practice. Claire will be based in the firm’s London headquarters. “I am delighted to welcome Claire to Wilton & Bain,” said Tim Baker, managing partner at Wilton & Bain. “Over recent months, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and am excited about the impact she will have across the firm, and in particular within our people & culture practice. Claire’s experience, leadership, network and style made her a compelling addition to the business. Our platform, network and culture will enable her to continue delivering the outstanding work that has defined her career. As our CEO, David Heron, often asks when hiring, does one plus one equal three—in this case, I have no doubt that it will.”
Ms. Paramo joins Wilton & Bain with over 25 years’ experience and a deep specialism in human resources executive search. She has built an extensive international network and a strong track record delivering senior mandates for global corporates, high-growth SMEs, privately owned and investor-backed businesses across a wide range of sectors and geographies. Ms. Paramo is particularly well connected within the CHRO and chief people officer community. Throughout her career, she has partnered with CEOs, executive teams and chief people officers to secure transformational HR talent.
Prior to joining Wilton & Bain, Ms. Paramo was a managing director at BIE Executive, where she led the people & culture search practice and was a member of the executive leadership team. Earlier in her career, she founded and led a search boutique specializing in HR leadership mandates. Her expertise spans executive search across the full HR spectrum, including CPO/CHRO, HR directors and business partners, as well as organizational effectiveness and development, talent and leadership development, EDI&B, resourcing, employee relations, reward, communications, transformation, HR operations and shared services, and HRIS, data and insights.
“I am delighted to join Wilton & Bain at such an exciting time for the firm,” said Ms. Paramo. “Having long admired its growth, international expansion and the evolution of its service offering, it has been a pleasure to get to know the people behind the business. I’ve found a talented, purpose-driven and collegiate group of professionals who are genuinely shifting the dial for clients.”
“The opportunity to join a respected brand and contribute to the continued success of the people & culture practice comes at a pivotal time, as the HR function continues to evolve rapidly and clients demand more agile, high-touch and innovative solutions from their search partners,” Ms. Paramo continued. “Thank you to Tim, Chloe and the wider team for such a warm welcome—I’m excited to be part of the next chapter.”
Related: Wilton & Bain Names Leader of CFO and Financial Leadership Practice
Established in 2001, Wilton & Bain is twice backed by investor Beechbrook Capital. With offices in London, New York, Austin, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Dubai, the firm provides executive search and interim management services to the professional, financial, technology & digital services sectors.
Fractional Chief People Officer
Wilton & Bain also recently named Donna Kennedy as fractional chief people officer. She is also based at the firm’s London headquarters. “Donna’s appointment as fractional CPO represents a significant investment in our firm and, most importantly, in our people,” said David Heron, group chief executive officer at Wilton & Bain. “Our ambition is to be the destination of choice for the market’s leading executive search and interim management talent. To achieve this, we must align our people strategy with our growth objectives and ensure clarity around development, performance and reward. Donna understands our sector and, crucially, our culture and what drives our success. I am very much looking forward to working with her as we take Wilton & Bain into its next phase of growth.”
Wilton & Bain Appoints Leader of North American People & Culture Practice
Wilton & Bain has named Jacob Humbert as partner, leading the North American people & culture practice. He will be based in the U.S. and joins the firm’s North American leadership team. “We are thrilled to welcome Jacob to the North American leadership team to drive our office of the CHRO capability in the region,” said John Wittorf, North America managing partner at Wilton & Bain. “We have been searching for someone like Jacob, and I’m delighted we were patient enough to find him. Culturally, he feels like he’s been part of the group for years, and his expertise will be a tremendous advantage as we continue to attract and develop top talent.”
Ms. Kennedy is a highly experienced senior HR and talent development leader, bringing 17 years of board level experience partnering with executive teams through periods of growth, transformation and acquisition. Her expertise spans people strategy, performance transformation, post-merger integration and leadership development across professional services, recruitment, technology and regulated sectors. She is the founder of Donna Kennedy HR and previously chaired the HR and Talent Development Forum for APSCo, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies.
Related: Wilton & Bain Appoints Managing Partners
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
