Leon has led businesses as a CEO, Managing Partner & Chairman across the EMEA Region and holds a number of board positions.
He moved into the world of business leadership in 2004 having served as a Captain in the British Army. His military experiences in Africa, the Middle East, Central & North America and Europe now underpin his professional expertise in high-performance cultures, resilience, emotional intelligence, diversity & inclusion and leading in complex, multicultural environments.
Leon has worked extensively in Central and Francophone Africa, including recent assignments in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This background ensures both cultural sensitivity and the application of world-class leadership practices tailored to the local context.
He is a Professor in Practice at the University of Johannesburg. Often travelling, Leon is also a visiting lecturer & speaker at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Lancaster, Birmingham, Cape Town and Stellenbosch, as well as Warwick & Cranfield Business Schools.
As Managing Partner & co-Founder of Sterling Bell,he passionately promotes for purpose driven business, ethical leadership and conscious sustainable capitalism.
Leon holds an MA in French & Diplomatic Studies and an Executive MBA from Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, and is also an IMD alumnus.
Based in Saudi Arabia, Mark covers the wider Gulf Cooperative Council (also comprising Kuwait, the U.A.E., Qatar, Bahrain and Oman). He partners with a diverse range of corporate and government clients, specialising in C-suite and N-1 roles in technology and broad-based national hiring.
Mark’s reputation for a solution-driven approach comes from over 18 years’ experience in the region. Seen very much as a trusted partner to his clients, he has carved a niche as a go-to person for leadership hiring in the technology space.
With over eight years of experience in executive search and leadership advisory, Blessing has a strong track record of identifying and securing top executive talent across diverse sectors and geographies.
He has successfully placed C-suite leaders and senior executives for clients in banking, investment, infrastructure, and real estate, including high-profile placements in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
Blessing specialises in supporting clients through periods of change and transformation, with assignments covering digital strategy, operations, technology, HR, and leadership.
He holds a BA in Anthropology, General Psychology, and Political Science, as well as a Postgraduate Degree in Political Science and Government, from Rhodes University.
