Get In Touch

Kingsley Gate Appoints Ali Brainard as Global Chief Human Resources Officer

The Promotion Reflects the Firm's Continued Investment in Talent and Organizational Excellence

Kingsley Gate, a leading global, executive search and human capital advisory firm, today announced the continued strengthening of its international presence with the appointment of five new partners across key regions. Dan O’Donovan joins the firm’s Chicago office, Spencer Knibbe joins the New York office, Tatyana Freitas and Loreto Montoya strengthen the Latin American presence in São Paulo and Santiago respectively, while Alejandro Salazar-Simpson enhances the firm’s European capabilities from Madrid.

“These strategic appointments reflect our commitment to expanding our global footprint and delivering world-class executive search and advisory services to our clients across diverse markets,” said Andrew Holmes, CEO of Kingsley Gate. 
Andrew Holmes, CEO of Kingsley Gate
“Each of these accomplished professionals brings unique expertise and deep regional knowledge that will be invaluable as we continue to help organizations identify and secure high-impact decision makers. Their collective experience across technology, industrial, consumer goods, private equity, risk management, financial services and transformation initiatives significantly enhances our ability to serve clients with increasingly complex talent needs in today’s evolving business landscape.”

“Each of these accomplished professionals brings unique expertise and deep regional knowledge that will be invaluable as we continue to help organizations identify and secure high-impact decision makers. Their collective experience across technology, industrial, consumer goods, private equity, risk management, financial services and transformation initiatives significantly enhances our ability to serve clients with increasingly complex talent needs in today’s evolving business landscape.”

Kingsley Gate, a leading global executive search and human capital advisory firm, today announced the promotion of Ali Brainard to Global Chief Human Resources Officer, effective January 2026. In this expanded role, Ali will lead all aspects of human capital strategy, talent development, and organizational culture across the firm’s global operations.

“Ali has been instrumental in building and scaling our talent infrastructure during a period of growth and transformation for Kingsley Gate,” said Andrew Holmes, CEO of Kingsley Gate. “Her strategic vision, deep expertise in executive talent acquisition, and commitment to fostering a high-performance culture make her the ideal leader to guide our human capital strategy as we continue expanding our global footprint. This promotion recognizes her exceptional contributions and positions us to attract, develop, and retain world-class talent across all our markets.”

Since joining Kingsley Gate in October 2022, Ali has played a significant role in building the firm’s global people infrastructure and driving strategic talent initiatives that have supported the organization’s rapid expansion, including the integration of The Omerta Group and Seeliger y Conde acquisitions. As Vice President of Human Resources, she led Partner-level recruitment globally while establishing scalable HR operations, performance management systems, and employee engagement programs. Her leadership has been critical in developing organizational capabilities that position Kingsley Gate to operate effectively as one unified global firm.

Prior to Kingsley Gate, Ali built and led the talent acquisition function for NBT Bank, a $12 billion publicly traded financial institution, where she served as Vice President and Talent Acquisition Manager. Her executive search background includes leadership positions at Morgan Samuels, where she directed a geographically dispersed recruiting team and managed complex search engagements across multiple industries. Earlier in her career, Ali spent four years at Korn Ferry International, progressing from Research Associate to Senior Associate, specializing in healthcare leadership recruitment.

“I am thrilled to step into the role of Global Chief Human Resources Officer,” said Brainard. “Our people are at the center of everything we do and I look forward to continuing to build an environment where people feel supported, challenged and empowered to do their best work and where our culture and leadership capabilities drive our success and differentiate us in the market.”

Ali holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and is based in Kingsley Gate’s New York office.

About the Consultants

Spencer

Vice President

Dan joins Kingsley Gate as a Partner specializing in advising private equity firms and family offices on executive talent acquisition for their portfolio companies. With a consultative approach characterized by curiosity, candor, and the relentless pursuit to add value, Dan has successfully led over one hundred searches across various functions and industries including manufacturing, distribution, business services, food & beverage, consumer, and healthcare services. Prior to Kingsley Gate, he served as a Partner at Randall Partners and previously consulted with organizations from startups to Fortune 500 companies on payroll, HR, insurance, and recruiting. Dan holds a Biology degree from Marquette University and is based in Chicago.

“I decided to join Kingsley Gate because of their innovative approach to leveraging technology to transform the executive search industry,” said O’Donovan. “Their commitment to creating exceptional client experiences aligns perfectly with my vision for delivering unparalleled value through strategic talent acquisition.”

David O’Brien

Vice President

Spencer joins Kingsley Gate as a Partner specializing in executive search for risk, compliance, and audit leadership roles for Financial Services firms. With over 20 years of hands-on industry experience in governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC), Spencer founded MBK Search to establish a specialized practice focused on GRC recruiting after organizations sought his expertise in building high-performing teams. Prior to his executive search career, Spencer held senior leadership positions including Head of Operational Risk Management at Bridgewater Associates and Head of Risk – Americas at ICAP, Plc. His client-centric approach spans multiple sectors including banking, asset management, insurance, fintech, and corporate environments, specializing in C-suite placements such as Chief Risk Officers, Chief Compliance Officers, and Heads of Audit. Spencer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government, Cum Laude, from Harvard University. Spencer is based in New York.

“I chose Kingsley Gate for their exceptional global platform spanning multiple industries and their team of highly driven professionals,” said Knibbe. “Their collaborative culture and commitment to excellence made this the perfect place to leverage my risk and compliance expertise in executive search.”

Tatyana Freitas

Vice President

Tatyana joins as a Senior Partner bringing nearly two decades of experience in executive search and leadership assessment to Kingsley Gate, with particular expertise in the Technology, Consumer, Professional and Financial Services sectors. Based in São Paulo, she previously co-led the Technology & Digital practice in Latin America at Russell Reynolds Associates and headed the DE&I practice for the region. Her career includes leadership roles at Caccuri Consultores, Korn Ferry, and Interbrand, where she led Brand Strategy & Valuation projects across Latin America and Europe. Earlier in her career, she held positions at General Electric and Procter & Gamble. Tatyana holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of São Paulo and a postgraduate degree in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, and is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

“Kingsley Gate offers a unique combination of an extensive international network and global capabilities with a boutique approach,” Freitas commented. “The team is both experienced and entrepreneurial—a rare combination that creates a distinctive market positioning. The firm’s growth mindset and collaborative culture embedded in its DNA were key factors in my decision to join.”

About Kingsley Gate

Kingsley Gate is a global executive search firm born with native AI and people at its core. Founded in 2015 to disrupt a recruitment model that hadn’t evolved in nearly a century, the firm combines seasoned human expertise with a proprietary AI platform purpose-built for executive search.

By embedding artificial intelligence into every stage of the process, Kingsley Gate helps organizations hire leaders who fit their specific strategy, culture, and ambition – rather than just a job description.

Operating as one unified global firm, Kingsley Gate serves more than 2,000 clients across 50+ countries, partnering with Global 2000 organizations, private equity–backed companies, and high-growth VC firms to deliver leaders who perform, adapt, and endure in their roles.
The firm is backed by private equity firm Crescent Cove Advisors.

For more information, please visit www.kingsleygate.com

Editorial contact:

Justin Goldstein
Email: [email protected]
516-578-8623
PR73