Simon Foster co-leads Spencer Stuart’s search efforts in the restaurant sector and is a core member of the firm’s Hospitality & Leisure, Consumer and Financial Officer practices. Simon is a former CEO, entrepreneur, board director and trained accountant with over a decade of search experience. Simon’s clients include leading U.S. and international restaurants and retailers, private equity firms and public boards.
Global experience
- Simon is a leader in building the firm’s restaurant and franchise business with both private equity backed and public companies and has expertise in board, CEO, CFO and CMO searches in this sector.
- Simon also has expertise in recruiting financial officers and direct reports, including controller, treasurer and auditor, as well as CEOs of growth and mid-cap companies in the retail and consumer sectors.
- Prior to entering executive search, Simon was the founder and chief executive officer of SimonDelivers.com, an online grocery company based in Minnesota. From a raw startup, he grew sales to $75 million in four years.
- Previously, he spent seven years with McKinsey & Company as a senior engagement manager, focusing on specialty, general merchandise and direct retailing in the U.S., the U.K., Europe and Latin America.
Simon is the past chair of the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches and a member of the World Presidents’ Organization. He received a Bachelor of Science with first class honours in geology from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and is a qualified management accountant through the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.