Wilton & Bain Opens Office in Dubai
April 25, 2024 – Wilton & Bain recently opened a new office in Dubai. “We are delighted to announce the opening of our new office in Dubai,” said David Heron, CEO. “We will serve clients across the Middle East and North Africa, with further announcements to follow of our new managing partner who will be leading Wilton & Bain in the region. Also relocating will be senior partners David Burton and Kash Singh. This is exciting news for the firm. I have personally worked with clients across the region for over 20 years. So, I’m absolutely thrilled that Wilton & Bain will be putting boots on the ground with such an exceptional team.”
“This step represents a major achievement in our journey as a leading global executive search firm,” Wilton & Bain said. “By setting up an office in the heart of the Middle East and North Africa region, we are confirming our commitment to meeting our clients’ needs wherever they are. Furthermore, our decision to open in the Dubai World Trade Centre was deliberate. It’s a bustling hub for commerce, innovation, and collaboration. This makes it the perfect environment for us to connect with our clients in the MENA region.”
Mr. Barton is a partner at Wilton & Bain and is a member of the firm’s global professional and IT services practice. With over 25 years in executive search, he has a wealth of experience spanning management and technology consulting; technology services & systems integration; Big 4 accounting, tax and advisory; business services, legal, and HR subsectors. Mr. Barton has completed numerous international assignments, typically at managing partner/partner and EVP/SVP/VP levels, and across multiple industry sectors, functions and horizontal competencies.
Ms. Sigh is a consultant within Wilton & Bain’s executive search practice specializing in the technology and professional services space. Having spent time across both U.K. and U.S. offices, she has been part of the delivery team for searches across Europe and the U.S. for both the firm’s Big Four and boutique consulting clients.
One of the world’s fastest growing economies, Dubai’s current gross domestic product is projected at $107.1 billion. The Persian Gulf and its coastal areas are the world’s largest single source of crude oil, and related industries dominate the region, making it a hotbed of activity for search firms with an eye on expansion.
Related: Wilton & Bain Appoints U.S. Advisor
Founded in 2001 by Jeremy Mobbs and Ben Latreuille, Wilton & Bain provides executive search, interim management/consulting, and technology resourcing services to the technology, professional services, and converging digital markets. With offices in London, New York, Austin, Toronto, and Ireland, the firm has an expertise in technology to focus on digital transformation for clients across TMT, retail, consumer, financial services, insurance, and utilities.
A Second Management Buyout
In 2022, Wilton & Bain secured investment from Beechbrook Capital to fund a second management buyout, bringing 12 new partners into the shareholding structure to support the future growth of the firm. There will also be a pool of unallocated equity for future individuals.
Wilton & Bain Grows Leadership Team
Wilton & Bain has expanded with the addition of Sam Wallace as a partner in its North American technology practice and as part of the wider leadership team. She will be based in Los Angeles. Ms. Wallace joins the firm to support its strategic global expansion, partnering with the current U.S. team, and deepening the opportunities for global collaboration. “I am absolutely delighted that Sam Wallace is joining Wilton & Bain, more than 20 years after she and I last worked together,” said David Heron, CEO. Sam will play a key role in the continued growth of our technology practice in North America, and part of the wider partner group and leadership team at the firm. She brings strong networks and experience, alongside her focus and care for the development of talent; something we are passionate about. She joins at a critical and exciting point in the current investment phase for our firm.”
“Five years after Wilton & Bain’s initial MBO the firm has tripled in size and now takes another important step towards becoming a widely held partnership, with the support of our financial partners Beechbrook,” said Piers Marmion, chairman of Wilton & Bain. “This transaction endorses the resilience Wilton & Bain has shown and its rare growth prospects, recognizing the capability of its enlightened management and the strength of its compelling ownership culture, as it welcomes another 12 new partners as shareholders. As Wilton & Bain matures, unusually it is becoming more dynamic, driven by the collective force of partners who are now owners. Its prospects are exceptional.”
Beechbrook Capital, a specialist direct lender founded in 2008, invests in SMEs across a range of industries in the U.K. and Europe. By the end of June, the firm had raised more than €1 billion through eight funds and invested in 85 companies in the European lower mid-market, including 60-plus in the U.K. Beechbrook’s U.K. SME Credit funds provide finance to predominantly non private equity-backed SMEs in the U.K., investing between £5 million and £15 million per transaction.
Related: Wilton & Bain Adds Two New Practice Leaders
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
