Managing Director
Sarah Sawaya
Sarah Sawaya is a highly regarded executive search professional with more than 20 years recruiting Board and C-Suite leadership. She enjoys a well-deserved reputation for establishing long-term client relationships and relationships where she serves as a trusted business advisor. For more than a decade, Ms. Sawaya has applied strategic insight and industry knowledge to every search, delivering exceptional results for clients.
Prior to joining The Alexander Group, Ms. Sawaya was a co-founder of Impact Executive Partners, a Los Angeles-based executive search firm, where she and her team partnered with a broad array of both domestic and international clients, financial services, technology, and consumer product industries. Prior to creating Impact Executive Partners, Ms. Sawaya was part of the core founding Los Angeles team for RSR Partners. She began her executive search career with Egon Zehnder International.
Ms. Sawaya received her undergraduate degree in Economics from Harvard University. She is a proud member of the Cherokee Nation and is involved in multiple civic and community organizations, including the Board of Crayon Collection.
"I enjoy creating connections with people, being social while solving problems. A search is a puzzle for me to solve. I love what I do and believe it makes a difference. Recruiting leaders who can ‘change the world’ is gratifying and I am pleased to have impact on my clients through the executives we recruit.”
Education
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Harvard University
AB in Economics
Industries
Board Search
Legal and Professional Services
Financial Services
What’s the highest compliment you can receive from a client?
“Another search. I am fortunate to work with clients whom I trust and admire, and who trust me with more searches. Solving business problems with my clients is rewarding, especially because I know the executives we recruit will be leaders who have a positive impact on both my clients and their industry. It’s always a compliment when a client trusts me to conduct additional searches."
What is the most difficult part of executive search, and how do you respond to it?
“Clients have a lot of ideas, and I want to hear them. Sometimes they change their minds, which redirects the trajectory of a search, and I appreciate that. My job is to be a thought partner with my clients, helping them realize and actualize their vision—and I always see it through. Throughout my career, I have completed every search I’ve conducted, building immense trust between my clients and me. Challenges are temporary, but meaningful client relationships are forever.”
What do you think differentiates The Alexander Group from other executive search firms?
“In a word? Leadership. The Alexander Group has had the same leadership for more than 30 years, and that leadership has created a culture that values excellence in everything that it does. The Alexander Group is collaborative, communicative, and committed to its clients and each other. Those are core values I appreciate and respect.”
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