Our Story

Loftus Bradford began with a leap and a deep belief in people. Long before entering the world of executive search, Co-Founder Paul Loftus grew up in Dublin before leaving Ireland in search of exciting opportunities in the United States. He spent long summers painting houses in Boston, waiting tables in Ocean City, and washing windows in San Francisco, and as a commercial fisherman off the East Coast, hard work and grit earned him his first “fortune”. After brief stints in insurance and printing, an unintended sequence of events landed Paul in recruitment. It was almost by accident, but it clicked.

Paul Loftus and Jennifer Bradford, Founders

Paul isn’t a networker in the traditional sense. He doesn’t chase contacts, he builds relationships. His focus has always been on understanding people, seeing potential, and making connections that last. For Paul, business isn’t about the amount of deals, it’s about the quality of each match. That belief became the foundation of Loftus Bradford.

In 2010, Paul and his wife, Jennifer Bradford, founded the firm with a clear idea: that executive search should be built on trust, not transactions. While Paul shaped the client and candidate experience, Jennifer was instrumental behind the scenes, establishing the operational backbone that allowed the business to grow with integrity.

They didn’t scale fast, but they scaled right. Each placement was a long-term investment, and over time, those matches became the firm’s reputation. Many of the leaders they placed are still with the same companies today, thriving, promoted, and shaping the organisations they joined.

That reputation has allowed Loftus Bradford to expand internationally. It grew through word-of-mouth alone, with clients and candidates becoming its greatest advocates. Today, the team works with brands across industries, functions, and borders, all from its home in Barcelona.

zara english, managing partner

Born and raised in Nairobi, educated in the UK, and now based in Barcelona, Zara brings a truly global perspective to leadership. She joined the business in 2011 as its second employee, stepping into a two-person firm with a big vision. Over the years, she’s worn nearly every hat: researcher, consultant, team builder, Principal, and now Managing Partner.

Zara has been instrumental in shaping Loftus Bradford’s evolution from a founder-led boutique to a globally trusted executive search partner. Her leadership style blends strategic clarity with “unreasonable hospitality ”—an unwavering commitment to going above and beyond for clients, candidates, and colleagues alike.

Under Zara’s guidance, our team has grown to represent more than 10 nationalities and continues to thrive. We remain focused on what matters: delivering exceptional service, staying true to our values, and keeping humanity at the heart of everything we do.

Excellence with Empathy

At Loftus Bradford, we believe you can be both driven and deeply human. We work hard, push through complexity, and hold ourselves to the highest standards while never losing sight of the people behind every placement. It’s this balance that sets us apart and why clients and candidates keep coming back.

Looking for your next great leader? Let’s start the conversation.