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Executive Search

Connecting
exceptional
leaders with
exceptional
organisations

Harding & Drougas is a national specialist executive search firm, recruiting leaders across every function at senior level. We find the people who shape Australian business.

Engage Us View Current Roles
Sydney city executive
50+ Years Combined Experience
2018 Founded
100% Senior Leadership Focus
Executive Search· Board· Supply Chain· Marketing· Sales· Finance· Human Resources· Information Technology· Operations· Legal· Engineering· Interim Executive· Executive Search· Board· Supply Chain· Marketing· Sales· Finance· Human Resources· Information Technology· Operations· Legal· Engineering· Interim Executive·

Who We Are

Boutique by design.
Exceptional by nature.

At Harding & Drougas, you are welcomed by a firm of trusted, experienced specialists who will know you and your business intimately. We bring over 50 years of combined executive search experience to every engagement. Not delegated to junior consultants, but applied directly by the founding directors.

What began as a focused search practice has evolved significantly. Today, we operate across every function at senior leadership level. Whether you are seeking a Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer, HR Director, Sales Director, or any other C-suite or senior executive appointment. Our network is deep, our relationships are long-standing, and our standards are absolute.

We do not try to be all things to all people. We are search specialists, and in that specialisation lies the quality we deliver to every client, every time.

— Adam Harding & Ben Drougas, Founding Directors

50+ Years Combined Experience
2018 Founded
100% Senior Leadership Focus
2 Founding Directors, Every Search

Our Philosophy

Do Good By Good People

The belief that drives everything we do. For our clients, our candidates, and each other.

What We Do

Executive search
across every discipline

We operate across every discipline at the senior leadership level. Our focus is always on quality, confidentiality, and outcomes. Not volume..

01

Executive Search

MD, CEO, EGM, GM and C-Suite appointments across every function. With over 50 years of combined experience, we access leaders who are not on the open market.

02

Sales & Marketing

Senior and executive Sales, Marketing, and Commercial leadership. The best commercial leaders are rarely visible. Our networks reach them directly.

03

Operations & Supply Chain

Senior to executive Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Logistics appointments. Deep specialist networks built over decades across the Australian market.

04

Technology & Digital

CIO, CTO, CDO, and senior IT leadership. Recruiting technology leaders since the late 1990s. Our networks span decades of relationships across the sector.

05

Human Resources

Chief People Officers, HR Directors, and senior HR leadership. We understand the people function deeply, and the rare qualities that define an exceptional HR leader.

06

Engineering

Director of Engineering and senior engineering leadership across infrastructure, manufacturing, construction, utilities, and resources. Technical expertise combined with genuine leadership capability.

07

Finance & Legal

CFO, General Counsel, Company Secretary, and senior Finance and Legal leadership. Trusted by ASX-listed, private equity-backed, and family-owned enterprises alike.

08

Board / Owner Advisory

Strategic advisory for boards and business owners navigating leadership transition, succession planning, and organisational design. Confidential, senior and trusted counsel from people who understand the market.

09

Board Appointments

Non-Executive Directors, Independent Directors, and Board Chair appointments. We work with private, public, and not-for-profit organisations to appoint exceptional board talent.

Our People

The principals you engage
are the principals who deliver

At Harding & Drougas, there are no junior consultants. Every assignment is led and delivered personally by our founding directors.

Adam Harding
Founding Director

Adam Harding

Founding Director

Adam commenced his recruitment career in 1997 and brings close to three decades of senior executive search experience across the Australian market. Having held General Management positions at Talent2 for many years, Adam co-founded Harding & Drougas in 2018 to return to what he does best: delivering exceptional outcomes through deeply personal, relationship-driven search.

Adam is known for his direct style, commercial acumen, and his ability to identify the right leader, not just a capable one.

+61 421 590 240 adam@hardingdrougas.com.au
Ben Drougas
Founding Director

Ben Drougas

Founding Director

Ben Drougas is Co-Founder and Director of Harding & Drougas Executive Search, a retained firm partnering with boards and executive leaders across Australia and New Zealand.

With a career built advising privately owned, ASX-listed and private equity backed businesses, Ben is known for his rigorous, consultative approach and his ability to quickly understand the commercial and cultural drivers of an organisation. He focuses on long-term leadership outcomes, not short-term placements, and is trusted to deliver the right appointment rather than the easiest option.

He co-founded Harding & Drougas with Adam Harding with a clear principle: every search is led directly by its two Directors. No junior handovers. No diluted accountability. Just disciplined process, deep market insight and an unwavering commitment to quality.

+61 439 968 031 ben@hardingdrougas.com.au

Sector Expertise

Industries we know deeply

Our networks have been built over decades across specific industries. This depth means we don't just find leaders. We find the right leaders for your sector, culture, and moment.

Consumer & Retail

FMCG, retail, e-commerce, and consumer brands. From national retailers to challenger brands disrupting the market.

Industrial & Manufacturing

Heavy industry, precision manufacturing, supply chain, packaging, and industrial services across Australia's heartland industries.

Technology & Digital

Software, SaaS, IT services, and digital transformation. We have been placing technology leaders since the late 1990s.

Professional Services

Consulting, legal, accounting, and advisory firms. Organisations where talent is the product demand the highest standards in search.

Infrastructure & Engineering

Civil, utilities, resources, and large-scale project delivery. We understand the technical and leadership complexity of this sector.

Financial Services

Banking, insurance, wealth management, and fintech. Deep networks across Australia's financial services community.

Healthcare & Life Sciences

Hospitals, aged care, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals. Leadership in a regulated, high-stakes environment requires specialist knowledge.

Private Equity & Investment

Portfolio company leadership, transformation mandates, and value-creation appointments. We understand the PE operating environment intimately.

Not-for-Profit & Government

Purpose-led organisations require leaders with both commercial acumen and genuine commitment. We find those rare individuals.

How We Work

A rigorous process.
An uncompromising standard.

01 02 03 04
01

Brief & Discovery

We invest significant time understanding your organisation, culture, strategic objectives, and the precise profile of leader you need. Not just the job description, but the person.

02

Market Mapping

We leverage five decades of accumulated networks to map the market comprehensively. The best candidates are frequently not visible. Our relationships access them directly.

03

Assessment & Shortlist

Every candidate is personally assessed by our founding directors against an agreed set of criteria. We present a concise, highly curated shortlist, not a volume of options.

04

Placement & Beyond

We manage the process through to offer, acceptance, and onboarding. We remain engaged beyond placement to ensure a successful transition for both client and candidate.

Functional Coverage

Every function.
Every senior leadership level.

We have evolved beyond specialist disciplines. Today, Harding & Drougas recruits across every function at the senior leadership level, from the C-suite to General Manager.

Executive Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Executive General Manager
Marketing Chief Marketing Officer, Communications Director, Head of Brand, Head of Category
Technology Chief Information Officer, Technology Director
Human Resources HR Director, Chief People Officer, Head of HR Operations
Sales Chief Sales Officer, Sales Director, National Sales Manager
Operations Operations Director, Head of Manufacturing, General Manager Operations
Supply Chain Supply Chain Director, Head of Distribution, Head of S&OP
Finance Chief Financial Officer, Finance Director, Financial Controller
General Management General Manager (all functions)

Current Opportunities

Roles we are
currently recruiting

These are exclusive mandates. If you do not see a role that matches your profile, we welcome a confidential conversation. Many of our placements are never advertised.

Work With Us

Connect with
Harding & Drougas

Whether you are looking to appoint a senior leader, or you are a senior executive exploring your next opportunity. We invite a confidential conversation. Our engagements begin with a conversation, not a contract.

Adam Harding

+61 421 590 240

adam@hardingdrougas.com.au

Ben Drougas

+61 439 968 031

ben@hardingdrougas.com.au

Website

www.hardingdrougas.com.au