Elliott Leek founded MK Search in 2022 and leads its searches personally. He has recruited in chemicals and plastics since 2016. Before starting the firm he led chemicals, plastics and industrial divisions at two executive search firms.
What he works on
Elliott runs senior searches for multinationals, mid-sized companies and growth-stage businesses in the US and Europe, in commercial, technical and operational roles from senior management to C-level. He has made more than 100 senior placements.
Recent searches include VP Commercial, Business Development Director, Application Development Manager, Head of R&D, Plant Manager, Technical Sales Manager and Country Manager.
How he works
- One industry. Specialty chemicals and plastics only, with no generalist work.
- Direct approach. Every relevant person in the market is contacted directly, not drawn from a recycled database.
- Personally led. The person who takes the brief is the person who calls the market, from briefing to offer.
- Honest feedback. That includes telling a client when a search needs to be repositioned.
"Elliott took the time to genuinely understand our business before presenting a single CV. The candidates were exceptional, and the one we hired has been transformative."
Alistair Lowe · Sales Manager, PMC Group
Research and writing
Elliott writes the MK Search salary guide for specialty chemicals and plastics, an open guide in which every figure names its source. He also writes the firm's hiring guides:
- Retained or contingency search for senior chemical roles
- Hiring technical talent in chemicals and plastics
- Protecting critical scientists after a deal
- ESG and regulatory specialists in chemicals
- What hiring data can and can't tell you
Talk to Elliott
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