Bilal El Hanouni
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Bilal El Hanouni is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Rootlink Advisors, where he leads the firm’s recruitment division. An Executive Search expert with over nine years of experience across the GCC, he has worked with top-tier firms and delivered over 140 successful placements at the C-suite, board, and director levels.
Prior to founding Rootlink Advisors, he served as an Engagement Manager at Heidrick & Struggles, a NASDAQ-listed global executive search firm. His industry expertise spans hospitality, entertainment, F&B, sports, culture and the arts, retail, government-owned entities, and the education sector.
Bilal holds a Master’s degree in Business Development from Grenoble Ecole de Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the Lebanese American University. He is also a certified Hogan assessor.
He speaks English and Arabic fluently and has a conversational proficiency in French.
Prior to founding Rootlink Advisors, he served as an Engagement Manager at Heidrick & Struggles, a NASDAQ-listed global executive search firm. His industry expertise spans hospitality, entertainment, F&B, sports, culture and the arts, retail, government-owned entities, and the education sector.
Bilal holds a Master’s degree in Business Development from Grenoble Ecole de Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the Lebanese American University. He is also a certified Hogan assessor.
He speaks English and Arabic fluently and has a conversational proficiency in French.
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 Commercial Proposal
Our Proposal to solving your hiring needs
We see this as the beginning of a collaborative journey and are excited by the opportunity to contribute to your team’s growth. As a gesture of goodwill for this new relationship, we are offering a preferential rate of 15% of the annual salary for each search.
Still have any questions?
Total Fee
- 15% of the expected annual gross salary for the position
- Includes base salary, housing, transportation, and any other guaranteed compensation
Retainer Fee (75%)
- 25% invoiced at search kick-off
- 25% invoiced upon delivery of the longlist
- 25% invoiced upon delivery of the shortlist
Placement Fee (25%)
- 25% invoiced upon placement of the finalist candidate
Expenses
- Direct Expenses: Candidate travel, hotel stays, and consultant logistics
Replacement Guarantee
- One-time replacement guarantee if the candidate resigns or is terminated within the first 12 months of employment
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.
