Ward Howell installs Armenian duo at helm of Middle East business

Ward Howell, a global leadership advisory and executive search firm, has installed an Armenian duo at the helm of its just launched Middle East business.
Earlier this month, Ward Howell announced the launch of its new office in Abu Dhabi, marking its entry in the Middle East, and lifting its footprint worldwide to 30+ offices in 23 countries.
Now, Ward Howell has unveiled the appointment of two Managing Partners who have been tasked with setting up and building out the Abu Dhabi office: Sevag Alexandrian and Gregory Nazaryan. Both have Armenian roots, and both also have been recruited in from counterpart True Search, where they were partners.
Having kicked off his career in management consulting at EY, Alexandrian spent most of his 30+ year career in human resources, holding roles of growing seniority at Technip, Sky News Arabia and Seha (Abu Dhabi Health Services Company), where he latterly served as Group Director for HR Strategy and Performance. He moved into executive search mid-2019.
At True Search, Alexandrian completed C-Suite and board-level searches across industries such as healthcare, oil & gas, industrial, media, and advisory services.
Nazaryan meanwhile spent most of his professional career in executive search. Prior to becoming a partner at True Search mid-2020, he was a partner at Stanton Chase and a leader at Pedersen & Partners. He has extensive experience in C-Suite and board-level executive searches across diverse sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, energy, real estate, and government.
Additionally, he also held several senior roles in consulting, and in industry working across functions such as sales & marketing, operations and supply chain.
“Our presence in Abu Dhabi aligns with our vision to be at the center of the Middle East’s thriving business ecosystem, with our new office strategically located in ADGM, we aim to further strengthen our relationships and expand our impact across the Middle East and Africa” said Alexandrian.
Nazaryan added: “The UAE is a strategic gateway to the region, and our strong network and proven expertise allow us to connect clients with world-class leadership talent. Ward Howell’s reputation for execution excellence is rooted in our ability to deliver tailored solutions that meet the unique challenges of our clients.”
Ward Howell was founded in 1951 by a former McKinsey & Company leader. Today, the company is active in three lines of business: board-level human capital and governance advisory, executive search, and leadership development.