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Maitane Serna

Maitane Serna, Executive Search, Partner, Candid Photo.

Maitane is a partner at True and the regional lead of Spain, spearheading searches across the EMEA region. Working with Spanish and international clients on their leadership talent needs, her expertise includes identifying and placing board members, CEOs, and C-level executives, with a particular focus on VC and PE-backed technology portfolio companies. Additionally, she supports investors directly through thematic pre-deal work, advising on and identifying chairs, CEOs and C-suite leaders who support funds with asset identification, due diligence and value creation work.

Maitane has been connecting VC and PE-backed companies with crucial talent in the Spanish and southern European markets for nearly seven years at True. Prior to that, Maitane worked in Brussels for Lancor, a boutique search firm, where she delivered a variety of assignments for global VC and PE-backed, public technology, retail and telco businesses. She started her career in Deloitte as a tax-lawyer.

Maitane speaks Spanish, Basque, French and English. She earned a law and economics degree at Deusto University, and completed an exchange year in the Katolik University of Leuven.

Snapshot

  • Specializes in helping VC-backed technology businesses undergoing international expansion with a particular focus on People and Talent roles as well as the Spanish/Southern European market
  • Originally from the Basque Country, lives in London where she loves discovering new restaurants
  • Certified yoga teacher, completed her 200-hours training in 2024

Clients

  • Seedtag Company Logo
  • Freepik Company Logo

Back to full team

The Team

  • Brad Stadler, Executive Search, CEO, Founder.
    Brad Stadler co-CEO & Founder, True and president, true search Philadelphia (HQ)
  • Joe Riggione, Executive Search, CEO, Founder.
    Joe Riggione co-CEO & Founder, True and president, true technologies Philadelphia (HQ)
  • Josh Withers, Executive Search.
    Josh Withers Founder & GM, Platform and North America Search Operations San Francisco
  • Kate Vanek, Executive Search, COO.
    Kate Vanek Global Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer London
  • Sam McGrath, Executive Search.
    Sam McGrath GM, EMEA & APAC London
  • Lucinda Duncalfe, True Technologies.
    Lucinda Duncalfe EVP, True Technologies & GM, Thrive, AboveBoard & Jopwell New York

The Future of Executive Talent