Paul Chrispin

Managing Partner, Head of Energy & Commodities

Paul is the Founder and Managing Partner of Principal Search. Based in London, he is responsible for managing longstanding core client relationships, executing senior mandates and overseeing the business globally.

During his 20 year career as a leading search professional, Paul has developed successful partnerships with many international clients and completed high profile projects with Investment Banks, Physical Trade Houses, Oil Majors, Utilities and Commodity Hedge Funds. Projects include the strategic hiring of Global and Regional Heads of trading businesses, establishing and staffing start up trading operations, expanding businesses into new markets and upgrading teams. Paul has been responsible for some of the biggest moves in the commodity markets and has unparalleled experience in this sector.

Prior to his time in executive search, Paul gained first-hand experience of the commodity markets by working as a Physical Commodities Trader for 5 years, covering the base metals markets globally and trading FX. He had previously qualified as a Solicitor with Clyde and Co, a leading commodities and shipping litigation firm, where he gained his initial exposure to the commodities world.

Paul holds a Joint Honours degree LLB in Law and Business Studies from the University of Birmingham, completed his Post Graduate Legal Studies at University of Law, Chester and speaks fluent French.

Chris Neidow

Managing Partner, Head of Americas, Energy & Commodities

Chris Neidow is the Managing Partner, Head of Americas, for Principal Search. Based in New York, Chris is responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the franchise across the Americas. Most recently Head of J.P. Morgan’s U.S. Energy Sales franchise, he calls upon his significant market knowledge and industry contacts in the commodity markets to advise and execute searches for Principal Search’s core clients.

Chris brings twenty-three years of experience building businesses, servicing clients, and managing risks while working in some of the world’s leading financial institutions, including J.P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank, and Bankers Trust. Over the last seventeen years of his career, Chris built and led successful commodity franchises in the Americas and Asia.

Chris leverages his expertise in commodity derivatives, physical commodities, and commodity structured finance across energy, metals, agriculture, softs, and renewables for Principal’s clients. In particular, he structured and executed multi-decade natural gas supply deals and refinery intermediations under which his team handled the crude supply and product offtake. His roles placed him in the heart of the commodity landscape and allowed him to develop relationships within Trade Houses, Majors, Producers, Midstream, Refiners, Utilities, Transportation Companies, Growers, Industrials, Hedge Funds, and Private Equity Firms.

Prior to his focus in commodities, Chris spent time in interest rate derivatives, defined benefit swaps and mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. He holds a BA in International Business from Franklin and Marshall College and a MBA in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Mike Chilman

Head of Asia, Energy & Commodities

Mike is the Managing Partner of Principal and Partners, Head of Asia and co-founded Principal Search in 1997. Based between Singapore and London, he is responsible for developing and maintaining the Asia time zone business, specifically across trading, origination and analytics, dovetailing this far eastern intelligence into the UK and US businesses to produce a truly global talent mapping and tracking capability. He is also responsible for all aspects of the firm’s strategic development and expansion.

Prior to this, Mike worked in investment banking, specialising in global equities, fixed income, commodities and currency arbitrage. He started his career in UK retail banking where he joined straight from college on a graduate rotation program.

Jonathan Scott

Managing Partner, Head of Commercial

Jonathan is a Managing Partner at Principal Search and is responsible for the commercial division globally, cultivating key client relationships, including personally executing senior mandates across EMEA, North America, APAC and LATAM.

Having spent >20 years in executive search, Jonathan operates specifically in the global energy and chemicals markets. His focus is on sourcing executive and senior commercial leaders as well as business critical, senior operational leads across mid to downstream in oil & gas companies, petrochemicals / speciality chemicals and renewable energy. Jonathan also works in directly related fields including commodity trading, technology, infrastructure, shipping / logistics, private equity and consulting sectors.

Jonathan previously worked for the Italian Oil Super Major, ENI, running international, regional and local projects across 26 operating countries and as Managing Director for a leading, international procurement services and logistics business, supplying EMEA, Eurasia and LATAM energy sectors with a wide range of products, technology and services.

Jonathan is a former board member of the SPE, a current member of the Energy Institute and a Non-Executive Director for a Houston based iBPMs Technology Company, supplying the oil & gas sector with a market-changing digital operations platform

Kati Greenall

Associate Partner

Kati Greenall is an Associate Partner for Principal Search, based in the energy hub of Houston. With a passion for identifying and cultivating exceptional talent, Kati brings a unique blend of global perspective and in-depth industry knowledge to every search. Beyond the traditional executive search model, Kati is a trusted advisor to clients, offering strategic insights and tailored solutions to address their evolving business needs. Kati’s ability to build authentic relationships with both candidates and clients is the cornerstone of her success.

Having navigated the complexities of the energy sector for 20 years, Kati possesses an astute understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing today’s energy leaders. She has advised and served a diverse set of clients including ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron and ConocoPhillips across the energy spectrum. Kati’s network, cultivated through years of partnerships, allows her to identify and attract top talent across the energy industry.

Kati is responsible for originating and executing searches across leadership and front-office functions including commodity trading, sales, origination, structuring, fundamental and quantitative analytics. Her remit is across the physical and financial commodity markets with a particular focus in the energy markets including oil, natural gas, LNG, NGLs/LPG, and power.

Leveraging her experience in executive leadership and search, Kati is thrilled to deliver best in class consultative services to the Houston energy trading market.

Prior to her career in Energy, Kati earned her BSc Hons. Degree in Psychology from the University of Manchester.

Gurjot Kaur

Senior Consultant, Energy & Commodities

Gurjot is a multilingual Senior Consultant working within the Energy and Commodities practice at Principal Search, responsible for originating and executing senior searches across all front office and c-suite functions including trading, origination, analytics, operations and commodity linked financing, across Europe, Russia, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

In addition to this, Gurjot also provides strategic advice around competitor compensation, build outs, diversity and market developments for a client base that includes Trade Houses, Hedge Funds, Oil Majors, Banks, Utilities and Shipping Conglomerates. Her focus is across both physical and financial commodity markets, spanning oil & refined products, LNG, natural gas, UK & Continental European power & emissions, coal, metals, freight and agricultural commodities.

Gurjot holds a BA in Drama Performance from Queen Mary University and speaks fluent English, Punjabi, Hindhi and Urdu.

Constanse Bowes-Lyon

Senior Consultant, Energy & Commodities

Constanse is a multilingual Senior Consultant within the Energy and Commodities team responsible for building and managing key client relationships as well as originating and executing global searches across all c-suite, front office and infrastructure functions.

Over the years she has built strong client relationships by strategically partnering with Renewables / Alternative Energy Companies, International Banks, Trade Houses and leading Energy Companies including Oil Majors, Refiners, Hedge Funds, Utilities, Logistic Service Providers and Shipping Conglomerates, to expand their global businesses. Constanse provides bespoke consulting services including key market moves, diversity and compensation surveys (structuring and restructuring compensation schemes including LTIPs) as well as strategic advice on potential business build outs, market developments and key market talent. She is also a Non-Executive Director of Den Norske Klub.

Previously, Constanse worked for an energy and commodities specialist boutique search firm predominantly working for one large Trade House. She started her career working within Political Affairs (Security and Defence) at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington DC.

Constanse holds an MA in International Relations from King’s College London and a BA in Anthropology with a minor in foreign policy and journalism from University of Bergen / American University, Washington DC. She speaks native level Norwegian, English, Danish and Swedish.

Ben Max

Senior Consultant, Energy & Commodities

Ben Max joined Principal Search in 2020 as a Senior Consultant in the New York office. Ben brings 20+ years of search experience serving investment banks, hedge funds and mutual funds ranging in size from start-ups to leading global firms. He has recruited senior management and individual contributors across research, sales, trading and portfolio management in asset classes including: equities, commodities and energy. Prior to joining Principal Search, Ben was a partner and co-founder of Management and Capital Partners where for 19 years he helped build a leading firm specialized in recruiting equity investment professionals on both the buy and sell-sides.

In addition to his work in the investments business, Ben has conducted multiple search assignments for corporate clients targeting Wall Street professionals for Investor Relations and Finance roles. The increased demand for elite financial analytical skills, industry knowledge and the ability to communicate effectively with shareholders has led corporate America to seek a more expansive and diverse talent pool. Ben has a demonstrable track record of identifying, assessing and recruiting candidates who have the skill set and personality to successfully transition from Wall Street to industry.

Ben is a graduate of Ithaca College where he received his Bachelor of Science in Marketing.

Kevin Hazell

Senior Consultant, Energy & Commodities

Kevin Hazell is a Senior Consultant working within the Energy and Commodities practice at Principal Search. Based in London, Kevin is responsible for supporting our core clients and developing new relationships by providing strategic advice and guidance on aligning talent needs with client strategies and plans and in response to the ever-changing commodity markets. Most recently, Kevin was a Partner at consulting firm Energex Partners, where he worked with Corporates, Funds and Sovereign clients to grow and develop energy businesses and to build commodity trading expertise. Combining this consulting experience and a depth of industry knowledge Kevin will advise on and execute searches for Principal Search’s clients.

Kevin brings over thirty years of industry experience leading and building commodity trading businesses while working at major organisations, including twenty-four years at BP, where he held senior leadership roles across their Integrated Supply and Trading business in Europe and the US, and led the supply trading activity in Russia for TNK-BP

Kevin leverages his expertise in commodity markets, strategy development and execution, physical trading and origination across Oil, Natural Gas and Gas Liquids for our clients. His roles at BP, Gazprom Marketing & Trading and Reliance Industries placed him at the centre of the commodity marketplace and allowed him to develop relationships with the Energy Majors, National Energy Companies, Trade Houses, Refiners and Midstream and Logistics Companies.

Charlotte Murray

Senior Consultant – Middle & Back Office

Charlotte is a Senior Consultant at Principal Search who recruits senior positions in middle and back office across energy and commodity companies. This team is dedicated to Risk, Middle Office, Finance, Legal, Compliance, and Human Resources. She has previously worked in commodity trading search firms covering roles across the US, EMEA, and APAC in corporate functions from analyst to C-suite level.

In addition to recruitment, she is involved in supporting clients in projects for women in energy, leadership assessments, compensation and benefits comparisons, and diversity, equity and inclusion. She’s passionate about driving change in commodities by attracting, promoting, retaining and increasing the representation of diverse talent.

Charlotte holds a BSc in Biopsychology from the University of Victoria and a Arts & Science Diploma in Biology and Chemistry from Camosun College.

Peter Yang

Consultant, Energy & Commodities

Peter is a bilingual Consultant working within the Energy and Commodities practice at Principal Search. He has a global geographic focus, however his particular strengths lie in the EMEA and APAC markets. Peter’s clients include Investment Banks, Oil Majors / Refiners, Smelters, Trading Houses, Utilities and Global Corporates and his track record consists of placing senior professionals across commodity trading, sales, origination, c-suite, structuring, fundamental and quantitative analytics, commodity linked financing, operations, risk, legal and compliance.

Peter holds an MSc in Risk and Stochastics from London School of Economics and Political Science and a BSc in Mathematics, Statistics and Optimisation from Imperial Colleague London. Peter speaks fluent Mandarin and English.

Hamish Allan

Consultant, Energy & Commodities

Hamish is a Consultant within the Principal Search Energy & Commodity team in the Americas.  With experience across a broad array of commodities, and a particular expertise in power, hydrocarbons, metals and carbon, Hamish has been central to the development of commodity franchises across North America and Australia.

Hamish brings over two decades of physical and derivative commodity expertise. Holding positions with Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Duke Energy International and Bankers Trust spanning finance, risk, trading, structuring and sales which, together, provides Hamish a unique perspective on an organizations’ resourcing requirements. With over a decade working in North America, Hamish has built relationships across Trade Houses, Investment Banks, Hedge Funds, Upstream, Midstream, Transportation, and numerous Industrials sectors, and now brings this experience to Principal Search’s clients.

Commencing his career as a Chartered Accountant, Hamish holds a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Commerce from the Australian National University.