Champions (UK) plc is today announcing the appointment of Amir Qureshi as Managing Partner to lead both The NED Advisor and Board Champions.
His appointment marks a major step in strengthening the divisions’ leadership offering to investors, boards, and C-suite executives worldwide.
He will focus on helping grow the flagship divisions which are dedicated to transform how boards and investors access, engage, and empower leadership.
With a distinguished international career spanning global corporations, private equity-backed growth firms, and entrepreneurial ventures, Mr Qureshi will bring over two decades of executive experience to the role.
Mr Qureshi, Managing Partner, The NED Advisor & Board Champions, said:
“I’m delighted to be joining Champions as Managing Partner to lead both The NED Advisor and Board Champions. These two divisions serve distinct but complementary markets.
“The NED Advisor focuses on the Private Equity and investment community, providing both the breadth of a high-calibre leadership network and the depth of support from pre-deal due diligence through to post-deal value creation, including fractional and interim leadership.
“In parallel, Board Champions supports corporate and growth businesses in strengthening board and C-suite effectiveness, governance, and performance.
“Our mission is to modernise how boards and investors access and engage leadership, moving from passive oversight to active partnership. By aligning the right people with the right opportunities, we aim to help investors, CEOs, and boards unlock greater performance, growth, and long-term value creation.”
Matthew Hayes, the Managing Director of Champions (UK) plc, said: “Amir’s appointment marks an exciting and major step in the development of The NED Advisor and Board Champions. His arrival will strengthen both divisions’ leadership offering to investors, boards, and C-suite executives worldwide. Amir will build on an exceptional career which has seen him lead transformation, governance, and performance across multiple sectors.”
Mr Qureshi began his career at The Coca-Cola Company, where he rose through senior leadership roles between 2001 and 2012, including Sales Director, General Manager, and Managing Director – EMEA, overseeing operations across 25 countries with multi-million-dollar P&L responsibility. During this time, he led major business transformation programmes, delivering significant operational efficiencies and driving sustained commercial growth.
Following his tenure at Coca-Cola, Amir joined Lebara Mobile, serving as Managing Director in Switzerland and later as Global Sales Director, where he helped accelerate rapid revenue growth across Europe’s telecommunications markets.
In 2014, Amir transitioned into leadership assessment and people analytics as Chief Operating Officer, and later Chief Executive Officer, of Thomas International, the world’s largest independent assessment provider. Over nearly six years, he oversaw global expansion, digital transformation, and the successful transition of the business to investor ownership. Under his leadership, Thomas achieved 98% recurring revenue, completed eight strategic acquisitions, and introduced advanced systems such as NetSuite and Salesforce to unify global operations.
Amir subsequently joined Drax Executive as Chief Commercial Officer, supporting private equity firms and portfolio companies with leadership expertise. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer at Protocol, a UK-based education and training solutions company, where he led strategic growth and digital transformation initiatives.
At The NED Advisor, Amir will oversee a specialist network serving the private equity, venture capital, and corporate finance communities, offering investor-grade Non-Executive Directors, Chairs, and Advisors who deliver measurable impact from day one. The division is recognised for bridging investor ambition with boardroom execution—accelerating governance, growth, and exit readiness.
In parallel, Board Champions partners with corporate and growth businesses to strengthen board and C-suite effectiveness through executive search, interim leadership, and fractional appointments. Operating across more than 60 countries, the business leverages a data-driven, tech-enabled approach to connect clients with proven CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, and sector experts who deliver tangible business outcomes.
Under Amir’s leadership, the two divisions will align more closely to create a modern, connected ecosystem for board and leadership talent—one that flexes to client needs and supports performance at every stage of the business lifecycle.
Both The NED Advisor and Board Champions offer a flexible suite of appointment types designed to adapt to varying client and expert requirements, including:
Board Appointments – Permanent placements that strengthen governance and long-term capability.
Fractional Appointments – Part-time engagements offering specialist expertise without full-time cost.
Interim Leadership – Experienced executives providing stability and transformation during key transitions.
Contract Hire & Consultancy – Specialist experts delivering impact through defined projects.
Day Rate Appointments – On-demand advisory access for agile, immediate leadership input.
This hybrid, client-centric model reflects Amir’s long-standing belief that leadership effectiveness depends on agility, alignment, and measurable outcomes.