Managing Director, Middle East

Sam has almost 20 years combined executive search and in-house recruitment experience. She has developed her global leadership career with InterSearch in both Australia & Middle East. Sam was born in Kuwait, educated in Australia and lived in London and Canada for a number of years working within the HR teams of Merrill Lynch and BP International. In the Middle East, she worked with Standard Chartered Bank as the Regional Talent Acquisition Specialist, Middle East, Pakistan & Africa (MEPA); focusing on senior-level hires as well as committing to the global diversity agenda to attract Arab, African & female talent into the organisation.

Samantha has been based in the Middle East region over 12 years and is currently Managing Director – Middle East. She is responsible for building and leading a multi-cultural team of high-performing Consultants and Research Associates across four offices and serving a variety of global, regional and country specific clients across the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region. Sam personally focuses on executing executive search assignments across the full spectrum of the Banking & Finance sector and became the InterSearch Worldwide Practice Group Leader for the Financial Services sector in 2014.

Sam is a big believer in identifying and attracting disruptive global talent to help organisations transform, innovate, challenge and drive commercial opportunities to achieve success.

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”
– Winston Churchill

Sam holds a Bachelor of Science, with a major in Psychology, from the University of Melbourne in Australia and was recently elected to the InterSearch worldwide Board of Directors in 2017.

Peter Waite has been involved working within Executive Search for over thirty three years and is presently a Board Director of InterSearch Worldwide and CEO of InterSearch Australia.

Peter has conducted assignments in Executive Search throughout Australia and has directed international appointments. He has recruited and counselled executives in a wide range of disciplines including education marketing, accounting, banking, finance and engineering for large corporations and small businesses. These assignments have included CEO and executive management as well as Non Executive Directors for commercial and Not for Profit organisations.

He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and his background in marketing and human resources and vast networks has led to the expansion of the InterSearch Worldwide, both nationally and internationally. This expansion has led to the direction of Executive Search assignments within Australia and internationally for national corporations and government authorities.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Business Marketing from Monash University and an MBA from RMIT University.

Aristotelis Bassios is a client partner of InterSearch Germany, based in Frankfurt.

He has been active in executive search since 2008 and advises national and international companies in the financial services, professional services, and technology sectors. His focus is on filling management positions with a focus on banking IT and digital transformation. He also supports technology and consulting companies in filling demanding vacancies in the areas of operations, sales, and marketing.

As a consultant with many years of experience in the technology and financial services sector, he has an organically grown network of decision-makers at CIO, CDO and CTO level, and provides intensive support to his customers in the strategic realignment of IT in times of rapidly changing business models at banks, Asset managers and insurance companies.

In his previous position, Aristotelis Bassios worked for several years as a principal at a leading international executive search company, and previously helped to set up the Financial and Professional Services teams at two personnel consultancy boutiques.

In his private life, he is enthusiastic about technological innovations, culture, and literature of the American east coast as well as Mediterranean cuisine. In terms of sport, he is more oriented towards the north: in the Bundesliga he sticks to Werder Bremen.
Aristotelis Bassios is a client partner of InterSearch Germany, based in Frankfurt.

He has been active in executive search since 2008 and advises national and international companies in the financial services, professional services, and technology sectors. His focus is on filling management positions with a focus on banking IT and digital transformation. He also supports technology and consulting companies in filling demanding vacancies in the areas of operations, sales, and marketing.

As a consultant with many years of experience in the technology and financial services sector, he has an organically grown network of decision-makers at CIO, CDO and CTO level, and provides intensive support to his customers in the strategic realignment of IT in times of rapidly changing business models at banks, Asset managers and insurance companies.

In his previous position, Aristotelis Bassios worked for several years as a principal at a leading international executive search company, and previously helped to set up the Financial and Professional Services teams at two personnel consultancy boutiques.

In his private life, he is enthusiastic about technological innovations, culture, and literature of the American east coast as well as Mediterranean cuisine. In terms of sport, he is more oriented towards the north: in the Bundesliga he sticks to Werder Bremen.

IWW Sub-leader Banking and Financial Services and Managing Partner Oslo

After four years of working in London’s finance sector, Jan has dedicated his past 12 years to executive search and recruiting senior personnel within financial services and banking in Norway and internationally. As partner with Sekse & Hogstad (Norwegian member of Intersearch) Jan has since his entry to the company in 2012 been instrumental in developing its footprint in the Norwegian executive search industry as Managing Partner of the Oslo office. Jan also serves as Western & Northern Europe Sub-Leader for Banking and Financial Services Practice Group.

As part of the management team with Sekse & Hogstad Jan has helped build the company’s sector focus towards oil & gas, shipping, infrastructure and financial services and banking. While supporting the competitive advantage that lies in true diversity, and being an advocate for talent prepared to lead in an ever-changing digitalized world, Jan brings true dedication in securing long term solutions on behalf of both client and candidate.

Jan holds a Master of Business Administration degree from European School of Economics in London, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Macquarie University in Sydney. Jan is also a Sub-Lieutenant with the Norwegian Coastal Artillery.