Best 17 Recruiters for UX, UI and Product Design Talent
Explore a curated list of the top recruiters & headhunters specializing in UX / UI roles. Connect with the best professionals in the design industry. ↓
Below is a curated list of top recruiters specializing in UX/UI, product design, and related creative fields. Each person is known for their influence, successful placements, high visibility on social media, and deep expertise in design recruitment.
- Lou Adler
- Amy Jackson
- Joanne Weaver
- Mona Patel
- David Sims
- Judy Wert
- Matt Beamish
- Be Kaler Pilgrim
- Katrina Collier
- Hung Lee
- Andy Budd
- Meg Rye
- Carl Wheatley
- Nick Cochrane
- Kristina Holysheva
- Nao Madison
- Adam Perlis
Each entry includes a brief explanation of why they are among the best, followed by their social media profiles.
Lou Adler
Nationality: American
Lou is the CEO of The Adler Group & Recruiting Guru.
He is a legend in recruitment with over 30 years of experience and author of “Hire With Your Head.” He pioneered Performance-based Hiring and has trained 40,000+ recruiters in best practices. Lou’s methods for assessing talent are widely used to hire top designers and creatives. His thought leadership (Inc., WSJ, etc.) continues to influence hiring strategies globally.
- LinkedIn: Lou Adler
Amy Jackson
Nationality: American
The key to great UX recruitment is not just finding a skill set, but understanding the passion behind the design.
Amy is the Founder of Amy Jackson Talent (Design Recruitment).
With 25+ years of UX/UI recruiting experience, Amy was arguably the first dedicated UX recruiter in the U.S.. Based in Boston (serving Bay Area startups), she’s lauded for her large network and genuine love of the design community. Amy specializes in placing design leaders and has a reputation for finding “hidden gem” candidates.
- LinkedIn: Amy Jackson
Joanne Weaver
Nationality: American
Joanne is the President & “World’s Best UX Recruiter 2018.”
She founded The Joanne Weaver Group, one of NYC’s first UX/product design recruitment firms. She has 15+ years in UX staffing and was voted World’s Best UX Recruiter in a global UX community poll. Joanne is renowned for placing mid-to-VP level designers and for her deep involvement in the UX scene (she even co-runs a music career on the side).
- LinkedIn: Joanne Weaver
- Website/Blog: joanneweavergroup.com
Mona Patel
Nationality: American
Mona is the Founder of Motivate Design & UX Hires.
Mona is a UX industry veteran who spun off UX Hires from her design agency to meet booming demand for UX talent. Her innovative approach (she was “disrupting before it was cool”) and 100K+ network have built UX Hires into a 7-figure recruiting business. Mona’s thought leadership (author of Reframe) and mentoring of UX professionals also set her apart.
- LinkedIn: Mona Patel
David Sims
Nationality: British
The best UX talent doesn’t just fit a job description; they transform how people interact with technology.
David is the UX Recruiting Lead at Salt (UK).
David was the winner of World’s Best UX Recruiter 2017 for his success in placing UX, CX, and service design professionals. Based in London, he has a decade of experience matching designers with top companies, leveraging Salt’s global network. David’s peers recognize his deep understanding of what makes design hires successful.
- LinkedIn: David Sims
Judy Wert
Nationality: American
Judy is the Co-founder of Wert & Co. (Design Executive Search).
She has over two decades of experience recruiting top-tier designers and design leaders for Fortune 500s and startups. Often dubbed “the best design recruiter in the country”, she’s placed the top 1% of design talent worldwide. Judy’s influence spans coaching design careers and podcasting about design leadership hiring.
- LinkedIn: Judy Wert
Matt Beamish
Nationality: American
Matt is a Senior UX Recruiter (ex-Home Depot), Atlanta.
Matt earned the title of World’s Best UX Recruiter 2016 (via UXswitch) and has ~10K followers on LinkedIn. He has recruited UX talent both in-house and through agencies, and is known for his user-centric hiring approach. Matt’s recognition underscores his ability to connect with designers and consistently deliver great hires.
- LinkedIn: Matt Beamish
Be Kaler Pilgrim
Nationality: British
Be is the Co-Founder of Futureheads (UK).
With nearly 20 years in digital recruitment, Be developed an early specialism in UX and design hiring. She built Futureheads into a B Corp certified agency known for its candidate-centric approach. Be is a respected mentor and has advised industry bodies (BIMA), underscoring her influence in nurturing design careers.
- LinkedIn: Be Kaler Pilgrim
Katrina Collier
Nationality: British
Katrina is a Global Recruitment Trainer & Author.
Katrina is known as “The Robot-Proof Recruiter” for her human-centric hiring approach. With 20 years in talent acquisition, she has trained recruiters worldwide (agency and in-house) to improve candidate engagement. Katrina’s no-nonsense advice and social recruiting expertise make her a must-know voice for hiring in creative fields.
- LinkedIn: Katrina Collier
- Website/Blog: katrinacollier.com
Hung Lee
Nationality: British
Hung is the Editor of Recruiting Brainfood.
He is an industry thought leader who has redefined how recruiters learn and share knowledge. With 15+ years from agency recruiting to Head of Talent, he now runs the hugely popular Brainfood newsletter. Hung’s weekly insights (on LinkedIn and in Brainfood) challenge recruiters to think differently – benefiting anyone hiring UX or product designers in a modern way.
- LinkedIn: Hung Lee
Andy Budd
Nationality: British
Andy is a Design Advisor & Talent Scout.
He co-founded Clearleft (a renowned UX agency) and now focuses on placing and coaching design leaders. He is frequently asked by startups to help find their first designers. Andy’s 20+ years in design, plus his content (Medium, conferences) on hiring and design culture, give him unique credibility in recruiting design leadership talent.
- LinkedIn: Andy Budd
Meg Rye
Nationality: American
Meg is the Founder of Good Maven (Design Recruiting & Coaching).
She has been at the center of the global design community for 20+ years. Formerly with Meta’s design hiring, she launched Good Maven to build ambitious design teams. Meg comes highly recommended for UX/UI and product design recruitment, especially in the U.S. Northeast. She is praised for empathetic yet strategic recruiting – “delivering the hire every time.”
- LinkedIn: Meg Rye
Carl Wheatley
Nationality: British
Carl is a Product Design Recruiter at Meta.
A former UX designer himself, Carl has several years of design recruiting experience and regularly publishes career advice for designers. He’s contributed tips on Dribbble’s blog and Medium, helping new UX grads land jobs. Carl’s insider perspective (hiring for Meta) and active Medium blog with job search hacks make him a go-to voice for UX job seekers.
- LinkedIn: Carl Wheatley
- X (Twitter): @wheatleycarl1
Nick Cochrane
Nationality: British
Nick is the Founder of Zebra People (UK).
He launched Europe’s first specialist UX recruitment agency back in 2001. With 20+ years in digital hiring, he’s an industry pioneer who emphasizes expert consultants and community support. Nick co-founded events like UX People and even India’s first UX conference, reflecting his thought leadership in the design hiring sphere.
- LinkedIn: Nick Cochrane
- X (Twitter): @uxvoyeur
Kristina Holysheva
Nationality: Ukrainian
Kristina is the Founder & Lead UX Recruiter at Hirey.
She leads Hirey, a boutique agency that builds design teams worldwide. With 8+ years placing designers at companies like Google and Wix, she’s known for expertly matching candidates to company needs. Kristina is active in sharing hiring tips (she even offers a “UX Hiring 101” guide) and is trusted by design leaders for her results.
- LinkedIn: Kristina Holysheva
Nao Madison
Nationality: American
Nao is the Founder of Triibe Talent (USA).
Nao has 15+ years supporting the UX community and runs Triibe Talent, a boutique UX/creative recruitment agency in Florida. She is celebrated for ethically connecting designers with roles and even provides free resources (e.g. Medium articles with job-hunt tips). Nao’s human-centered, “community building” ethos in recruiting makes her a standout.
- LinkedIn: Nao Madison
Adam Perlis
Nationality: American
Adam is the Founder of Academy UX.
He is a UX luminary (former TIME Magazine and AKQA design lead) who now helms Academy UX, a specialized UX recruiting firm. He applies his rich design background to guide organizations in hiring top 1% design talent. Under Adam’s leadership, Academy UX pre-vets thousands of UX professionals to fill roles in as fast as 1–3 weeks.
- LinkedIn: Adam Perlis
Wrap Up
These highly regarded recruiters have played a key role in shaping the UX, UI, and product design landscape by sourcing top-tier talent, driving innovation, and contributing to the growth of leading design teams. However, working directly with these experts can often be difficult, as they are typically in high demand or come at a premium.
A more accessible option is collaborating with EchoGlobal, where our industry expertise and vast global network ensure you are connected with the right design talent to fuel your growth.
Note: We’ve dedicated significant time and effort to creating and verifying this curated list of top professionals. However, if you believe a correction or addition is needed, feel free to reach out. We’ll gladly review and update the page.
Lou Reverchuk