Who We Are
Rootlink Advisors is a boutique executive search and leadership advisory firm built on precision, trust, and results.
We specialize in strategic leadership placements across hospitality, leisure, fintech, and tech-enabled services. Every search is partner-led and designed to connect ambitious organizations with leaders who deliver measurable growth and long-term impact.
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Our Proven Process
Our executive search combines market intelligence, tailored strategies, and partner-led precision to deliver leaders who drive growth and culture.
Discovery
We define your needs, culture, and leadership goals.
Market Mapping
We research and identify the strongest talent across sectors.
Shortlist & Assessment
We present 3–5 vetted leaders aligned with your objectives.
Placement & Follow-up
We secure the hire and provide ongoing advisory to ensure lasting
success.
Partnerships & Placements
Guiding Principles
Our guiding principles define who we are — the values we uphold, the mission we pursue, and
the vision we strive toward.
Our Values
Integrity First: Transparency, honesty, and respect in every interaction.
Service Excellence: High-touch experiences for clients and candidates alike.
Partnership: Acting as an extension of our clients’ teams. Precision & Insight: Data-driven intelligence paired with deep market knowledge.
Innovation: Technology-led, forward-thinking search strategies. Impact: Measuring success by the ransformation our leaders.
Service Excellence: High-touch experiences for clients and candidates alike.
Partnership: Acting as an extension of our clients’ teams. Precision & Insight: Data-driven intelligence paired with deep market knowledge.
Innovation: Technology-led, forward-thinking search strategies. Impact: Measuring success by the ransformation our leaders.
Our Mission
To connect service-focused organizations with transformative leaders through deep industry expertise,
advanced search technology, and a personalized advisory approach.
Our Vision
To be the partner of choice for executive search in service-driven industries across the GCC and
beyond.
Regional Insights
Global Standards
With deep roots in the GCC, Rootlink
combines international search standards with regional insight. Our networks span hospitality, leisure, fintech, and digital services, industries at the heart of the Middle East’s growth story.
Bilal El Hanouni, Founding Partner of Rootlink Advisors, is an executive search specialist with over 10 years of experience and more than 120 successful leadership appointments across the GCC. He has appointed senior leaders for global hospitality brands, major tourism operators, public investment funds with hospitality and tourism portfolios, ministries and government authorities in tourism, sports, and culture, and high-growth tech-enabled service providers.
Bilal began his career at RASD Executive Search, a boutique executive search firm, before spending eight years at Heidrick & Struggles, a Nasdaq-listed global leader in executive search, where he honed his expertise in senior leadership appointments across multiple sectors and geographies. A Hogan Certified Assessor, he brings scientific rigor, market intelligence, and a trusted advisory approach to every engagement.
Cezar Amaneddine is an Associate at Rootlink Advisors, supporting the recruitment division through market research, candidate management, and end-to-end talent placement.
With a background in artificial intelligence and machine learning, he brings a data-driven mindset to recruitment that enhances decision-making, streamlines operations, and helps Rootlink push the boundaries of innovation in talent acquisition.
With a background in artificial intelligence and machine learning, he brings a data-driven mindset to recruitment that enhances decision-making, streamlines operations, and helps Rootlink push the boundaries of innovation in talent acquisition.
Our Founding Partner
Bilal El Hanouni, Founding Partner of Rootlink Advisors, is an executive search specialist with over 10 years of experience and more than 120 successful leadership appointments across the GCC. He has appointed senior leaders for global hospitality brands, major tourism operators, public investment funds with hospitality and tourism portfolios, ministries and government authorities in tourism, sports, and culture, and high-growth tech-enabled service providers.Bilal began his career at RASD Executive Search, a boutique executive search firm, before spending eight years at Heidrick & Struggles, a Nasdaq-listed global leader in executive search, where he honed his expertise in senior leadership appointments across multiple sectors and geographies. A Hogan Certified Assessor, he brings scientific rigor, market intelligence, and a trusted advisory approach to every engagement.
- Bilal El Hanouni
- Cezar Amaneddine
Our Core Values
Our Values
- Integrity First – Transparency, honesty, and respect in every interaction.
- Service Excellence – High-touch experiences for clients and candidates alike.
- Partnership – Acting as an extension of our clients’ teams.
- Precision & Insight – Data-driven intelligence paired with deep market knowledge.
- Innovation – Technology-led, forward-thinking search strategies.
- Impact – Measuring success by the transformation our leaders deliver.
Our Mission
To connect service-focused organizations with transformative leaders through deep industry expertise, advanced search technology, and a personalized advisory approach.
Our Vision
To be the partner of choice for executive search in service-driven industries across the GCC and beyond.
Our Process
We start with a clear understanding of your goals, culture, and success profile before mapping the market and engaging top talent. Through structured interviews and assessments, we refine the pool to only the strongest contenders. From guiding final interviews to offer negotiation, we ensure every step is seamless and aligned with your vision. Even after placement, we stay connected with onboarding and retention support to secure long-term success.
Still have any questions?
Kick-Off – Define goals, culture, and success profile.
Kick-Off – We begin with an in-depth briefing to capture your business objectives, leadership requirements, cultural nuances, and success profile — ensuring every candidate is evaluated not just on technical expertise, but on their ability to thrive within your environment.
Longlist – Market mapping and targeted outreach.
Longlist – Leveraging targeted research, market mapping, and industry intelligence, we identify and engage a broad pool of qualified leaders. Each candidate is assessed on baseline skills, experience, and early indicators of cultural fit before advancing.
Shortlist – Structured interviews and Hogan assessments.
Shortlist – We refine the pool to the top contenders through structured interviews, competency-based evaluations, and, when applicable, Hogan-certified psychometric assessments.
Finalists – Guide interviews and decision-making.
Finalists – We coordinate the final interview stage, manage feedback, and guide strategic decision-making. The focus here is leadership impact, cultural alignment, and readiness for the role.
Offer Negotiation – Align on terms and finalize agreements.
Offer Negotiation – Acting as a trusted intermediary, we facilitate a smooth and balanced agreement between client and candidate, advising on market benchmarks and finalizing terms that reflect long-term goals.
Post-Placement – Onboarding support and retention follow-ups.
Post-Placement – We remain engaged after the hire to support onboarding, integration, and retention — conducting follow-ups and sharing market insights to help both client and leader succeed sustainably.
Our Advisory Network
A collective of industry experts, sector specialists, and former senior executives providing sector-specific insight, market benchmarking, and leadership evaluation depth — enhancing the value of every search engagement.
Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
At Rootlink Advisors, we believe diverse leadership drives stronger businesses, richer ideas, and more resilient organizations. We are committed to fostering equal opportunity in every search we undertake, ensuring our processes actively identify and engage talent from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.Our approach is built on:
- Inclusive Search Strategies – We widen talent pools beyond traditional networks, seeking out underrepresented voices in leadership.
- Bias-Aware Evaluation – We use structured assessments and data-driven criteria to ensure candidate selection is fair, objective, and aligned with your organization’s values.
- Partnership with Purpose – We work with clients who share our commitment to building diverse and equitable workplaces that reflect the markets and communities they serve.
Diversity and inclusion aren’t just ideals — they are embedded into how we operate, who we work with, and the long-term value we deliver.
