Meet Karla Dorsch, the powerhouse behind Evrima, our partners in the Gulf region. Karla has next-level expertise honed over 25 years of connecting leaders with opportunities in the UK and the UAE. Not content with an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business, a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, she is currently studying towards an MSc in Psychology and Neuroscience.

Where were you born, and where do you live now?

I was born in San Francisco and moved to London 30 years ago. For the last two decades, I have divided my time between London and Dubai.

What did you study and why?

I studied politics at university. It was a fascinating time when we were still at the end of the Cold War, and the nuclear threat was very real. Then, we saw a massive change with the rise of Gorbachev, who played a key role in ending the Soviet Union’s post-WWII domination of Eastern Europe and bringing down the Iron Curtain. I thought I’d become a lawyer and work on policy, but Wall Street, which was roaring in the 1980s, beckoned.

First job?

Policy Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of New York

First car?

Green Audi A4

Current car?

Mini Countryman 4x4

What’s the biggest surprise about your job?

No matter how successful or accomplished a candidate is, they always listen and want advice. Quite often, that slips into their personal lives!

What is the biggest risk you ever took?

Starting my own search firm when I was 35. I had no clients, a strict non-compete, and worked out of a dungeon of an apartment. Six months later, I was established.

What makes you feel better on a bad day?

Chatting with my husband.

My most redeeming quality is…

Optimism and knowing if things don’t go according to plan, I can move on.

I have learned to come to terms with…

No matter what my convictions are, the client is always right!

What’s the thing that people are most surprised to learn about you?

I am a qualified yoga instructor.

In the last month, what was the most interesting conversation you had?

Participating in a round table discussion with senior businessmen in Dubai about the disconnect between the West and the Global South.

Last (or most loved) holiday?

Yoga retreat in Mongolia. No connectivity, no electricity, nothing but stars, mesmerising landscapes and amazing people.

Best book you’ve read in the past year?

Mania by Lionel Shriver. A satirical dystopian novel set in a recently altered version of the USA where political correctness has overcome the last great source of societal discrimination: intellectual ability. Calling someone ‘stupid’ is a punishable offence. It’s thought-provoking, and the ending is something to consider.

What have you binge-watched recently?

Maestro in Blue on Netflix is set on the seemingly idyllic Greek island of Paxos. However, this is a façade, as the story is all about love, illicit affairs, corruption, murder, and abuse…

Best gadget?

I thought long and hard about this, but alas, it has to be the iPhone.

How do you relax and unwind?

Taking Reagan, our Red Fox Labrador, out for a walk and talking to him about the ups and downs of my day. He’s very understanding.

Charity / cause closest to your heart?

Being a member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF). It’s an incredibly supportive group of diverse and accomplished women across 33 countries.

I have a collection of…

Chinese snuff bottles, mainly from the Qing Dynasty. My collection includes delicate inside-painted glass bottles, as well as porcelain, quartz and jade ones.

In my fridge, you will always find…

Mustard. Good Chardonnay and cheese. Little else.