DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII), a premier professional services firm serving the leadership needs of top organizations around the globe, today announced that Naji Skaf has joined the firm as a Partner in the Industrial Practice based in Dubai.

"Naji brings with him extensive leadership and management experience in the Chemical industry. He will be working closely with our global Natural Resources practice to drive client coverage in the Middle East. His understanding of the rapidly evolving and increasingly complex leadership needs facing the Natural Resources sector will bring tremendous value for our clients in the region," said Stafford Bagot, Regional Managing Partner of Heidrick & Struggles' APAC Industrial Practice.

Skaf joins Heidrick & Struggles from Gulf Cryo, a leading regional industrial gases group headquartered in Dubai, where he served as the CEO for the past five years. Previously, he was General Manager of Gulf Cryo's subsidiary, Arabian Gases, before becoming group COO. As CEO of Gulf Cryo, Skaf was credited with building the enhanced Gulf Cryo platform, entering seven new countries, acquiring ten companies, and building seven new industrial complexes.

"Heidrick & Struggles is pleased to invest in developing our already strong Dubai Industrial Practice team, which mirrors the investments being made across the Middle East in chemicals, refining and upstream oil & gas. Naji's experience leading a dominant regional player in industrial gases will be invaluable in understanding the leadership challenges facing executives driving this growth," said Mark Livingston, Global Managing Partner of Heidrick & Struggles' Natural Resources Sector. "Naji's partnership with Heidrick & Struggles colleagues around the world will further enable the firm to serve our multinational clients who are looking to grow in the region or expand beyond the GCC region into other markets."

Prior to joining Gulf Cryo, Skaf spent seven years with Air Liquide, a leading company in gases, technologies and services for Industry and Health, where he held various positions in Houston, Paris and Cairo.

Skaf holds a BSc from McGill University in Montreal, Canada and an MBA from the University of Houston. He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.

About Heidrick & Struggles

Heidrick & Struggles (NASDAQ: HSII) serves the executive talent and leadership needs of the world's top organizations as a premier provider of leadership consulting, culture-shaping and senior-level executive search services. Heidrick & Struggles pioneered the profession of executive search more than 60 years ago. Today, the firm serves as a trusted advisor, providing integrated leadership solutions and helping its clients change the world, one leadership team at a time. www.heidrick.com