Overview

James Raley is a principal in Heidrick & Struggles’ Dubai office and a member of the global Financial Services Practice. He focuses on the real estate and insurance sectors across the Middle East and provides executive search and leadership consulting services.

Experience

With more than 20 years of talent management experience, including 14 years leading consulting firms in the Middle East, James has helped organizations select, identify, and nurture their top talent. He specializes in assessing and placing board members, CEOs, and CHROs. 

James has led sizable client relationships extending to 60 countries across the EMEA region. His executive assessment projects have helped organizations select best-fit talent and supported the development of thousands of local and expatriate leaders across the GCC. 

Prior to joining Heidrick & Struggles, James was the regional general manager of a leadership advisory firm.

Taking on significant management responsibility early in his career, James is recognized for his ability to mobilize large-scale programs. He has a special interest in people analytics, using data to provide deep insight into people and organizational behavior. He is certified in a wide range of psychometric instruments.

Education

Northumbria University, UK, Bachelor’s Degree in International Business Studies and Spanish, with Honors

Bristol Management Center, Prince2 Practitioner

BPP, IMC Investment Management Certificate

BPS Qualification in Occupational Testing