Jane Dowding

Managing Director

Sirocco Search

Jane has 20 years’ experience in executive search working within small boutiques and global board search firms, as well as in-house.

She spent 11 years of her career at Russell Reynolds Associates where she quickly progressed to become one of the youngest equity Partners of the firm and built the Media, Entertainment & Digital Convergence Practice which she co-led on a global basis. She also spent some time working in-house for global TV production firm, Fremantle and joined The Zygos Partnership for 2 years to help them develop their executive and non-executive board work in the media and consumer sectors

After surprising everyone with the decision to take an extended career break to have her family, Jane set up Sirocco in 2015 to provide clients and executives with a more personalised talent development service. She continues to work with a range of clients on high-level search mandates as well as providing personal career coaching for a range of executives needing to address change in their life. This includes those returning from extended career breaks, looking to build a non-executive portfolio, seeking career advancement or those requiring more balance and flexibility.

In 2018 she became a Non-Executive Director for Erevena where she is actively involved with development and learning processes to enable further growth.

Jane is a single mother to 2 wonderful young children and a cockapoo (“Truffles”). She is the lead singer of a covers band and embraces harbour village life in Sussex when she is not in London. She has a BA Hons degree from Exeter University and remains a member of The Royal Television Society.

Jane is passionate about the value and importance of diversity & inclusion in how both individuals and businesses evolve and grow. She hopes SWISH will provide an opportunity for like-minded women in search to get together (with wine!) to share experience and learnings openly, honestly and confidentially to enable progress in executive search.