Ruston McQueen

Ruston McQueen is a specialist executive search firm founded in 2020 by Victoria McQueen and the late Ian Jenkins. The company operates globally as the pre-eminent Climate Change and Sustainability Executive Search firm, focusing exclusively on hiring C-suite executives and non-executive board members for high-growth businesses in the climate impact, sustainability and cleantech sectors. Since 2008, Ruston McQueen has supported entrepreneurial venture capital and private equity-backed companies, family offices and high-growth corporates in building their non-executive boards and executive leadership teams. The firm began its partnership at Ruston WHEB, pioneers in climate impact headhunting, and has built deep expertise over 16 years in the policies, technologies and financial instruments driving the energy transition globally.

Ruston McQueen specialises in recruiting leaders across multiple interconnected sectors. The firm has extensive track records in Energy Transition, placing executives in hydrogen refuelling, fuel cells, wind turbines, demand response and wave energy companies. The company also specialises in Climate Change and Net Zero recruitment, supporting development finance institutions, sustainability consultancies and certified B Corp environmental impact organisations. Additionally, Ruston McQueen recruits for Responsible Consumption sectors including sustainable materials manufacturing, waste management and environmental technology companies. The firm also focuses on Nature-Based Solutions and AgTech, placing leaders in regenerative farming, soil carbon measurement, anaerobic digestion and sustainable crop production companies. E-Mobility recruitment is another core specialisation, covering electric vehicle charging, intelligent powertrain electrification and battery management software businesses. The company also recruits for Impact Investment roles, supporting energy infrastructure funds and cleantech venture capital firms.

Ruston McQueen operates on a global scale with particular strength in North America, EMEA and Australia. The firm is based in the UK and serves clients internationally, with team members positioned across multiple regions including Queensland, Australia and North America. Clients choose Ruston McQueen for its breakthrough business model that shares risk with clients whilst delivering outstanding results with unsurpassed agility. The firm has been described as disruptors in the executive search sector who have debunked conventional headhunting approaches. Victoria McQueen's 16-year reputation as a leading sustainability headhunter, combined with Jo-Anne Cowley's 19 years of executive search experience across EMEA, Sydney and the global cleantech markets, ensures clients receive unparalleled expertise in climate and sustainability talent acquisition.