We are delighted to share some exciting news from Fides Search! Four of our talented team members have been promoted to new roles, reflecting their hard work and dedication.
đ George Eves – Researcher to Delivery Consultant
đ Gwendolyn Shaw – Delivery Consultant to Consultant
đ Mathew Parker – Consultant to Senior Consultant
đ Inka Fukalova – Head of Research and Delivery to Associate Director
Please join us in congratulating them on their achievements!
Let’s see what Edward Parker our Managing Director had to say on the news:
George joined Fides just under a year ago and has been a tremendous asset since the get-go. His approach to onboarding new information, focus on outcomes for clients and ability to work across different international markets sets him apart. He has now been involved in projects across the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Luxemburg and has developed an exceptional level of understanding of complex markets like Funds and PE. I am delighted to see George progress into the Delivery team and look forward to working with him closely.
Gwendolyn joined us as a researcher and was promoted within 12 Months to Delivery Consultant. During that time I had the pleasure of working closely with Gwen on several successful high-profile searches, numerous Due Diligence exercises and several consultancy projects. It is exciting to see her reach yet another milestone and be promoted to the Consultant team. Gwen has developed exceptional market knowledge, knows the search process inside out and she is tremendous to work with. She is totally deserving of this promotion and I am delighted to be welcoming her into the consultant team.
Mathew joined Fides in July 2020, at that time the conditions were somewhat different to those that we have today. He developed his skillset in one of the toughest markets for search but still managed to achieve a great deal. He progressed very quickly up the consultant ranks and has outperformed even his own exceptionally high targets. Mat has had a focus on highly competitive areas like Digital, Data, TMT, Tech Transactions, PE etc, he has also worked across numerous jurisdictions including the UAE, Dublin, Germany and London. His commitment to clients and consultative approach help him to stand out in a busy market and clients regularly feedback on how impactful he has been. He also demonstrates the qualities of a leader and is someone who will go a very long way in this industry. Iâm very excited to continue to work with Mat and to see him step into the role of Senior Consultant.
Inka joined us as Head of Research and Delivery and in so doing created a new function for us, prior to Inka’s arrival we’d never had a delivery function and her joining the business was a pivotal moment in training and developing talent a first for Fides. Inka’s approach to operational rigour and delivering the highest quality search to our clients has enabled us to become even more data-led outcomes-focused and to successfully manage a higher volume of searches. I’m delighted to see her step into the role of Associate Director where she’ll take on more leadership responsibility but more crucially keep supporting clients with their searches and leading a vital part of the business.
Fides Search are delighted to have participated in the joint venture of Spencer West and Kashwani Law. Spencer West is a leading independent law firm model which offers clients a high level of service led by partners. Kashwani Law are a very well respected law firm based in the UAE servicing a mix of domestic and international clients.
Fides Search have been supporting Spencer West with their international growth. Having considered a number of different entry points into the UAE market, which is key to Spencer Wests Global strategy, it became apparent that a combination with an existing and established player would deliver the best results. Spencer West and Kashwani law have embarked on an exciting and complimentary Joint Venture which will enable them to capitalise on a raft of synergies and complimentary practice groups and sector alignments.
Antoine West, Managing Partner, Spencer West had this to sayâ âAs a growing firm we are continually seeking opportunities to enhance our international presence, Mathew and the team at Fides had been instrumental in advising us on how we could approach this and really took the time to understand our strategy and we were able to find a local partner that matched our ambitions and guide us through the process to a successful conclusion.â
Hassan Kashwani, Partner, Kashwani Law Firm â We have been an established law firm in the UAE market for over 30 years and we have had aspirations to grow internationally as well as growing our offering here, the aspirations of Spencer West and their vision aligned well and from the introduction through to successful completion, Mathew and the team at Fides supported at each stage of the process. â Great!
Jazmine Bernard, Business Development Manager, Kashwani Law Firm â Fides provided us with a clear and consultative introduction to Spencer West and were able to navigate the cultural understanding of doing business in the middle east effortlessly and in turn resulted in a seamless process. Â The updates and follow ups throughout the process from Mathew were second to none and we are very appreciative of his hard work in this joint venture, we look forward to growing our firm, partnerships and being able to assist our clients not only locally but globally due to the outcome of Mathews introduction and hard work.
Mathew Parker, consultant at Fides Search had this to say, âWe knew that Spencer West had international plans and the UAE is a developed legal market as well as a gateway to Asia and Africa. We took a consultative approach to this project and presented suitable options for Spencer West and tailored our approach to optimise their entry into the market. We were excited by the team at Kashwani Law Firm and found them seeking to become more international and bolster their presence locallyâ
Ed Parker, Director at Fides Search had this to say â Spencer West and Kashwani Law have complete what looks to be a transformative Joint Venture. The spirit of this agreement is underpinned by two motivated law firms seeking to offer multijurisdictional legal coverage to domestic and international clients. Both leadership teams have ambitious plans for the Joint Venture and it is truly exciting to have supported in this endeavour.
It was a real pleasure working with both leadership teams and we wish them all the very best in this endeavour.
For further information about our Solutions offering please visit our website Fides Solutions – FIDES (fidessearch.com) or contact research@fidessearch.com
Fides Search are delighted to announce the appointment of Inka Fukalova as Head of Delivery.
Inka has extensive experience running complex and strategic projects for legal and professional services clients throughout Europe and Middle East. She has been involved in numerous high profile lateral partner appointments and team moves across variety of practice areas, such as Real Estate & Construction, Insurance, TMT just to name a few.
Inka believes in an informed consultative approach to search and working in partnership with Clients and Candidates to achieve successful outcomes. Inka will be playing a key role in the development of Fidesâ Delivery Team, which will greatly enhance our search and selection process and ensure consistently high standards of delivery. More to follow on this!
Inka spent last 13 years at a leading global search firm where she was Head of Executive Search, she was instrumental in developing their legal search capabilities as well as managing their CRM database and GDPR protocol.
Inka had this to say:
Iâm excited to join the team at the time of exponential growth. Fides is a great example of a genuine search firm with a client centric strategy based on nurturing long-term working relationships and acting as a strategic advisor to their clients and candidates. Iâm looking forward to being a part of a collegiate team and delivering first class client service.
Ed Parker had this to say:
We have always wanted to be at the cutting edge of innovation, many see innovation as adapting technology based solutions, but innovation can also be the development of new ways of working that improve outcomes for clients. This is exactly why we are so excited to see Inka join the team. She is absolutely the right person for us to grow a new area of the business which is our Delivery team. Not only is Inka a very experienced search professional but she has also developed countless consultants over the years and she has led research teams whilst also been very hands on when it comes to client relationships. This mix of experience is exactly what we needed for the development of the Delivery Team.
If you would like to connect with Inka her contact details are as follows:
D: +44 (0) 20 3137 3330
M: +44 (0) 7306 094400
A Link to Inkaâs Bio
Fides Search is delighted to welcome Suzanne Jeffers to the team.
Suzanne joins us as Consultant and will be working on strategic hires for law firms and patent attorney firms as well as in-house appointments across a range of sectors. She will also play a key role in our continued growth in IP & Patents.
Suzanne studied her undergraduate LLB at University of Liverpool and completed her postgraduate LPC at BPP University. She was admitted as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales and practised real estate law prior to taking a leap into legal search & consultancy.
Suzanne has an extremely varied background having worked for both high street firms Foskett Marr Gadsby & Head LLP as well as top 20 law firms Irwin Mitchell and DWF LLP. Her ability to efficiently navigate complex and challenging transactional situations brings praise from clients for her bespoke, responsive and flexible approach. Suzanne adds to our London based capability and will also support our clients in Continental Europe and the Middle East.
She has a passion for legal innovation and regularly attends seminars to discuss the impact of technology in legal services. Suzanne is particularly interested in emerging technologies such as blockchain and crypto assets.
She has a keen eye on cryptocurrencies, their use of blockchain and the reactivity of regulation and compliance. Suzanne thinks it is crucial to uphold the rule of law when it comes to legal tech, but it is also important to strike a balance and avoid stifling progress.
Suzanne joins us at Fides Search during a period of exciting expansion.
Ed Parker, Director had this to say:
âWe are thrilled to welcome Suzanne into the team. She is a truly passionate person and has a deep level of understanding around the legal profession and crucially the future of law. We look forward to introducing her to clients and our network in due course. Suzanne is going to work across a number of areas but crucially is going to support our growth in areas such as IP and Patents.â
Suzanne comment:
‘Iâm delighted to be joining Fides! For a number of years prior to qualification as a solicitor I considered a move into legal search consultancy. As cliche as it sounds I love helping people and solving problems – one of the many reasons I got into law! I thrive off client interaction and investigation. Iâm excited about this new chapter and very much looking forward to getting to know outstanding people and innovators from diverse backgrounds within the industry!’
Chris comment:
‘I am absolutely thrilled and delighted that Suzanne has joined the intellectual property team here at Fides. Her experience within the law will be an invaluable asset to the wider Fides proposition and I personally look forward to working alongside Suzanne and continue the growth and success of Fidesâ intellectual property team.’
Fides Search is delighted to welcome Dorothy Adu-Mfum to the team. Dorothy joins us as Researcher and will be supporting our clients on pre-search analysis, mapping and due diligence. Dorothy adds to our London based capability and will also support our clients in continental Europe and the Middle East. Dorothy will work with clients across Professional Services, Financial Services, Technology and Life Sciences. Dorothy has a strong passion for the legal industry thanks to her legal studies, having completed her LPC and MSC in 2020 with a distinction and her undergraduate degree in Law in 2016 with a first-class.
Dorothy is also passionate about thought leadership and contributes to a female-led magazine which empowers female-owned, and female-led businesses to positively impact their communities; both socially and economically. This allows her to add further depth to our thought-leadership in our cross-sector Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives.
Having experienced hardship while growing up, Dorothy founded Law City in December 2019, a platform that connects aspiring lawyers from Low-socioeconomic status (SES) households/backgrounds to the legal sector in London. With a long history of championing social mobility, Dorothy will play a leading role in increasing social mobility within our network.
She joins us at Fides Search during a period of growth following the appointment of Syed Nasser who joined as a Venture Capital and Technology Transactions specialist, Mathew Parker who also recently joined our TMT sector group and Chris Excell who leads our IP and Patents sector group.
Edward Parker, Director of Fides Search had this to say:
Dorothy is a tremendous person, we are all very excited to have her join the team. What she has achieved academically and in terms of setting up Law-City is simply incredible and points to the kind of person she is. Having a first class research function is vital to the success of any search business as such Dorothy will be a key member in the team and someone we think will add great value. We look forward to working with Dorothy and we look forward to working with the Law-City community and our existing clients/network to help push the social mobility agenda along with our other areas of thought leadership.
What Dorothy had to say:
I am very happy to join the growing team at Fides Search as a Researcher. I am particularly excited to contribute to our thought leadership in our cross-sector Diversity and Inclusion initiative and providing insight in regard to Social mobility. I am proud to be part of a Search firm that leads in delivering exceptional service and client experience.
Dorothyâs Bio can be found here
Email:Â dorothy@fidessearch.com
D: +44 (0) 20 3137 7101
Fides Search are delighted to welcome Syed Nasser to the team. Syed joins us as a Senior Consultant and will be leading our Venture Capital and Technology Transactions practice.
Syed has a long history of working with UK, US and boutique law firms in London as well as internationally on Partner Search across a plethora of practice areas but has developed a particular interest and track record in the Venture Capital and Corporate Technology Transactions in recent times. Syed will add further depth to our partner search capability in helping clients secure the best possible talent across our core international markets whilst also working with our clients on consultancy and due diligence projects. In addition to law firms, Syed also works with established and emerging tech companies, family offices and financial institutions. With a long history of campaigning, Syed will also play a leading role in our cross sector Diversity and Inclusion initiative.
Having previously qualified as a Barrister, Syed spent 7 years at a leading legal search boutique before establishing his own firm, Twyford Search in 2014. He joins us at Fides Search during a period of growth following Mathew Parker who also recently joined our TMT sector group and Chris Excell who leads our IP and Patents sector group.
Edward Parker, Director of Fides Search had this to say:
Syed brings over 12 years of legal search experience to the Fides team. His experience will help our clients in highly competitive areas such as Venture Capital and Technology Transactions. He has a consultative and diligence led approach which we believe is a fundamental to achieving the right outcome for our clients. We look forward to working with Syed and properly introducing him to our clients in due course.
What Syed had to say:
I am very excited to join the growing team at Fides Search and to focus on the venture capital and technology space. It was a unique opportunity to join a Search firm that genuinely values client relationships by strategically partnering with them and focuses on delivering a first-class service and client experience.
Syed’s Bio can be found here
Email: snasser@fidessearch.com
D: +44 (0) 20 3642 1871
M: +44 (0) 7960 739158
IP and Patents specialist joins Fides Search
Fides Search are delighted to welcome Chris Excell to the team. Chris joins us as a Senior Consultant and will be leading our IP & Patents practice. Chris works with Law Firms, Patent Attorneys and a range of in-house clients. He has a particular interest in the TMT sector alongside Pharma and Lifesciences. All of which are a focus for Fides Search.
Chris has worked on searches across EMEA and will be joining colleagues in helping clients secure the best possible talent across our core international markets. Chris will add further depth to our partner search capability whilst also working with our clients on consultancy and due diligence exercises.
Chris joins Fides Search having most recently having been the Head of Search – Private Practice for a legal services focused recruitment business. Chris joins Fides Search during a period of growth, Mathew Parker who also recently joined our TMT sector group, which is part of our ongoing investment.
Edward Parker, Director of Fides Search had this to say:
Chris joins us at truly exciting time as we try to deepen our sector focus and specialist knowledge in key areas. Chris brings some fantastic experience to the table in areas that we feel require a true specialism and focus. We have seen that our clients are increasingly expecting their search consultants to not just understand their business, culture and strategy but that they also need to be genuine experts within their market.
This is a huge opportunity for Fides Search as we naturally gravitate towards consultants with sector and practice specialisms. Chris brings huge energy and determination to his work and the Fides Search team and we very much look forward to working with him.
What Chris had to say:
I am absolutely thrilled to be joining Fides Search, who match my ambition and share the same values of offering a first class service to clients, whilst maintaining integrity and quality, in a consultative manner. The international capabilities of Fides was also a massive draw for me and I am very excited to help build on the excellent platform Fides Search currently has across Europe and beyond.
Chrisâs bio can be found here
Chris looks forward to introducing himself in due course but please feel free to reach out to him if you would like to arrange a time to meet. His details are as follows:
Email:Â Chris@fidessearch.com
Mobile: +44 (0) 7407 895 518
DD: +44 (0) 20 3642 1873
Fides Search are delighted to welcome Mathew Parker to the team. Mathew joins us as a Consultant focusing on TMT, he has a particular interest in the technology sector and will be supporting our professional services and in-house clients with their key strategic hires in this space. Mathew will add further depth to our partner search capability whilst also working with our clients on consultancy and due diligence exercises. Mathew adds to our London based capability, having spent 10 years in the UAE he will also support our clients in the Middle East as well as Europe.
Edward Parker, Director of Fides Search had this to say:
Mathew joins us at an exciting time, our clients are increasingly expecting their search consultants to be genuine experts within their market. This is a huge opportunity for Fides Search as we naturally gravitate towards consultants with sector and practice specialisms. Mathew joins at a time where we have seen increasing demand for legal talent in particular across our Technology client base. We have also been struck in recent months by how resilient this sector have been. Mathew himself brings huge energy, determination and leadership qualities to the Fides Search team and we very much look forward to working with him.
What Mathew had to say:
I am delighted to be joining the team at Fides Search. I look forward to working with clients of the firm, helping to deliver a first class service. I have a real interest in TMT, being able to focus on this sector is hugely appealing and exciting, I also look forward to helping clients in some of the key niche areas of spars talent such as cyber security and data privacy.
Mathewâs bio can be found here
Mathew looks forward to introducing himself in due course but please feel free to reach out to him if you would like to arrange a time to meet. His details are as follows:
D: +44 (0) 20 3642 1873
M: +44 (0) 7391 4055 63
E: mathew@fidessearch.com