Sam Stylianou

Samuel is one of the most experienced, connected and one of very few Financial Services dedicated values-based executive search professionals in Europe. Confidentiality has always been a foundation for his work, and he firmly believes in the value of exceptional and diverse talent as a

key catalyst to deliver outperformance, change, and positive outcomes for stakeholders.

Samuel embodies a very strong set of human behavioural values, and operate with authenticity, honesty and passion.

Having been active for some of the world’s most recognised financial institutions across the executive C-Suite and their executive functions for more than 30 years, Samuel has built a unique and trusted network of decision makers at many of the largest institutional investors across the globe. The quality of these relationships have led to a number of new-business set-ups, either through entire team acquisitions or the creation of joint ventures across regions, business lines and cultures, and equity capital deployment.

Samuel in his last four firms (founder of one and owner of two businesses) was responsible for their vision, setting and helping achieve their strategic goals, and successfully growing long-term sustainable client franchises. Samuel began his search career in Investment Banking executive search at Armstrong International in 1995, as the fourth to be hired in London at that time. He ultimately was promoted to Managing Partner in 2002. Armstrong was an early pioneer in bringing together recruitment capabilities and exceptional research. At CTPartners, he was promoted to Head of the Asset & Wealth Management Practice for EMEA before setting up his own executive search business, Leon Partners.

A dual French-Cypriot national, raised in London, Sam speaks fluent French. He has a BSc in Econometrics from London School of Economics and Political Science. Samuel is a father of five children and lives in Lausanne, Switzerland.