As a senior member of the firm’s CEO/Board practice, he has oversight of the Consumer, Retail & E-commerce, Industrial, Financial Services, Media & Entertainment and Private Equity practices in the New Zealand region. His functional expertise includes CEO, Board, CFO, CMO, CSO, CCO and CHRO.

Simon has held senior leadership positions in both local and international firms in New Zealand and Australia. These organisations included Amrop International, subsequently acquired by TMP Worldwide Executive Search (Highland Partners), where Simon held the role of Managing Partner based in Sydney.

Simon co-founded leadership advisory firm RENTONJAMES, which was acquired by Heidrick & Struggles International in 2007 with Simon appointed Managing Partner until his departure in 2014.  Following a transitional period with CT Partners, Simon and his team were awarded the founding licence for Caldwell New Zealand in 2015. Simon and the team subsequently built it into one of the leading executive search practices in New Zealand.

In 2022, as part of its targeted growth strategy, Johnson Partners acquired Caldwell New Zealand, whilst at the same time becoming an Alliance Partner of Caldwell globally.

Simon holds both a Bachelor of Laws and Master of Business Administration from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.