Meet the Executive each team | Robert Half
Based in Sydney, Australia, Craig Bernhardt brings more than two decades of global experience to the searches he conducts, working with clients around the world. He specialises in Board level, C-Suite and senior-level retained search engagements across various industries and functional areas. His clients include private equity firms, family-owned businesses, ASX and globally listed entities and many emerging to middle-market growth companies. Throughout his career as a human capital and talent acquisition expert, Craig has earned a global reputation for discretion, effectiveness and excellence in executive search and assessment. With a bespoke approach to every search, Craig aims to ensure his clients build superior leadership teams, thus enabling them to create sustainable and competitive advantages in their respective markets. With more than 20+ years' experience, Craig first joined Robert Half in London in 1999 and spent many years in senior leadership roles with the business in London and Sydney within the firm's practice. Gareth Whalley joined Robert Half in Sydney in 2006 after working with Ernst & Young and Viacom in London and around the world. In his time with the company, Gareth has excelled in his role delivering exceptional quality of service and expertise. His speciality lies in C-Suite and senior-level retained search engagements across a range of industries and functional areas. With a bespoke approach to every search, Gareth's goal is to ensure his clients build superior leadership teams so that they can create sustainable and competitive advantages in their respective markets. With a proven track record of placing senior professionals in a variety of businesses, Gareth can quickly gain a deep understanding of an organisation's culture. Experience After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young in London, Gareth joined Viacom in an International Business Process Analyst role where he travelled around the world working in Viacom’s international operations. In 2006, Gareth joined Robert Half in Sydney and has specialised in facilitating senior placements across a variety of functions and industries. Cameron Eustice, based in Melbourne, Australia, brings 24 years of search and commercial leadership to his search mandates. Cameron specialises in C-Suite retained search engagements across a range of industries and functional areas. His client portfolio includes prominent ASX and multinationals, emerging SME growth companies, private equity firms and privately-owned enterprises. His broad client industry portfolio spans technology, financial services, mining & resources, healthcare, retail, consumer products, real estate & construction, industrial manufacturing and professional services. Cameron has gained a reputation for excellence as a trusted advisor to his clients, partnering with Boards, C-suite and Executive/General Management to deliver superior leadership appointments. Experience Prior to joining Robert Half, Cameron held senior commercial finance leadership roles with two major listed multinational firms. Cameron earned his Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne and has been a qualified Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) since 2001. Patrick specialises in retained searches for C-suite and senior leadership engagements across a broad spectrum of market sectors. Patrick’s client base includes Private Equity firms, Family Owned and ASX Listed businesses and encompasses a comprehensive range of industries including healthcare, financial services, higher education, manufacturing and technology. Patrick has also worked with many emerging technology and start-up firms. Utilising a bespoke methodology for each search, Patrick’s approach focuses on understanding the needs of his clients from every facet of the appointment and the wider impact its success will have for the organisation. Experience Patrick’s career began in technology consulting before moving into talent acquisition and recruitment in 2004, initially working in London before moving to Melbourne in 2012. Patrick’s methodology underscores his belief in the importance of developing a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the needs of his clients, as well as the broader context of the search, in order to deliver the best appointment. In her role at Managing Associate, Jennifer is the head of the execution team for the Executive Search practice specialising in sourcing and placing C-Suite executives and senior leaders across all industry sectors. She has successfully completed many highly confidential search assignments across several business functions including finance, sales and marketing, operations, technology, legal and human resources. Based in the Sydney office as a trusted business partner to the firm’s Managing Directors, Jennifer leads the execution of search mandates throughout the Asia Pacific region. Jennifer’s consultative and collaborative approach, attention to detail, planning skills and clear business processes are what make her a trusted advisor to her clients and candidates alike. Experience Jennifer joined Robert Half in 1997 commencing her career within the firm’s Financial Services Practice. Since then, she has embarked on a distinguished career of over 20 years in various operational and management roles both in London and Sydney and, as such, is well versed in every aspect of the Robert Half business.  John Pappas (aka JP), based in Melbourne, Australia, brings many years of search and commercial leadership to his search mandates, partnering with clients across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia Pacific. JP specialises in C-Suite retained search engagements across a range of industries and functional areas. His client portfolio includes multinationals, SME growth companies, private equity firms and privately-owned enterprises. His broad client industry portfolio spans banking, financial services, private wealth & private banking, funds management, superannuation, asset management, healthcare, and professional services. Experience Prior to joining Robert Half, JP was a leader of a domestic Executive search firm and prior, he was an Owner, Shareholder of an Executive Search & Advisory multinational firm for over 10 years. JP has earned his Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Economics from Melbourne and Monash Universities, respectively along with Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a graduate member of the AICD (Australian Institute of Company Directors). Claire Jarvis began working for Robert Half, London in 2000 and is today enjoying working with many of her previous UK colleagues here in Australia. She has extensive experience identifying, accessing, and developing best in class talent including at C-suite and senior management level. Claire is based in Brisbane but involved in both Australia-wide and international searches. Experience Claire has amassed over 20 years’ experience within both external recruitment firms and internal HR departments of blue-chip organisations, counting Coca Cola Amatil and Honeywell among her employers. This combination of well-rounded experience contributes to her pursuit of excellence around customer care for both candidate and client. She has a warm, down to earth approach and prides herself on her discretion, integrity, and professionalism in all aspects of her role. Swati Kumar is an Associate for Robert Half Executive Search based in our Sydney office, specialising in C-Suite and senior-level retained search engagements across a range of industries and functional areas such as technology, finance, operations, sales, marketing and HR. Swati’s consultative approach is based on industry knowledge, technical know-how, experience and empowering the people she works with. Experience Swati started her talent acquisition career in 2011 and, over the years, lived and worked in India, Switzerland, USA & the Middle East, managing projects across multiple geographies. In previous roles, Swati was responsible for the successful execution of end-to-end search engagements for the Hospitality, Construction and Marketing verticals amassing significant recruitment experience both from an internal and external perspective. Karen Flanagan is an Associate for Robert Half Executive Search based in our Sydney office. Karen specialises in sourcing and placing senior-level and C suite executives in APAC across various industries, including technology, finance, operations, sales, marketing and HR. Karen brings a consultative approach, developing transparent and trusted relationships with clients and candidates. Experience Originally from Northern Ireland, Karen has lived in Sydney since 1999. Karen has worked in large and small Australian businesses, including major media corporations. She has led large teams, so she understands the importance of finding the right people to deliver business success. In recent years, Karen has transitioned to executive recruitment and applies her leadership and business knowledge to her recruitment approach. Ryan Marchant is an Associate for Robert Half Executive Search, specialising in identifying and engaging with executive and senior leaders across the APAC region. Based in the Sydney office, Ryan is responsible for sourcing top-tier talent for executive-level positions across all business functions including Finance, HR, Sales and Marketing, Operations, Legal and Technology. Before being promoted to the Associate position, Ryan was leading the research capability for the APAC Executive Search division as the Head of Research. Experience Before joining the executive search team in 2020, Ryan began his recruitment career in 2018 working in the Management Resources Division of Robert Half Sydney placing Senior Finance & Accounting professionals on an interim basis. During his tenure, Ryan has built a solid reputation for his detailed and systematic approach to identifying the right candidate and exceeding his clients’ expectations, his market knowledge and passion for the industry have solidified his position as a trusted advisor to clients and candidates alike. Emanuela Piras, also known as Manu, is the Executive Search Coordinator for Robert Half Executive Search in their Sydney office. She works with a results-oriented team that specialises in C-Suite, Executive, Director, and Board level assignments. Experience Manu joined the Executive Search team in June 2021 and brings with her a wealth of administrative experience. She is adept at processing quality client and candidate reports for the executive search teams in both Sydney and Melbourne. During her career, she has enjoyed interacting with clients and been dedicated to providing the best customer experience possible. Her background in retail, hospitality, sales, and people management gives her a collaborative approach to working with teams and clients. She is an excellent communicator with a proven track record in problem-solving and working with a sense of urgency.