PRESS RELEASES

Wilton & Bain welcomes Sami Zouehid to lead our Middle East and North Africa Office

Sami joins Wilton & Bain with over 16 years of experience in the Middle East. Sami has an impressive track record of placing exceptional leaders in influential organisations across the region. He specialises in executive placements for sectors such as Private Equity, Technology, Real Estate Development, Family Office, and Industrial. He dedicates himself to matching the right leadership with each client’s unique needs.

Before joining Wilton & Bain, Sami spent 15 enriching years cultivating and managing retained search mandates across the MENA region. His extensive role involved close collaboration with global partner organisations, ensuring that the best talent was brought into the region. This contributed significantly to the dynamic growth and development of his clients, making him a trusted advisor in the executive search field.

Regarding the expansion into the MENA region, Group CEO David Heron said, “I am absolutely delighted that Sami has chosen to join us. His values, drive, and sense of ambition directly mirror our own. He stood out “head and shoulders” aside other candidates we met in our process. Sami is a family man, a team player, and someone who cares deeply about his clients and colleagues.

Having first visited KSA in 2001, and actively travelled across Middle East and Africa for much of my career, it is a geography that I have a personal affinity to. I am encouraged by the reception clients have given to our arrival, but realistic to the differences of working in a new culture, serving both the local and international market. We will take our time to grow, and build on our success, as we establish our track record in the region. Critically also, this office is part of Wilton & Bain’s global expansion into the Middle East and Asia PAC regions. We are excited by what is to come.

Sami adds, “After 12 unforgettable years with my previous firm—a period I will always look back on with great fondness and gratitude—I am thrilled to announce that I am joining Wilton & Bain as Managing Partner in their expansion into growth markets such as the Middle East and North Africa.

Throughout the process, Wilton & Bain has shown remarkable openness and a willingness to learn and listen to the nuances and uniqueness of our region. This approach has only strengthened my belief in what we can achieve together.

We are committed to building a search firm that is deeply in tune with regional and local values. At the same time, we will uphold our core values and ensure that the quality and standards set by our UK and US operations are maintained and customized to deliver a unique experience to our partners. 

Moreover, we will bring a different approach to search in the region, led by deep understanding and commitment, while accessing subject matter expertise globally.”