Picture It. Sardinia. August 2014.

Not a bad place to have what I can only describe as a mild (or perhaps not so mild) career existential crisis.

I had reached a point where I knew I wanted to do something different – something more meaningful, more global, more connected. I just didn’t know what that “something” looked like yet.

A month later, in September 2014, I received a call from AltoPartners Global Chairman-elect Stephen Dallamore’s office. One of those moments that, at the time, feels like a conversation and in hindsight, you realise it quietly changed the course of your life.

On 3 February 2015, I officially joined AltoPartners as the first, and still, only employee. What followed has been a journey I could never have fully anticipated.

From the very beginning, what struck me was the calibre of the people, not just as professionals, but as individuals. There is a genuine respect across this partnership that you don’t often see. A culture where people truly “walk the talk”. Where collaboration is real, not just a line in a values statement. A place of entrepreneurship and trust. From my very first day until today, I have been given the freedom and trust to shape the business, introduce new initiatives and actively give a voice to our brand.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of learning from exceptional partners, colleagues, and leaders across the world, many of whom I’m proud to now call friends. That, more than anything, is what makes AltoPartners special.

It is also what makes our model work.

We are globally connected, but never at the expense of local insight. Our strength has always been in showcasing deep, on-the-ground expertise in each market, while maintaining a truly collegiate and supportive global culture. That balance is not easy to achieve, but when it works, it is incredibly powerful.

I’ve had a front-row seat to the evolution of AltoPartners – from where we were in 2015 to where we are today. The growth of the partnership, the strengthening of our brand, and the increasing recognition of AltoPartners as a respected global voice in executive search is something I feel immensely proud of.

And yet, what excites me most is not what we have built, but what lies ahead.

Twenty years is an important milestone. It speaks to resilience, trust, and a strong foundation. But it is not a finish line.

If anything, it feels like we are just getting started.

My wish for AltoPartners is simple: that we continue to stay true to what makes this partnership unique – our people, our values, and our commitment to learning from one another – while continuing to evolve, challenge ourselves, and shape the future of leadership across the globe.

And perhaps most importantly, that we never lose that spirit of curiosity and openness… even if it sometimes begins with a moment of reflection on a beach somewhere.