We’re not your typical headhunters. We move fast, aim high, and don’t miss.

Learco Finck is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Big Search, focusing on VC and PE-backed technology companies. He is also the Founder of Navis, a daughter talent intelligence company of TBS. He has over 10 years of professional experience in executive search and recruitment. Previously, he was an Executive Recruiter at Booking.com and worked in Financial Services Executive Search at Riverhouse Partners, placing investment bankers and private equity professionals. Learco holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) in English Literature from the University of Westminster and a Diploma of Musical Studies in Classical Guitar from the Regional Conservatory of Nice. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, he is proficient in English, German, and French.

Elena Obukhova is a Partner at The Big Search, leading the Deeptech and People & Ops Practices and specializing in executive search for technology scale-ups. She has over 10 years of professional experience in executive search and consulting. Previously, she was an Executive Search and Assessment Professional at Russell Reynolds Associates and an Associate at Riverhouse Partners. Elena holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Studies from Cass Business School. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, she is proficient in English and Russian.

Ilya Grigorev is a Partner and Head of the Commercial Practice at The Big Search, specializing in high-growth B2B SaaS companies with a special focus on Go-to-Market, CEO, and Board roles. He has over 10 years of professional experience in executive search and consulting. Before joining TBS, he was a Senior Consultant at i-potentials, an Account Manager at functionalaesthetics, and a Consultant at Kornherr Associates. Ilya holds a Master of Arts (M.A.) from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Based in Berlin, Germany, he is proficient in German, English, and Russian.

Sahar Powell is a Director and Head of the Digital Transformation Practice at The Big Search, specializing in leadership hiring for technology companies across Europe. She has over 10 years of experience in executive search. Previously, she worked at Korn Ferry as a Senior Associate and Research Associate, executing C-level searches across the technology, life sciences, finance, and automotive industries. Sahar holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and a Master of Arts (MA) in Intercultural Communication from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Based in Berlin, Germany, she is proficient in German and English.

Borjan Nikolov is an Executive Search Consultant in the Commercial Practice at The Big Search, specializing in leadership hiring for fast-growing technology companies across Europe. He has eight years of professional experience in executive search and talent acquisition. Through TBS, he has worked as a TA Partner for companies such as Gorillas, Choco, and Revolut. Borjan holds a bachelor’s degree in Language Interpretation and Translation from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Based in Berlin, Germany, he is proficient in English, German, and Macedonian.

Nora Lang is an Executive Search Associate Consultant at the Commercial Practice of The Big Search, specializing in executive search and leadership hiring for high-growth tech companies across Europe, with a special focus on Go-to-Market, CEO, and G&A roles. She has over 10 years of experience in talent acquisition and executive search. Previously, she was a Lead Talent Acquisition Partner at GE Renewable Energy and a Global Recruiter at GE Aviation. She also held roles at Randstad Sourceright as an EMEA Sourcing Recruiter and worked in recruitment and talent acquisition at Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and GE Digital. Nora holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Communication & Media Studies and French Language & Literature from ELTE Faculty of Arts, Budapest. Based in Budapest, Hungary, she is proficient in English, French, and Hungarian.

Federica Russo is an Executive Search Associate Consultant at The Big Search, specializing in connecting VC- and PE-backed technology firms with top-tier talent, with a special focus on DeepTech companies. She has over 10 years of international experience in executive search, research, and strategic consulting. Previously, she was a Senior Executive Search Talent Consultant at Navis and Director of Research and Project Manager at Wikistrat. Federica holds an MBA from UCSI University and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at Manipal GlobalNxt University, focusing on entrepreneurship, strategy, and the energy sector. Based in Berlin, Germany, she is proficient in English and Italian.

Evica Krsteva is an Executive Search Associate Consultant at The Big Search, specializing in executive search for Finance, People, Operations, and Deep Tech roles. She has over 5 years of professional experience in excutive search. She partners with Founders, Board members, and C-level executives to find top-tier leadership talent in the DACH and BeNeLux regions. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and a Bachelor’s degree in English from FON University. Based in Skopje, she is proficient in English and Macedonian.

Ana-Marija Karadjovska is the Head of Key Talent at The Big Search, specializing in key talent hiring for high-growth tech companies across Europe. She has over 5 years of profssional experience in talent acquisition and executive search. Through TBS, she has worked as a TA Partner for companies such as Revolut and NOTYD. Ana-Marija holds a Master’s degree in International Business and Foreign Languages (English, Spanish, French) from the American University of Europe - FON. Based in Skopje, she is proficient in English, French, Spanish and Macedonian.

Goran Nikolov is a Senior Key Talent Consultant at The Big Search, specializing in key talent hiring for high-growth startups, scale-ups, and enterprises. He has over five years of professional experience in talent acquisition and executive search. Through TBS, he has worked as a TA Partner for companies such as Leapsome, FirstVet, Biller, Softr, ABB E-mobility, Modulr, and Cowboy. Goran holds a Master's degree from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. Based in Skopje, North Macedonia, he is proficient in English and Macedonian.

Ewa Krawczyk is a Key Talent Consultant at The Big Search, specializing in full-cycle recruitment for commercial and tech key talent. She has over five years of professional experience in talent acquisition. Before joining TBS, she was a Lead Sourcing Specialist at Deloitte UK, managing high-volume recruitment and talent pipeline development. She also held the role of Lead Sourcing Specialist at AMS. Through TBS, she has worked as a TA Partner for companies such as BioNTech, Specter, Agreena, and IFF, helping them build high-performing teams across various functions. Based in Warsaw, Poland, she is proficient in English and Polish.