About executive connections

Executive Connections was established to meet the current overwhelming demand for skilled, experienced executives, specialists and board members in South Africa and on the African continent.

Karen

Karen Cook

Partner: Search Partners International
Managing Director: Executive Connections

Karen created Executive Connections, a division of SPi, to meet the overwhelming demand for experienced executive, non-executive and senior specialists in South Africa and on the African continent.

During her 29-year tenure in the executive search industry, Karen has consulted to blue chip listed, unlisted, and SMMEs across the board on executive talent solutions.

Karen’s resourcefulness, in-depth analytical skills and empathy have been pivotal to her career success. She is passionate about the advancement of women and was a long-time member of Soroptimists International, a networking organisation for professional and academic women. Her coaching skills have been honed by the depth and breadth of her experience in business and her acute understanding of the challenges faced by executives in current markets. She is optimistic about the exciting changes that digitalisation is bringing to business and the demand for new and interesting specialist skills and resources.

Eileen Drysdale

Executive Connections: Africa

Eileen is an experienced executive recruiter and head-hunter, with a large international network. She has over 25 years of experience in recruitment, with more than 17 of those years having been focused exclusively on the rest of the African continent, with placements made in over 28 countries, recruiting for various diverse industries – expatriate roles as well as local roles. Her experience also includes Europe, the UK and the Caribbean.

Eileen’s networking skills enable her to build and maintain relationships with people of all levels and cultures.  Her compassion for others shines through in all she does and her free time is spent being involved in various community outreach projects.

Portrait of Eileen, a professional woman in business attire, standing confidently in front of a neutral background

Needing to source executive talent?

Contact us today to discuss our process and how we can find the perfect placement for your company.