Overview
May Knight is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Hong Kong office and leads the Financial Services Practice in Asia and its consulting work.
With more than 30 years of experience in operational leadership, consulting, and P&L management, May helps organizations grow their businesses, improve performance, develop leaders, plan for CEO succession, and lead complex transformations.
Experience
Previously, May was vice chair of Teneo, leading growth across Asia Pacific. She was formerly a senior partner, vice chair, and head of global financial services at a top organizational consulting and executive search firm. Before that, she led the firm’s Asia Pacific advisory business, overseeing operations across 14 markets and 28 offices. She advised clients on CEO succession, leadership development, and organizational change while managing business strategy and P&L performance.
Earlier in her career, May was managing director of financial services and head of the insurance industry group for Asia Pacific at Accenture and a partner in Ernst & Young’s financial services practice. She advised clients on strategy, organizational design, performance improvement, M&A, and business transformation.
Since 2021, May has worked as an independent non-executive director (INED) within HSBC Group for its insurance businesses, including HSBC Life International and HSBC Insurance (Asia).
In 2024, May was appointed to the main board of JTC Group PLC as an INED. She was also elected chair of the governance and risk committee and is a member of the audit, remuneration, and nomination committees.
Education
Harvard Business School, Postgraduate Studies in Business Administration
Liverpool John Moores University, MBA