Principal Search hires Burr from Heidrick

He joins as co-head of fixed income alongside Mike Chilman, a director of the firm.

Burr previously worked for the London financial services search practice of Heidrick & Struggles. Before becoming a headhunter he had six years of experience working in the capital markets.

His focus in search has been on fixed income, capital markets and investment banking globally.

Principal Search expanded rapidly after its launch in 1997. In June last year it was hit by the departure of Jason Mort, one of its directors, who specialised in structured credit, derivatives, high-yield and securitisation.

Mort took consultants Mike Hindley and David Burland with him, as well as researcher Sarah Egan, and set up rival boutique The Omerta Group.

With hindsight depressed hiring markets have meant their timing may not have been bad for Principal Search, which now looks set to re-build its business under remaining directors Chilman, Nick Williams and Taru Oksman-Ison.