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About Ben Appleton
Ben Appleton is a senior executive search and leadership advisory professional with over 20 years of experience partnering with organisations across the Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Logistics sectors to identify and secure high-impact leadership talent across the UK.
As Business Director - Executive Search at Robert Walters Executive, Ben works with Boards, CEOs, investors, Chief People Officers and senior business leaders to deliver transformational leadership appointments that drive operational excellence, business growth and long-term value creation. His client portfolio spans publicly listed organisations, private equity-backed businesses, privately owned companies and international groups.
Ben has successfully delivered executive and functional leadership mandates across a range of critical roles, including Chair, Non-Executive Director (NED), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Procurement Officer (CPO), Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Managing Director, Operations Director, Supply Chain Director, Commercial Director, Sales Director, Quality Director and Engineering Director appointments.
Combining deep market knowledge with an extensive network of senior industry leaders, Ben provides a consultative approach to executive search and leadership advisory. His expertise includes executive search, market mapping, leadership assessment, succession planning, salary benchmarking and organisational design, helping clients make informed leadership decisions in highly competitive talent markets.
Prior to joining Robert Walters Executive, Ben led a specialist Industrial Executive Search practice, partnering with organisations across Industrial sector to deliver board and senior leadership appointments throughout the UK and Europe.
Recently completed searches
- Managing Director - Engineering & Automation
- Managing Director - Medical Device Manufacturing
- CEO - Veterinary Pharmaceuticals
- Sales Director - Building Products Manufacturing
- Managing Director - Building Products
- Supply Chain Director - Transport & Logistics
- Engineering Director - Food Manufacturing
- Non-Executive Director - Health-tech
- Commercial Director - Chemical Manufacturing
- Operations Director - Packaging
Open executive search roles
Executive assignments delivered for
What our clients say
At Robert Walters, we believe our success comes from the success of our clients and candidates. We're not just recruitment experts; we're partners in crafting your success story.
Fortune 500 Global Tax Director Search
"We were very pleased with the service provided by Robert Walters in our search for a new Global Tax Director. More specifically, we were impressed by their great ability to understand us as a client, including our culture, needs, and our industry. We felt that Robert Walters prioritized Seadrill’s requirements and kept in constant communication with us. The result has been that we have found an excellent resource and the process was made very simple."
“It has been a pleasure working together with Emily on this important role. Given the fact that this was a very particular role and the combination of requirements was very specific, I was very happy with the speed and professional approach with with Robart Walters, and more importantly Emily performed in this process. She immediately understood what was needed and she managed to present very qualitfied candidates very quickly. She ran the overall process very well and managed both my interests as well as the interests of the candidates in a very solid way. All in all, I would highly recommend her for similar type of profiles.”
Joost Beckers
ABN Amro
Head of Executive Recruitment
“From commencing the search to securing an accepted offer, the entire process was completed in just six weeks. For a Managing Director appointment, this was an exceptional achievement. Throughout the process, Howard maintained excellent communication, provided honest and balanced advice, and managed both candidates and stakeholders professionally and discreetly. The quality of the candidates presented was particularly impressive. Every individual introduced was credible, well-qualified and thoroughly assessed against our requirements. Howard demonstrated a strong understanding of both technical capability and cultural fit, ensuring that the shortlist reflected not only the skills required for the role but also the leadership style and values that were important to our organisation.”
Managing Director
Anabas
“Robert Walters is truly great at their job—knowledgeable, supportive, and able to strike the right balance in communication, keeping you informed throughout the process at the right time and in the right way. They are genuinely focused on achieving the best outcome for all parties, and I have no hesitation in recommending them.”
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Contact Ben Appleton
Contact Ben for a confidential discussion about your executive search requirements.