Raines International Names Ceylan Higgins, Kiel Towns as Managing Directors, Kristin Mann as SVP

LONDON, Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Raines International, a leading executive search and talent advisory firm, announced today several additions to its senior leadership team.

Ceylan Higgins, previously a partner at True Search, joined the firm as a Managing Director. Based in Raines' London office, she will co-lead the Global Software & Technology Practice with Managing Directors Duncan Finlayson, also based in London, and Rick Harris, based in Miami. Higgins specialises in placing senior leaders in technology, information, information security, and data roles.

"We have designed the Software & Technology practice at Raines to address the pain points I've seen throughout my career across the client, candidate, and colleague continuum. We've streamlined the points of contact between clients and our firm and built-from-scratch the supporting operations to efficiently deliver customized offerings at scale," Higgins said. "The consistency of the firm's passion for making a difference is energizing, and I'm delighted to partner with Rick and Duncan to build the best global practice." 

"Ceylan's tremendous expertise, pursuit of excellence, and reputation are force multipliers for our Software and Technology Practice. There is true brilliance in the way this group complements each other in all regards," Raines' Chief Executive Officer Dan Smith said.

Raines also named Kiel Towns as Managing Director. Based in Washington, D.C., Towns specialises in the aerospace, defence, government, and national security industries. He joined Raines in 2020 after working with Russell Reynolds Associates, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the U.S. Army as a helicopter pilot and aviation officer and has been an integral leader in the Aerospace, Defence, & Government Services Practice.

In addition, Chicago-based Managing Director Bryan Burg will now lead all North American Industrial Sector work for the firm. Managing Director Patrick Gray, who relocated to London last summer to open Raines' London office, leads the Global Industrial Sector Practice.

"Kiel and Bryan's impact and growth at Raines have been nothing short of remarkable, and their accomplishments are further proof that the top talent in our industry can accelerate their careers by joining our firm," Gray said.

Earlier this month, Kristin Mann joined Raines as Senior Vice President in Raines' Advisory Practice. As an executive assessor and coach, team mediator, and diversity, equity, and inclusion facilitator, she has worked across all levels of leadership as well as in a wide variety of industries, including energy, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and private equity.

"Raines supports clients in all human capital needs—not only bringing in the right candidates, but getting it right the first time through assessment, onboarding support, coaching, even team development," Mann said. "We have the solutions and expertise of a big company, but the ability to flex quickly to ensure immediate impact."

Prior to Raines, Mann was a Vice President, Leadership Advisory with Bespoke Partners, a Senior Principal at Korn Ferry, and a consultant at YSC Consulting, now part of Accenture. Mann holds a doctorate and master's degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology from DePaul University.

Raines International is an advisory firm committed to making a difference with executive search, organizational consulting, and talent management solutions. Headquartered in Miami with more than a dozen offices across the Americas and Europe, Raines specialises in senior-level leadership recruitment and assessment and DEI advisory across industries and functions.