- Established in 2002, Lester Blades is a Western Australian executive search and board advisory consultancy.
- We work on behalf of employers who retain us exclusively. This confirms a genuine commitment from both parties and ensures that the search component of our work is professional and effective (it avoids candidates being approached by numerous recruitment firms regarding the same role, thus denigrating the importance of the position and the brand of the employer).
- Our Executive Search Partners are Tony Lester, Geoff Blades, Tina Jackson and James Fairbairn, four of Western Australia’s most experienced executive search and selection consultants.
- Our Partner Suzanne Ardagh leads Lester Blades’ Board Advisory Service.
- We have completed in excess of 2,800 Executive and Board Appointments since 2002.
- The majority of our clients come to us based on previous experiences or by referral.
- We successfully complete over 98% of retained executive search assignments.
- Of those appointments, 97% are still with that employer 12 months later.
- Diversity – In 2022, 49.2% of Lester Blades’ appointments into executive, senior leadership or board positions were female. This has not been achieved by any form of discrimination, rather it is a reflection of our firm’s ability to attract candidates from diverse backgrounds and both genders and Lester Blades’ commitment to always recommending high quality and gender balanced shortlists of candidates.
- Lester Blades is a member of Reconciliation WA.
About us
Geoff has been employed in executive search and selection, in Perth since 1989. He has completed well over 1000 executive appointments since then and has built a solid reputation based upon his experience, knowledge and profile within Western Australia. With Tony Lester, Geoff is a founding Partner of Lester Blades.
Geoff Blades
BBus, PG Dip Bus
Tony has a track record of over 30 years partnering successfully with a broad range of clients in commercial, government and the not for profit sectors. He has completed executive searches across all “C suite” roles as well as for other key members of leadership teams across most industries and sectors in Australia.
Tony Lester
BEc
Suzanne is a professional director and management executive with extensive international experience over 30 years. Her career has spanned diplomacy, corporate affairs, tertiary education and professional associations. She has lived and worked in Europe, Latin America and most recently in South East Asia.
Suzanne Ardagh
BA, MBA, FAICD
Over the last 27 years James has advised and acted on behalf of a broad portfolio of organisations, ranging from ASX200 corporations to privately owned family businesses, indigenous corporations and not-for-profits. James has been working in the Western Australian executive search sector since 2006, and became a Partner at Lester Blades in 2013.
James is a leading road cycling safety advocate and he is currently Chair of the state governing body, WestCycle’s ‘Road Cycling – Recreation Advisory Group’.
He is the author of the books, ‘Career Karma – Maximising your career potential’ and ‘Resume Karma – Maximise the impact of the most important document that you will ever write’
James Fairbairn
BA (Hons)
Tina has over 25 years’ experience in industry across management consulting, property & construction, recruitment, resources and accounting profession.
She enjoys working with clients to build diverse, strong leadership teams populated with exceptional professionals who offer functional expertise, differentiated experiences, and deliver measurable outcomes. With every interaction she is striving to transform our clients’ performance and candidates’ careers by building outstanding teams.
Prior to joining Lester Blades, Tina held several roles with global brands including professional services firms EY, HASSELL and Hudson. Her knowledge of various industries within Western Australia offers unique insights into both client organisations and candidates.
Tina is a Chartered Accountant and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Tina Jackson
BCom, CA, GAICD
Ben holds the position of Executive Research Associate at Lester Blades. He has a Bachelor's degree in Cyber Forensics, Information Security, and Management and has worked in the ICT industry for more than 15 years, specializing in workforce analytics and management. Ben supports the firm's Partners in their executive search process by providing them with relevant research data.
Ben Jones
BScAbout Lester Blades
Our Core Values
Respect
We build long-lasting, meaningful and respectful relationships. We have empathy for others, no matter how stressful the situation.
Collaboration
We believe the best decisions are made when a diverse range of voices are heard. We are always open and share information.
Professionalism
We are future focused, innovative & set high standards for all that we do. We don’t accept things at face value.
Integrity
We are truthful, loyal, fair & sincere in all our actions. We hold each other accountable to these values and behaviours.
TINZON GROUP – Local Specialisation, Global Reach
In addition, Lester Blades is a founder member of the Tinzon Group, an international alliance of independently owned and operated Executive Search firms in Europe, Asia/Pacific and The Americas. This enables us to provide our clients with global reach and industry expertise through synergistic collaboration, shared knowledge and resources. You can find out more about the Tinzon Group here: www.tinzongroup.com
