OUR PARTNERS
Since inception, we have focused on building strategic and long term partnerships to ensure comprehensive service offerings and global reach for clients.
We are a founding partner of Meridian Partners, an international network of independent, multi-disciplinary consulting firms covering the entire spectrum of talent life cycle management.
We also partner with SRI Executive based in Ireland, a leading player in search and consultancy in the international development arena.
More details of our partners are below.
Meridian Partners International
Guru Management is a Founding Partner of Meridian Partners International, a global network of independent, multidisciplinary consulting firms covering the entire spectrum of talent life cycle management. Other founding members include Pitcairn Partners in the USA and JAH! in Europe. It is Meridian's collective mission to facilitate our clients ability to maximize human capital performance as a key driver of business improvement. Meridian combines international management experience with in-depth knowledge of local cultures and business practices; solutions are transparent and tailored to meet individual client needs. With integrated talent management solutions that include: Talent Mapping and Assessment – Executive Search – On-boarding Services –Leadership Development and Coaching, Meridian Partners International delivers bottom line results.
As a specialised executive search practice, SRI Executive has delivered solutions to over 200 organisations working in the international development arena. They are world leaders thanks to the level of knowledge, care and judgement they bring to their engagements. As a result, their placement success rate of 97% and retention rate of 98% demonstrate that they build relationships that last. Firmly committed to diversity, 46% of their 2016 placements were women, double the sector average.
Dr Seamus McGardle
With over 25 years’ senior management experience, Seamus has led dynamic and culturally diverse teams in over forty-six countries worldwide. Committed to developing, building and maintaining long-term partnerships with international organisations, Seamus is dedicated to fulfilling the expectations and needs of our clients. With a depth of expertise across all sectors, his knowledge and familiarity with an organisation allows him to navigate and offer direction on the most complex search assignments.
He holds a BSc in Chemistry and PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from University College Dublin.
Helen Mcardle
Helen McGardle is the Founder and Managing Director of SRI Executive Search.
With over 20 years’ experience as a search specialist and senior executive coach, Helen’s specialises in sourcing, managing and coaching the most exceptional candidates across the Life Science, Food Security and Sustainability sector.
She holds a BSc in Pharmacy from Trinity College Dublin, a Masters in Business Administration from Open University and an Advanced Certificate in Executive Coaching.
By enhancing the clients' capabilities to identify, attract and retain the right human capital, Pitcairn Partners will improve their ability to execute business strategy.
Pitcairn Partners offer corporate leaders a proven, disciplined process that will optimize their return-on-investment in Critical Human Capital. Pitcairn's knowledge-based and time-tested processes will increase clients’ ability to execute their strategic goals.
Pitcairn partners view each engagement as a partnership; each client presents a unique culture and set of challenges. Adequate time is invested to listen, learn and understand the key issues and goals of the clients. This ensures that the right leadership talent is obtained to deliver business results.
The true value in services is realized due to Pitcairn's ability to track and measure results and directly tying talent investments to the bottom line. Pitcairn Partners’ methods are transformational and effective.
Walter U Baker
Managing Partner
Mr. Baker is the Founder and Managing Partner of Pitcairn Partners, a strategic talent acquisition consultancy. With 20 years of Retained Executive Search experience, Mr. Baker has recruited a wide range of senior-level executives for multiple organizations in both the private and public sector domestically and internationally.
Based on his dedication to original research and a client centered personal focus, he has successfully built long term business relationships based on trust and over 75% of Mr. Baker’s business comes from repeat clients.
Prior to founding Pitcairn in 2015, Mr. Baker was Managing Director, USA, for Alexander Hughes, He started his career in Executive Search in 1987 withRussell Reynolds Associates, Inc. Mr. Baker joined Lamalie Amrop in 1990 and spent nine years in both the Tampa and Chicago offices. In 1999., Mr. Baker co-founded Meridian Partners which became a shareholding member of Signium International in 2001. Early in his career, Mr. Baker held both sales and marketing roles with MCI Communications and Ralston Purina.
Mr. Baker earned his Master’s Degree in International Management (MIM) from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) with a concentration in Marketing in 1983, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1978.
Claudio F Miers
Managing Partner
Mr. Miers holds 30 years of General Management and Human Resources leadership roles in the industrial automation, consumer and engineered products industries. Leveraging his success in complex international organizations, such as Emerson Electric, Black & Decker and ALCOA, he partners with clients to optimize their return on the investment in leadership talent. His experience across the Americas has provided him with extensive cultural and diversity appreciation.
He excels in assessing human capital issues and developing solutions that both fit company culture and deliver improved business performance. Using Pitcairns five step process, he optimizes the alignment and acquisition of leadership talent to facilitate business objectives and improve bottom line results.
Mr. Miers has successfully managed complex international organizations through intense growth, change and culture transformation. His broad areas of expertise include talent management, compensation, organizational change and development, process improvement and lean enterprise. strategy and business development, acquisitions and divestitures.
Fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish, Claudio holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Paulo Eiro College, and has completed Executive Education programs with the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. A seasoned Board Member, he has held board positions with several subsidiaries of the companies he worked with in the past decade.
Thomas W Short
Partner and CAO
Tom Short brings over 30 years of experience in senior level Human Resources and Administrative positions in both the private & not for profit sectors. With a wealth of multicultural and international understanding and professional experience, Tom’s focus is to partner with clients on ensuring senior level talent alignment to organizational objectives.
Leveraging extensive know-how managing complex international organizations, he is an invaluable asset for developing companies in the Human Capital and Organizations Development. Tom has a long background working around the globe with Fortune 500 companies.
He has lived and worked in different parts of the world and has deep knowledge and experience with the Latin American region. Prior to joining Pitcairn Partners, he was Deputy Director General, Corporate Services for CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center), based in Mexico. Prior positions include: Senior VP of Human Resources for HBO Latin America; Employee Relations for Hershey International, and VP Human Resources Citibank.
Tom served in the US Air Force flying F-4’s and was a police officer. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and received his MIM from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Kristi Thompson
Managing Director
Kristi Thompson is a seasoned talent management executive with 30 years of managerial, consulting, and leadership coaching experience. She has held senior positions in manufacturing and financial services sectors and has coached and consulted within additional verticals. Kristi has significant experience working across Western European cultures and held an international assignment in Stockholm, Sweden.
She has partnered with leaders in many areas under the broad umbrella of talent management, including succession planning, emerging leader identification and development, and development of leaders and leadership teams.
She has extensive experience with leadership alignment, in the context of strategic change and M&A. Kristi also led her own teams and is proud of 95% retention, as well as ranking in the top 1% of leaders within a Fortune 500 organization.
In addition to holding bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iowa State University, Kristi has secured many certifications and has honed her leadership skills at premier institutions, including Wharton Business School, the University of Michigan, and The Center for Creative Leadership. Kristi brings this broad and deep experience to every client, partnering with leaders to accelerate performance through better talent.
The company name – a powerful ‘yes’ in Dutch – exemplifies the reaction of clients to the no-nonsense approach and the value of their contributions.
jah and partners aim to create long-lasting, positive business relationships and provide solutions which drive individual and company performance forward.
Erik de Groot
Erik de Groot – Executive MBA – MBI, Erasmus University Rotterdam – ICF certified coach – governance training for non-executive board members – Managing Director Van Neerbos Building Materials – HR Director, Director Organizational Development, Managing Director CRH Distribution – area of expertise at JAH Consultants: executive coaching – executive leadership development
Andrew J. Rommes
BSc automotive engineering and BSc agricultural sciences – General Electric – international sales & marketing manager Europe AO Smith Inc Chicago – founder Amrop Executive Search in the Netherlands – international clients at consumer product firms (FMCG and durables) – retail – trade & industry – areas of expertise at JAH Consultants: executive search – family business succession – non-executive director search
Harry Künzel
Royal Military Academy – officer in the Dutch army – Managing Direcrot Nedlloyd Districenters International – board of directors ABN AMRO Lease Holding (Leaseplan) – partner Amrop Executive Search – multinationals and niche players in the following sectors: IT – logistics – finance – waste management – energy – consultancy – area of expertise at JAH Consultants: executive search
Sharon Crabtree
Sharon, previously a Director of Korn Ferry Hay Group, is a specialist in all aspects of helping organizations to work more effectively. This includes all aspects of HR including the ‘hard-wiring’ (organizational design, job analysis and evaluation, performance management, recruitment) and the softer skills (leadership development, team development, personal effectiveness).
She launched Longstock Consulting as part of a chain of small, boutique consultancy that provides a personal service whilst working with an extensive network to offer a wide range of services as needed. This keeps overheads low and delivers solutions of high value. Her approach is to get under the skin of an organisation and recognize what will really help within that context. There is a high focus on people development at all levels.
Sharon brings a wide range of experience of working across different sectors and in different geographies. She has worked at all levels of organizations, from Board development, through top team development, senior leadership, middle management as well as developing strategic HR.
Prashant Radhakrishnan
Managing Director
PR Consulting Associates Ltd.
Calgary, AB Canada
Prashant, a graduate of Cornell University’s Change Leadership program, is a seasoned management consultant / change management expert with 17 years consulting expertise. He has the Certified Change Management Professional (CCMPTM) designation, one of the first 500 experts in the world to receive this. He is also certified with PROSCI on their ADKAR change method. An engineer with management education from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), he is also a graduate of University of Oxford and HEC Paris where he completed his specialized Masters in Coaching and Consulting for Change.
He has worked with leading consulting firms; Deloitte, IBM (PwC Consulting), Accenture, KPMG etc. before setting up his firm focused on helping organizations manage business transformation and change leadership. He has worked in different industry sectors; BFSI, Energy &Resources, Government, Development, Retail, and Pharmaceuticals.
His expertise is in business transformation interventions with emphasis on change management, organization design/restructuring, culture transition, performance management, and communications. He has worked with governmental, non-governmental and international organizations. In his free time, he is a budding aviation pilot and an amateur astronomer.