The Team
We take the time for a closer look:
Understanding who is made for each other.
We are driven by our genuine interest in people. This is why we invest a lot of time into our interviews, which we hold only on the basis of recommendations – often independent of mandates. Encounters with CAPITALENT are not fleeting moments. We create an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. Intense interaction, a long-term perspective and connectedness are important to us. Candidates are invited to our locations for career talks so that we can outline a vision for their future career development together. We are convinced that this is the only lasting way to effectively bring together personalities and companies.
Our vision: Contemporary Executive Search at its best – always aspiring to excellence.
Dr. Anna Katharina Jacob
Partner
Sector focus: Services & Public, Industry
„Understanding is based on listening and change of perspective.“
Dr. Anna Katharina Jacob is at home in the world of universities, foundations, and non-profit organizations. Holding international degrees in management, and an expert on Scandinavia, she has gathered extensive experience in university research and teaching, as well as university and foundations management.
She has won several prizes in university research, talent promotion, as well as diversity and integration. Dr. Anna Katharina Jacob is familiar with the requirements and challenges specifically associated with research universities and university management. As an empathetic listener with an interdisciplinary background, she is able to recognize the needs of her interview partners and effectively support them in developing their institutions.
Dr. Anna Katharina Jacob has a doctorate in human resource development and university research. As a CAPITALENT partner, she is a sought-after, experienced consultant for filling university management positions. Thanks to her broad network, diplomatic sensibility, and expertise for organizational systems, she ensures innovative recruiting.
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Dr. Wolfgang H. Koch
Partner
Sector focus: Industry, Energy & Commodities
„No thriller is as intriguing as a human being.“
A cosmopolitan who cares for common welfare as well as for his internationally widespread family, Dr. Wolfgang Koch is a connoisseur and insider of the energy and plant engineering sectors. He fills important positions with a boardroom perspective and is a sought-after consultant for Leadership Advisory and Management Diagnostics. His clients value his eye for detail as well as the big picture. Wise, open-minded, and sharp-sighted, he is a master of the art of observation. He challenges current developments and has also built a reputation for himself with contributions to developing procedures and methods in human resource consulting. In his free time, he supports social projects and the Frankfurt Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Dr. Wolfgang H. Koch holds a doctorate in electronics which he completed in Great Britain. After career positions at General Electric in the USA, he worked for Daimler Benz and AEG. He has been a consultant since 1996.
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Patricia Gautschi
Partner
Sector focus: Services & Public, Industry
„It’s the connections between people that create real value.”
Development is Patricia Gautschi’s guiding principle, encompassing various levels: individuals, organizations, structures, and strategies. As a networker with multiple coaching certifications, she is a sought-after conversation partner due to her passion for people, communication and systemic thinking, especially when faced with challenging situations.
Her main focal point in her own development has been that of lifelong learning. This is no surprise as she comes from the world of academia, possessing extensive experience in research and teaching at universities and colleges, and is a recognized expert in the fields of professionalization, continuing education, and qualification within academic management. She has a particular interest in topics such as digitalization and artificial intelligence, always placing human beings at the center.
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Michael Preisler
Partner
Sector focus: Industry, energy & commodities, finance
„My path leads straight ahead. Detours are not my destination. “
Michael Preisler is a worldwide networker and insider for commodity markets, mining, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing industries with in-depth knowhow in production and technology. As a CAPITALENT partner, he is a sought-after consultant focusing on Executive Search, especially filling CEO positions.
Reliable, goal-oriented, and straightforward – that is what clients and partners value most about the multilingual expert with a sense of humor. Based on his career of 22 years in various management positions as a general manager, company chairman and CFO in the mining, metal foundry and automotive supply industries, and as General Manager in Northern Africa and finance chairman at Aurubis, he skillfully harnesses his achievements and rich experience to reach his clients’ goals.
Michael Preisler`s qualifications range from mining engineering at the RWTH Aachen, a degree in industrial engineering from the TU Munich to further training at the IESE Business School. His focus at CAPITALENT is filling positions in large organizations and medium-sized businesses. Also, he supports family-run companies and consults management succession.
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Dr. César Rodriguez Rabanal
Partner
Leadership Advisory
„The difference is, we are genuinely interested in people."
Dr. César Rodriguez Rabanal is a highly renowned international coach who stands for Leadership Advisory par excellence. At CAPITALENT, he provides support at crucial moments in executive careers, as well as team and human resources development consulting - with insight into human nature, in-depth perspective, and fore-sightedness.
Dr. César Rodriguez Rabanal has researched living conditions in the slums of Lima/Peru, unified the democratic movement in the 1980s as President of the Democratic Forum in Peru, worked as a Public TV Director in Peru and consultant to President Toledo, as well as State Minister. The polyglot cosmopolitan has been combining these experiences with psychological expertise for many years for his work as a Leadership Advisor to executives in critical and crucial phases.
Dr. César Rodriguez Rabanal is a doctor, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and social researcher. He was awarded the Grand Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Based on more than 30 years of management experience in industry and politics, he founded the CAPITALENT Leadership Advisory Practice.
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Dr. Marc Schmidt
Partner
Sector focus: Consumer goods, trade, media
„Nothing is more valuable than time.“
Personality structures of exceptionally successful executives, the craft of management and the wisdom of the “happy few” are the passion of Dr. Marc Schmidt. He is a master at the art of networking. With insight into human nature and imagination, he brings together the right parameters for his assignments, and his network is as tightly-meshed as it is large. He tirelessly puts his talent for keen observation, creativity, and energy toward sustainably successful mandate outcomes. He is in high demand as an advisor for filling challenging positions in family-run businesses.
Dr. Marc Schmidt is a neurobiologist with a doctorate in organizational psychology. After career stops at Henkel and as a Public Relations Consultant at Weber Shandwick, he has been a partner at CAPITALENT with his heart and soul for many years.
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Hubertus von Wedel
Partner
Sector focus: Consumer goods, trade, packaging
“A person is more than a CV.”
With industry expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and a wide network in the consumer and trade sector, Hubertus von Wedel supports entrepreneurs and C-levels based on values and authenticity. His goal is long-term success beyond a specific mandate. As a passionate networker and creator, he strongly identifies with his assignments and skillfully reads between the lines in the quest for the right answers. He has a broad range of experience which his clients’ success can benefit from: he has worked in the consumer goods industry in functions like supply chain, marketing, sales, and business development for Nestlé and Beiersdorf, followed by management positions for Deutsche See and an entrepreneurship in the food chain sector.
Hubertus von Wedel is an economic engineer having majored in agricultural economics. He also holds a Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA. As a CAPITALENT partner, he is a valued sparring partner and trusted confidant, and consults established companies as well as start-ups.
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Joachim Bohnen
Partner
Sector focus: Industry, energy & commodities, technology
„Success is made by people.“
Joachim Bohnen has decades of management experience ranging from research & development over sales to executive management, and he is a true insider in the automobile and supplier industry. With his expertise and his moderating skills, he consults European companies in these markets, helping them make choices on executives, fill top positions, and manage talent.
For Joachim Bohnen, balancing business challenges and the human being, with all their personality facets, is key: His professional passion is bringing the right people together. His private passions are open sea sailing and playing guitar.
Joachim Bohnen holds a mechanical engineering degree from Ruhr University in Bochum. After 20 years in leadership positions in the automobile supplier industry, he changed to Management and Executive Search Consulting in 1999.
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Team
For as long as she can remember, Maya Barakaeva has liked having a job to do. She enjoys contributing to various projects and promoting them via social networks, as well as through conventional advertising. Determination, multilingualism, and finely tuned intercultural competence all come together to round off her many skills. It is, therefore, not surprising, that traveling and discovering new things are among her favorite hobbies.
The qualified teacher, academic and communications trainer Dr. Jayson Grimes supports candidates and clients by focusing on reaching goals together with a dash of good humor. A US-American citizen, he is a literary scholar and lover of great stories who enjoys traveling the world.
Marisa Neuner studied economics and economic psychology in Kassel and St. Gallen. She consults her clients in various markets with a special view to the packaging industry. She enjoys spending her free time doing TRX training, taking long walks and reading a good book.
Project manager Diana Mollo Cunha is a communication talent who speaks many languages and has highly-developed interpersonal communication skills such as those of understanding, moderating and conflict solving. After her degree in translation, she gathered a variety of experiences in different sectors and markets throughout the world. Diana Mollo Cunha loves literature, art, and traveling.
Sandra Leonhardt has worked in the worldwide marketing of brands, bands and musicians, as well as in developing, implementing, analyzing and optimizing international marketing and promotion strategies. This has proven to be invaluable experience for successfully handling complex projects and bringing people together. Her hobbies are music and motor biking.
Ute Willius worked for major international banks in Frankfurt and London before switching to consulting. With over 10 years of experience, she contributes the calmness and security needed to provide professional service to mandates, ensuring the highest standards in executive consulting. In her free time, Ute Willius is an opera lover, golfer and welcoming hostess.
Cheerful, always helpful, and competent, is how Sabine Enkelmann handles the ever-moving levers of office management. With a wealth of experience, her career path has led her through the world of agencies, where she consistently applied her entrepreneurial thinking. In her free time, Sabine Enkelmann relaxes by riding her Harley Davidson.
Mona Morse coordinates processes in the CAPITALENT office in Essen, and cross-links activities between our locations. Prior to her engagement at CAPITALENT, she worked in various sectors, e.g, fashion, for NGOs and other companies. In addition to her work for CAPITALENT, she is also active as a fitness trainer and nutrition consultant.
Communication and improvisation have played major roles in Joseph’s Schwarz life since he was young. As a globetrotter and classically trained jazz drummer, he now implements his creative skills and intuition for tact and timing to successfully establish himself in the world of HR consulting.
For as long as she can remember, Maya Barakaeva has liked having a job to do. She enjoys contributing to various projects and promoting them via social networks, as well as through conventional advertising. Determination, multilingualism, and finely tuned intercultural competence all come together to round off her many skills. It is, therefore, not surprising, that traveling and discovering new things are among her favorite hobbies.
Project manager Diana Mollo Cunha is a communication talent who speaks many languages and has highly-developed interpersonal communication skills such as those of understanding, moderating and conflict solving. After her degree in translation, she gathered a variety of experiences in different sectors and markets throughout the world. Diana Mollo Cunha loves literature, art, and traveling.
Cheerful, always helpful, and competent, is how Sabine Enkelmann handles the ever-moving levers of office management. With a wealth of experience, her career path has led her through the world of agencies, where she consistently applied her entrepreneurial thinking. In her free time, Sabine Enkelmann relaxes by riding her Harley Davidson.
The qualified teacher, academic and communications trainer Dr. Jayson Grimes supports candidates and clients by focusing on reaching goals together with a dash of good humor. A US-American citizen, he is a literary scholar and lover of great stories who enjoys traveling the world.
Sandra Leonhardt has worked in the worldwide marketing of brands, bands and musicians, as well as in developing, implementing, analyzing and optimizing international marketing and promotion strategies. This has proven to be invaluable experience for successfully handling complex projects and bringing people together. Her hobbies are music and motor biking.
Mona Morse coordinates processes in the CAPITALENT office in Essen, and cross-links activities between our locations. Prior to her engagement at CAPITALENT, she worked in various sectors, e.g, fashion, for NGOs and other companies. In addition to her work for CAPITALENT, she is also active as a fitness trainer and nutrition consultant.
Marisa Neuner studied economics and economic psychology in Kassel and St. Gallen. She consults her clients in various markets with a special view to the packaging industry. She enjoys spending her free time doing TRX training, taking long walks and reading a good book.
Communication and improvisation have played major roles in Joseph’s Schwarz life since he was young. As a globetrotter and classically trained jazz drummer, he now implements his creative skills and intuition for tact and timing to successfully establish himself in the world of HR consulting.
Ute Willius worked for major international banks in Frankfurt and London before switching to consulting. With over 10 years of experience, she contributes the calmness and security needed to provide professional service to mandates, ensuring the highest standards in executive consulting. In her free time, Ute Willius is an opera lover, golfer and welcoming hostess.
International Partner Companies
Networking and connectedness are the basis of our success – across borders as well. Which is why throughout the world, we work with partner companies which are deeply rooted in their markets with access to an established network of acknowledged leaders and uprising executive talents. In this way, the people in our network become our ambassadors, making recommendations in many countries of the world.
Dominik Suter has been offering executive search at the level of top management and supervisory bodies in the industry, energy and medical technology sectors since 2015 and is committed to heterogeneity in management bodies. He has many years of management experience as CEO and member of the executive board of various international industrial companies in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.
Dr. Suter studied law and business administration at the University of Zurich and received his doctorate with 'summa cum laude'. He also completed a certified course for board members. Dominik finds balance on mountain, bike and golf tours with his family, in cozy rounds with friends and at vintage car rallies.
In Switzerland for Switzerland: In this market, we have placed our Executive Search in the hands of Witena, one of the leading independent Swiss executive search and solution boutiques. We have been connected with our colleagues and their work in Basel, Geneva, Zurich and Lugano for many years based on a relationship of trust and our common approach.
Alessio Lucchini is a partner in charge of research and operations at Witena. For the last two decades, he has been jointly responsible for filling a wide variety of management and key positions at client companies from a variety of industrial sectors and markets, from multinational organizations to family and private limited companies.
Alessio Lucchini studied psychology and philosophy at the University of Zurich and simultaneously worked as a freelance artist. He has taken part in various exhibitions in well-known institutions. In his private life, Alessio Lucchini is interested in many topics such as art, science and philosophy.
Since 2015, Peter has led Marymont’s global, multi-industry portfolio of executive advisory services. He has strengthened Marymont’s focus and reputation as a leading executive search firm. Peter and his team bring to our clients a unique blend of leadership expertise, financial and strategic acumen, and strong interpersonal skills. He is well known as a trusted advisor to our clients, with a talent for assisting top-tier corporations with high-profile assignments.
Peter holds an MBA from the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University and a BS in Business Administration from Skidmore College, where he graduated with highest honors.
We are connected to our colleagues in New York by a well-established and active partnership. Together, we have completed many projects in the USA and Europe. Clients need not worry that their mandate will crash somewhere over the Atlantic.
Cara Zwerling has more than 15 years of experience in executive search with a focus on the aerospace, defense, industrial and high technology marketplaces. In 2006, Cara was promoted to Director of Special Projects, a position in which she served as a liaison for Marymont in our Frankfurt office. She later took over the diversity practice and headed jetDiversity for the next seven years and was also responsible for Marymont's day-to-day project management. In 2017, Cara officially took over all business operations as Vice President for the company. Cara is the soul of business in New York. She keeps things running smoothly.
Cara holds a BA in History from Wesleyan University and a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.
As Bó Lè founding member based in Shanghai, George has over 25 years of professional experience in both executive search and HR management, and is now the practice leader for the firm's manufacturing & engineering searches. George also specializes in GM/MD searches and senior assignments for sales & marketing, IT and operations for industrial manufacturing and technology companies. As a search consultant, George is known and appreciated by his clients for his HR expertise, and also for his track record in championing the role of HR in driving the success of businesses in China.
George received his B.A. from the East China Normal University and his Master's degree from the Shanghai Teachers University.
Bó Lè Associates - our partner in the Asian region. Bó Lè is one of the leading cross-industry executive search consultants on the Asian continent, and a perfect enhancement to our portfolio of associated companies. Thanks to our cooperation, we always find the right solution for our clients in Europe and Asia.
Vivien Zhou has over 18 years of executive search experience across all senior-level functions including chief executives, senior general management, finance, HR, strategic marketing, sales and plant operation management. She has extensive experience in recruiting professionals throughout the industrial manufacturing sector, bringing best practices to key functions for numerous FTSE 100 & Fortune 500 organizations, listed companies and large local private enterprises.
Vivien has a proven track record of fulfilling search assignments for many US and European multinational companies, as well as for large local private and listed companies.