Welcome to Ruston McQueen
The Story
Ruston McQueen is the pre-eminent Climate Change and Sustainability Executive Search Firm operating globally. Victoria McQueen founded the business in 2020 with the late, Ian Jenkins.
Since 2008, we have supported entrepreneurial VC and PE-backed companies, family offices, and high-growth corporates in building their non-executive boards and executive leadership teams. We began our partnership at Ruston WHEB - the pioneers in Climate Impact headhunting, hiring leaders at the forefront of driving Energy Transition through cleantech innovation.
Over the last 15 years we have built deep expertise in the policies, technologies and financial instruments that are driving this sector globally.
Current times require a fundamental shift to the way in which we go about our daily lives and protect future generations. We are facing the biggest environmental challenge that we have ever seen in both climate mitigation and adaptation. In this Decisive Decade of climate action, we are helping organisations to pursue purposeful profitability.
We have been described as disruptors in our sector who have debunked the conventional head-hunters. We operate a breakthrough business model that shares the risk with our clients whilst delivering outstanding results with unsurpassed agility.
Sectors & Track Record
Clean Energy
Chair / Independent Director, Audit Committee / Non-Executive Director - Pre-IPO Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Manufacturer
HR Director - Market-Leading Manufacturer of Hydrogen Refuelling Stations
Vice President, Europe – Demand Response Aggregator
Hydrogen Lead - South Africa Government and Anglo American JV
Chief Executive Officer – Global Wind Turbine Manufacturer
Chief Executive Officer / Country General Manager - Bioethanol Refinery in Sierra Leone
Chief Executive Officer – Fuel Cells Business
General Manager, North America – Demand Response Software Company
Non-Executive Director – Independently Owned Energy Developer
VP Sales, EMEA - Australian Hydrogen Storage Solutions Company
Chief Financial Officer - Wave Energy Technology Company
Climate Change
Executive Director, Climate & Net Zero, North America/ Principal Consultant, Finland/ Sustainability Consultant, Germany / Principal, GHG Accounting & Net Zero Lead - Certified B Corp Sustainability Activator
Chief Executive Officer - Certified B Corporation Environmental Impact Consultancy
Climate Change Director – Development Finance Institution
Asset Management Director – Sustainable Infrastructure EPC
Chief Operating Officer - Water Purification Company
Digital Economy
Global Sales Director - Cloud-Based Technology Business Offering Tracking & Governance Solutions in the Food Chain
Chief Revenue Officer/ President North America & Asia - Smart Sensors
Chief Technology Officer/ Chief Revenue Officer - WiFi Mesh & Geofencing Technology
Chief Executive Officer - BMS Business
Chief Commercial Officer – Industrial Instrumentation & Automation Products
Chief Systems Architect – Technology Innovation Centre
Chair/ Non-Executive Director - SaaS Analytics Business
Confidential - Clinical Artificial Intelligence Company
Chief Technology Officer - Big Utility Data Company
Responsible Consumption
Chief Technology Officer/ R&D Director/ Global Business Manager - Sustainable Advanced Engineered Materials Manufacturer
Chair - Sustainable Fashion Company
Chair - PE-backed LED technology Company in USA
Business Development Director - Leading Waste Management Company
Group Finance Director - Global Environmental Growing Medium Company, Natural Recycled Materials
E-Mobility
Chief Executive Officer/ Chief Commercial Officer - V2G EV Charging Company
Chief Commercial Officer – Intelligent Powertrain Electrification Company
Chair – Automotive Emissions and Battery Management Software Business
Chief Executive Officer - Rapid Charging Company
Chair - eTruck Technology Business
Non-Executive Director - Biomethane Refuelling Facilities
Chair - Smart Fuel Vehicle Developer
Nature-Based Solutions/ AgTech
Chief Executive Officer - Regenerative Farming/ Nature Based Solutions Company
Business Development & Marketing Director - Soil Carbon Measurement Company
Business Development Director – Anaerobic Digestion Developer
Non-Executive Director/ Managing Director – Integrated Waste Management Provider
Chair - Biostimulants Company
Chair - Sustainable Crop Production
Country Manager - Sugar Cane Producer
Chief Financial Officer – Organic Waste Recycler
Impact Investment
Partner – Energy Infrastructure Fund Manager
Advisor – Impact Investment Fund
Partner – Global Cleantech Fund
Chief Finance Officer/ Chief Operating Officer/ Chief Revenue Officer/ Non-Executive Director/ Managing Director, Europe - First-to-Market Ethical Fintech Company
Non-Executive Director/ Chief Technology Officer – Mobile-Only Challenger Bank
The Team
Victoria McQueen
Victoria has spent the past 16 years exclusively focused on hiring the C-suite executive and non-executive boards (NED/ Chair) for high-growth businesses in the global climate impact, sustainability and evolving “climetech” arena. She works with investors, operating companies and Certified B corporations in this space.
Victoria’s long-standing reputation as a “leading sustainability head-hunter” began in 2008 at Ruston WHEB, the story of which is told above. After they successfully sold the business, she joined a Silicon Valley headquartered search firm to lead its Cleantech Practice in EMEA. There she placed the senior management teams and main Boards on behalf of high-growth, venture capital and private equity-backed technology companies.
Her next move was to the UK’s largest executive search firm, where she led the Energy Practice, recruiting some of the most prominent Board and senior management positions in the Private and Not-for-Profit sectors.
Victoria holds a First-Class B.A. in Spanish and International Business.
Outside of her professional life, she is the proud Mum to her young daughter with whom she lives in Cheshire, along with her husband and treasured pets! She is also a strong supporter and mentor to several local charities. In her spare time, she keeps fit by walking and loves being outside in the fresh air.
Jo-Anne Cowley
Jo has over 12 years' experience in executive search and began her career in London where for six years she was responsible for the delivery of executive search mandates for start-up and multinational organisations across all corporate functions in EMEA.
It was during this period that Jo worked directly with Ian and Victoria at Ruston WHEB, focused predominantly on the Cleantech and broader technology markets. In addition, she placed senior investment professionals in principal investment firms in the environmental sector as well as built best in class executive management teams for their portfolio activities.
Jo left the UK to get married in South Africa and after a few months backpacking around the world with her husband, she was offered a role with one of the leading global executive search firms in Sydney in their Industrial practice. Over a period of four years with the firm, Jo executed C-level searches for industrial, media, entertainment, consumer and private equity clients.
Jo now lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia on three acres with her husband, two young boys, six chickens and two dogs. It was her eldest son's health issues that prompted the move and his subsequent recovery through extensive research and holistic health practices that led her to embrace her passion and a new career in holistic living. She soon joined an online Wholefoods start-up as a Partner to help launch the new business, which has gone on to become a successful disruptor in the industry.
She now consults in the wellness space and has returned to executive search to a sector she loves and where she hopes to make the most impact.
Jo holds a B.A. in Marketing and Industrial Psychology.
News & Insights
What Our Clients Say About Us
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Ian Co-Founded Ruston McQueen with Victoria in 2020. Whilst no longer here with us in person, Ian’s wisdom, energy, spark and commitment remain at the heart of our culture and ambition.
Throughout his extensive career, Ian contributed greatly to so many of the careers, technologies and investors within our industry. He was also deeply passionate about helping entrepreneurs and start-up companies, in the quest for Net Zero, to grow and be successful.
Greatly missed but never forgotten.