Jayde Stokes is a Partner at Omera Partners specialising in interim executive search. She works with our clients to identify and place high-calibre interim executives at the Chief Executive and senior leadership level, bringing immediate access to the right talent and the judgment to match capability to culture under time pressure. Her networks are national, with particular depth across Western Australia built through a decade of living and working there, and strong coverage across Victoria and the broader southern regions of Australia.

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What are the biggest challenges your clients face in finding senior talent?

“Many organisations try to redistribute workload across existing leaders when an executive departs unexpectedly. It is a well-intentioned instinct that usually leads to burnout and slows the permanent search. An experienced interim executive removes that pressure immediately, buying the organisation the time and headspace to hire the right person for the long term.”

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Which industries or functions do you specialise in?

"Interim management is industry agnostic. I have appointed leaders across industrial and heavy industry, manufacturing, construction, infrastructure, defence, engineering, energy and resources, financial services, government, not-for-profit, and technology. I work with established organisations and high-growth businesses at scale, appointing across the full C-suite and senior leadership, from Chief Executives and Managing Directors through to General Managers, Directors, and Heads of function."

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What types of appointments are you most proud of?

“The appointments I am most proud of tend to involve an unexpected fit, where the right person turns out to be someone the client had not considered. I take particular satisfaction in appointing female executives into traditionally male-dominated industries, and in the lateral moves that demonstrate what interim management does at its best.”

For example, a large manufacturing organisation required a Chief Financial Officer on a six-month interim basis to restructure its finance function during a period of significant organisational change. Jayde identified and placed a candidate whose technical credentials and change leadership capability proved immediately effective. What began as a short-term engagement proved such a strong fit that the organisation converted the role to a permanent appointment, turning a six-month solution into a long-term appointmetnt.

As Jayde reflects: "That is the mark of a great interim appointment. The right person, appointed at the right moment, leaves the organisation in a stronger position than they found it. In a transformative environment, that means someone who can drive real change at pace, with the credibility to bring people with them."

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How do you build trust with both clients and candidates?

“Trust comes from doing what you say you will do, every time. Having worked client-side myself, I understand the internal pressures and nuances my clients are navigating, which means I manage both the process and the people more effectively. At this level, hard skills are a given. The real work is getting the culture and personal fit right.”

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“To me, greatness is found in the moments that matter most, when an organisation needs the right leader urgently, and you find them. It is about building genuine relationships with clients and candidates, and having the judgment to know who will deliver when the pressure is on."

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What keeps you energised outside of work?

“My daughter and her sporting commitments keep me busy, as does my own training. I am at BFT most mornings, I am building toward my next running milestone, and I have completed three Hyrox competitions. When I am not training, you will find me at the beach with my dog, spending time with family and friends, or planning the next trip.”