Margot Desachy
Heidrick & Struggles
“My favorite part was meeting experts, asking them about what they were working on, and hearing their perspectives on markets and trends.”
Margot Desachy has been named to the Talent 100, Class of 2026, the annual award recognizing up to 100 leaders in each category of talent acquisition. Honorees are nominated by peers or found by committees that look for excellent work wherever it happens, then chosen for the depth of their craft and their impact on hiring. This is Margot's story.
For Margot Desachy, a career in executive search began with a simple realization: the most enjoyable part of her work was talking to interesting people. Before entering the talent industry, she spent two years in strategic consulting, and while she enjoyed the work itself, she found herself consistently drawn to one particular aspect of the job.
“My favorite part was meeting experts, asking them about what they were working on, and hearing their perspectives on markets and trends.” That curiosity, followed rather than filed away, ultimately led her to discover a profession she had not previously known existed.
In 2016, Margot joined the CEO & Board Practice at Heidrick & Struggles in Paris. Intrigued by the opportunity to work closely with senior executives and influential business leaders, she explored several leading executive search firms before choosing Heidrick. “At the time, Heidrick felt the most modern and fast-paced.” What began as an interest in people and ideas quickly evolved into a career helping organizations identify and attract exceptional leadership talent.
Finding Purpose Through Executive Search
Throughout her career, Margot has had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s most influential executives, board members, and business leaders. Executive search provided exactly what she had been seeking: a profession built around understanding people, businesses, industries, and the decisions that shape them. By helping organizations identify transformational leaders, she found a role that combined intellectual curiosity with meaningful business impact.
Her work has since taken her beyond Europe and onto the global stage, allowing her to partner with organizations navigating leadership transitions, growth opportunities, and strategic change.
Navigating an Era of Uncertainty
As organizations continue adapting to rapid economic, political, and technological change, Margot believes resilience has become one of the most important qualities for talent leaders. While headlines frequently discuss economic slowdowns and uncertainty, she continues to see strong demand for exceptional leadership talent, even as attracting and engaging top candidates grows more complex. “The demand hasn’t slowed down, but candidates can be harder to reach and harder to engage.”
Beyond the talent market itself, broader global events continue to create uncertainty for organizations and leaders alike. From the long-term impact of the pandemic to geopolitical conflicts, economic shifts, and changing workforce expectations, businesses are operating in an environment where assumptions can quickly become outdated. For talent leaders, that means remaining adaptable rather than relying too heavily on forecasts. “We’ve seen so many changes in the last few years that have impacted how people work and how organizations think about the future.”
Advice for Talent Leaders in 2026
As organizations prepare for what comes next, Margot encourages talent leaders to stay flexible and avoid making overly rigid assumptions about the future. Her advice is simple, and increasingly relevant in a rapidly changing world: “Stay resilient and adaptable.” She believes the organizations and leaders that succeed will be those willing to adjust, learn, and respond to changing conditions rather than becoming attached to fixed expectations.
In executive search, where leadership decisions often shape the future direction of entire organizations, that adaptability matters even more. “The best we can do is stay open and flexible to what may come and not rush into making decisions.”
For Margot, great talent leadership is not about predicting the future perfectly. It is about building the resilience, judgment, and agility needed to navigate whatever comes next. By combining intellectual curiosity, thoughtful leadership, and a global perspective on talent, Margot Desachy represents the kind of executive search leader helping organizations navigate an increasingly complex world.
The Talent 100 exists to celebrate the people shaping the future of how the world hires, and few embody that better than Margot. We are honored to welcome Margot Desachy to the Talent 100, Class of 2026, and grateful for the experience, perspective, and craft they bring to this community. Congratulations, Margot. Welcome to the Talent 100.
About the Talent 100
The Talent 100 is an annual list spotlighting the leaders who push HR and talent acquisition forward, organized by Noon AI. Honorees are selected through peer nominations and independent selection committees. Selection is entirely merit-based, with no fees or pay-to-play requirements.
