15+ Years of Opening Doors to India & the Middle East
Born from a pioneering executive search practice, built on real results for global businesses entering high-growth markets.
Built on a Legacy of Executive Excellence
ATHENA MEA didn't start as a consulting brand on a whiteboard. It grew organically from over a decade of placing C-suite leaders and building leadership teams for global companies entering India and the Middle East.
Founded in 2010, our practice began with a bold vision: to bring world-class executive search to emerging markets with the rigour, ethics, and depth that the world's best companies expect. Over the years, as we placed hundreds of senior leaders — CFOs, COOs, MDs, CHROs — for companies expanding into India and the UAE, a pattern emerged.
Our clients didn't just need talent. They needed market intelligence, location advisory, compensation benchmarking, operational setup support, and a trusted partner who understood both the global boardroom and the local landscape. ATHENA MEA was born from that need.
Today, we combine 15+ years of executive search expertise with hands-on market entry advisory — helping global businesses not just arrive, but arrive ready to lead.
Numbers That Speak
Key Milestones
Founded in India
Established as a pioneering executive search practice in Gurugram, with a vision to transform how global companies find leadership talent in emerging markets.
Expanded to the Middle East
Opened our Dubai office to serve the growing demand from global businesses entering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider GCC region.
Global Network Partnership
Joined a leading international network of executive search firms spanning 45+ countries, extending our reach across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas.
500+ Engagements Milestone
Crossed 500 successful engagements across executive search, market entry advisory, and consulting — serving Fortune 100 companies to PE-backed ventures.
ATHENA MEA Launched
Formalized our market entry advisory practice as ATHENA MEA — a dedicated offering built on 13+ years of placing leaders and advising businesses expanding into India and the Middle East.
The People Behind ATHENA MEA
Our leadership brings together deep market knowledge, global networks, and a hands-on approach to every engagement.
Bhavishya Sharma
Founder & Managing Director
Bhavishya founded the Athena practice in 2010 with a vision to transform how global companies build leadership teams in India and the Middle East. With over 15 years of experience in executive search, market entry advisory, and strategic consulting, he has personally led engagements for some of the world's largest organisations.
His expertise spans C-suite hiring, post-acquisition integration, compensation benchmarking, and operational setup advisory — working across industries including technology, healthcare, FMCG, fintech, infrastructure, and retail.
Bhavishya operates across offices in Gurugram and Dubai, and leads a global network of consultants serving clients in 45+ countries.
What We Do Best
Comprehensive solutions that combine sharp market insights with hands-on, results-driven execution.
Market Entry Strategy
Practical, region-specific plans that get you operational fast and positioned for sustainable growth.
Leadership Hiring
CXO and senior leaders who can deliver results from day one and drive your market expansion.
Operations Setup
GCCs, R&D hubs, manufacturing units, or retail networks — we've done it all with precision.
Market Intelligence
Clear, actionable data on talent pools, competition, and pay benchmarks for informed decisions.
Where We Operate
With teams on the ground in India and the UAE, we're embedded in the markets we serve.
India — Headquarters
Unit 407, 4th Floor, Tapasya One, Golf Course Road, Sector 53, Gurugram, Haryana 122003
Dubai — Middle East
Building A1, Digital Park, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ready to explore your next market?
Let's design an entry plan you can execute in the next 100 days — backed by 15 years of market expertise.