Dana Bakir is a Managing Director at ZRG Partners with over 16 years of expertise in executive search and leadership advisory across the Middle East and North Africa. Based in Dubai since 2013, she partners closely with clients to address complex leadership challenges related to succession planning, appointing top-tier executives, and driving diversity at the senior leadership level.

Dana joined ZRG Partners in 2024, where she leads the Banking and Financial Services practice across the Middle East, as well as the Financial Officers Practice within the MENA region.

Prior to joining ZRG, Dana was with Korn Ferry, where she led the Financial Officers Practice across the MENA region, focusing on senior leadership appointments across multiple industries. Before her tenure at Korn Ferry, she headed the Banking and Financial Services practice at a leading global recruitment firm, collaborating with prominent financial institutions to place key senior professionals. Earlier in her career, she spent four years with another globally recognized firm, managing the Banking and Financial Services segment.

Dana’s expertise spans C-suite and board-level mandates across diverse sectors, including financial services, education, healthcare, real estate, sovereign entities, FMCG, and family businesses.

Fluent in English and Arabic, Dana has divided her career between the GCC and the UK. She holds a Master of Science in Organisational Psychiatry and Psychology from King’s College London, where she graduated with distinction.

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