Calderon MD Harco J. Leertouwer Joins Venari Partners
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Following its acquisition of Calderon Search & Advisory, the executive search firm Venari Partners is pleased to announce the arrival of Harco J. Leertouwer to its Sustainability & Energy Transition practice. Leertouwer, who founded Calderon in Amsterdam last year, joins as Partner and will continue to be based in the Dutch capital.
With over two decades of experience, Harco Leertouwer is a seasoned executive search leader. He has a strong focus on ESG, sustainability, and transformational leadership roles. Previously, Leertouwer held executive positions including at Badenoch + Clark (Adecco Group), where he was Managing Director, as well as a Managing Director (Europe) post at Acre, where he led sustainability-focused recruitment and search mandates across the continent. A certified Climate Reality Leader trained by Al Gore, he combines corporate expertise with a personal commitment to environmental and social progress.
Leertouwer joins Alex Hyde (Partner) and Natalia Ganowicz (Consultant) in Venari Partners’ Sustainability & Energy Transition offering. ‘I’m thrilled to have Harco on board,’ Alex says. ‘The experience and networks he brings to the team reflect our ambition to be the leading firm globally for sustainability leadership hiring. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together.’ These are sentiments echoed by Venari Partners’ Managing Director, Felix Meller: ‘After a strong year in which we’ve seen plenty of growth, now we are keen to push ourselves yet further as a business. To do that, we need people who are experts in their fields, which is Harco all over. His knowledge and passion are plain to see and he is just the calibre of headhunter we want at Venari Partners. It’s great to welcome him to the team.’
‘I am truly excited to be joining Venari Partners at such a pivotal moment for both the firm and the broader sustainability agenda,’ Leertouwer says. ‘Having built Calderon Search & Advisory with a clear focus on purpose-led leadership, it was important for me to find a partner that shares those values and has the ambition to scale globally. Venari Partners’ momentum, collaborative culture, and commitment to sustainability and the energy transition, make it a natural fit. I’m looking forward to working with Alex, Natalia, and the wider team to support clients in building the leadership needed to drive meaningful, lasting change.’
Harco joined Venari Partners in 2026, following the acquisition of his firm, Calderon Search & Advisory. He brings over 20 years of experience in executive search and business leadership, with a strong track record of advising organisations on senior leadership appointments and building high-performing executive teams. Throughout his career, Harco has held several senior leadership positions within international recruitment and executive search businesses, including Managing Director roles overseeing Germany, the Netherlands and the wider EMEA region. His experience spans business leadership, regional strategy, client development and the delivery of complex executive search assignments across multiple markets and sectors. Combining commercial acumen with extensive international experience, Harco brings a deep understanding of leadership, organisational dynamics and the critical talent decisions that shape business performance and drive transformation. A certified Climate Reality Leader, trained by former US Vice President Al Gore, Harco also brings a personal commitment to environmental and social progress. Based in Amsterdam, he is fluent in Dutch, English and German.
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