Kyra Valjalo

Kyra Valjalo is a Principal/Senior Consultant at Stanton Chase Johannesburg. She brings over two decades of executive search excellence to Stanton Chase, having been a driving force in the African executive search landscape since 2002. Most recently, she established and successfully led the Southern Africa division for a prominent international executive search firm, where she orchestrated complex, cross-border assignments spanning South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria.

Known for her comprehensive approach to executive search, Kyra expertly manages the entire client engagement lifecycle—from initial strategic briefings through successful candidate placement. Her collaborative leadership style was exemplified in her work with international research teams, where she provided critical local market intelligence while maintaining global search standards. Her hands-on approach to candidate management, encompassing initial engagement through final offer negotiations, has consistently delivered exceptional results for both clients and candidates.

Kyra’s industry expertise spans multiple high-growth sectors, with particular strength in consumer products and services, life sciences (including pharmaceutical and medical device sectors), industrial, and manufacturing. Her foundation in information technology, built through her entrepreneurial experience founding and managing her own IT search firm and serving as General Manager of a leading IT recruitment company, adds valuable technical insight to her search capabilities.

Her educational foundation includes a German Abitur from the German International School in Johannesburg and a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication from the University of Johannesburg. Kyra’s multilingual capabilities—fluent in English, German, Swiss German, and Afrikaans—enable her to serve diverse client needs across Africa’s dynamic markets.

Kyra’s understanding of African business dynamics, combined with her proven track record of building successful search practices, positions her to deliver exceptional value to Stanton Chase clients seeking senior leadership talent across the continent.