Zest Search

Zest Search is a boutique recruitment firm founded by co-founders Allen Bastow and Luke Pallett, specialising in product and design leadership roles across Europe. The firm focuses exclusively on hiring senior product and design leaders for venture capital and private equity-backed companies, from founding and principal roles through to directors and vice presidents. Zest Search takes a founder-led approach to executive search, with every mandate personally run by one of the founders from brief through to signed offer, ensuring dedicated attention and momentum for each client.

The company specialises exclusively in product and design leadership recruitment, with deep expertise in filling roles for VC and PE-backed startups across the European market. Zest Search maintains deliberately low search volumes to ensure every mandate receives founder-level attention. The firm draws on the co-founders' combined experience of over 24 years in product management and design recruitment across Europe and North America, providing clients with market knowledge and access to exceptional senior talent.

Operating across Europe, Zest Search partners closely with VC talent teams and portfolio founders, often serving as a go-to search partner across portfolio companies. Beyond traditional search and placement, the company offers advisory services through a pre-vetted network of senior product and design operators, helping founders and leadership teams with product vision, strategy, team development and go-to-market approaches. Zest Search's focus on quality over volume, transparency about market realities and integrated advisory support make the firm a trusted partner for companies seeking to build exceptional product and design leadership.