Executive Search · APAC · Malaysia & Hong Kong

Revolutionize
Recruiting.

Xircle Talent places impactful leaders faster and smarter by leveraging AI-powered insights and two decades of APAC network depth.

Talk to us → Our services

20+

Years in search

30+

Countries placed

HK·MY

APAC offices

40+

Leadership hires

What We Do

Tailored search across APAC.

We take a small number of mandates at a time. Every search is led personally by a director. We find the right person — not the fastest available one.

01 — Executive Search

C-Level Recruitment

End-to-end retained search for MD, VP, Director, and C-suite appointments. We map the market, approach passive talent, and deliver a shortlist you can actually hire from.

CEOCTOCFOCOOVP & Director

02 — Technical Hiring

Technical Leadership

Senior engineers, project directors, and technical heads in construction, data centres, and AI infrastructure — roles where the wrong hire costs millions.

EngineeringData CentreConstructionAI Infra

03 — Candidate Representation

Career Advisory

We don't just submit your CV — we advocate for your fit, your terms, and your future with companies we believe are worth your time.

Career StrategyPositioningNegotiation

04 — Market Expansion

APAC Market Entry

Building a new team in Malaysia, Hong Kong, or Southeast Asia? We have built markets from scratch for global firms. We know how to find foundational hires.

MalaysiaHong KongSEA

Construction & Engineering

Data Centre & AI Infrastructure

Real Estate & Private Equity

Technology & Hypergrowth

C-Suite & Executive Search

Financial Services

Malaysia · Hong Kong · Southeast Asia

Construction & Engineering

Data Centre & AI Infrastructure

Real Estate & Private Equity

Technology & Hypergrowth

C-Suite & Executive Search

Financial Services

Malaysia · Hong Kong · Southeast Asia

Our DNA

We're here to rewrite
the rules of search.

Most firms optimise for speed and volume — twenty CVs, one offer, move on. At Xircle, we built our practice on the conviction that the right hire, placed with genuine understanding of both sides, changes everything.

Precise

Every match is deliberate. We don't send 20 CVs hoping one sticks. We send the right one — because we took the time to understand both sides first.

Connected

Our network is built on 12+ years of real relationships across APAC — not scraped from a database. We reach the people who aren't on the market yet.

Straight

We tell candidates what others won't. We tell employers what they need to hear. Comfortable lies serve no one — radical honesty is how we protect both sides.

Why Xircle

"Most firms hire for networks. We hire for the person — character, drive, and genuine fit."

30+

Countries hired

Founded by Victor Lem, Xircle Talent leverages a unique blend of Wall Street financial expertise and deep-tier recruitment leadership to drive growth for organizations across Asia. We specialize in localizing Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies for hypergrowth companies, ensuring that global ambitions translate into local success.

Deep Industry Expertise: Our team brings 30+ years of combined experience in Executive Search, focusing on AI, Data Centers, Private Equity, and Financial Services.

Proven Global Scale: We played a foundational role in scaling stealth mode unicorn across 30+ countries and have successfully steered multiple stealth startups through critical GTM phases.

Strategic Leadership: Led by Victor Lem's decade of experience in strategic recruitment, we provide the talent and the roadmap necessary for sustainable hypergrowth.

Victor Lem

Founder & Director · Xircle Talent

Full story →

How We Work

No shortcuts.
No exceptions.

We Listen First

Every engagement starts with a real conversation — not a form. We need to know the person and the company, not just the brief.

We Search Deliberately

We don't blast job boards. Our network was built over 12 years — we reach the right people, many of whom aren't actively looking yet.

We're Straight With You

We'll tell you when a fit isn't right. Honest feedback isn't comfortable — but it's how we protect both sides of every placement.

We Stay Accountable

The placement isn't the finish line. We check in, follow up, and measure success by whether the match actually works two years later.

Results

Results that still hold
two years on.

Every placement is a long-term commitment. We measure success not at signing, but when we check in two years later and the match still works.

Xircle didn't send me ten options. They sent me one — and it was exactly right. Victor understood what I actually needed before I'd finished explaining it.

Ahmad R.

CTO · Series B Startup

He told me straight that my CV positioning was wrong. It stung — then I had three offers in six weeks. I'll take that trade every single time.

Sarah T.

VP Engineering · FinTech

We needed a COO who could actually build, not just manage. Victor understood that difference immediately. The placement has been transformative — still is.

Marcus L.

CEO · Regional Tech Group

Insights

From the field.

All insights →

Market Intel

Why APAC's data centre boom is creating a senior talent crisis

Demand for project directors and technical heads in the DC sector has outpaced supply 3:1. What that means for your hiring timeline.

Candidates

The CV positioning mistakes costing senior professionals the right roles

After 12 years reviewing senior CVs, these are the patterns that quietly close doors before you've had the first conversation.

Employers

Expanding into Malaysia or Hong Kong? Avoid these first-hire mistakes

The foundational hires in a new market carry everything. Here's what companies consistently get wrong — and how to fix it before it costs you.

Get Started

Your next move starts with
a straight conversation.

No forms. No automated replies. A real conversation with someone who's been on every side of this industry.

I'm an employer → I'm a candidate

Our Story

The Vision Behind Xircle

Xircle was founded by Victor Lem to bridge the gap between high-level financial strategy and the complex reality of global expansion. By combining the discipline of Wall Street with a decade of leadership in strategic recruitment, Xircle localizes Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies for hypergrowth companies across Asia and beyond.

Meet the Founder

Victor Lem

Founder & Director · Xircle Talent

From Wall Street to Global Scale

Victor began his career as a Wall Street Financial Advisor in New York City. As an MDRT-qualified professional with a background in Actuarial Science and Economics, he was trained to prioritize client-first advisory — a discipline he brought to the recruitment industry in 2014.

After becoming a top biller at a leading UK-listed recruitment firm and pioneering new market entries across Southeast Asia, Victor moved into the heart of hypergrowth. At a stealth mode Silicon Valley company, he led to hire 500+ people across 30+ countries, placing C-suite executives and senior leadership across the US, China, Saudi Arabia, Europe, and Mexico.

The Xircle Standard: Impact Across APAC

Today, the team at Xircle leverages over 30 years of collective experience to drive meaningful placements across the APAC region. We specialize in Executive Search for high-stakes sectors, including AI, Data Centers, Private Equity, and Financial Services.

Our philosophy is built on a modern mandate: to be empowered by AI, not replaced by it. We use cutting-edge technology to enhance our speed and precision, ensuring that human intuition remains the primary driver behind every strategic hire. We don't just fill roles; we provide the talent and the roadmap necessary for sustainable growth.

Strategic Scaling — Led global in-house hiring for stealth mode Silicon Valley company, scaling the organization by 500+ hires across 30+ countries.

Market Leadership — Recognized as a top biller for a premier UK-listed firm; instrumental in building market presence from the ground up across Malaysia and Vietnam.

Financial Discipline — Former Wall Street Financial Advisor and MDRT Qualifier.

Academic Excellence — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Magna Cum Laude (Actuarial Science & Economics).

Sector Expertise — Specializing in GTM for stealth startups and established leaders in AI, Real Estate, and Private Equity.

"Xircle exists because great talent should never be treated as inventory. We combine data-driven AI empowerment with the deep human listening required to match expertise with long-term security." — Victor Lem, Founder & Director

View on LinkedIn →

What We Stand For

Why Xircle?

Great hiring is not linear — it is circular. The candidate you place today becomes the client who hires with you tomorrow. Every connection matters. None is wasted.

30+ Years of Expertise

Our collective recruitment experience spans Executive Search across AI, Data Centers, Private Equity, and Financial Services.

Proven GTM Strategy

Proven Go-to-Market strategy for hypergrowth and stealth startups — we've scaled organizations from zero to 500+ hires across 30+ countries.

Global Reach, Local Roots

Deep local roots across APAC and EMEA, with the networks and insight to place leadership that actually fits the market.

AI-Empowered Methodology

We are empowered by AI, not replaced by it — cutting-edge technology enhances our speed and precision without sacrificing the human touch.

Work With Us

Ready to hire right?
Let's talk.

No retainer required for an initial conversation. Just a straight discussion about what you need and whether we're the right fit.

Get in touch → Our services

For Employers

Senior search.
No shortcuts.

We take a small number of mandates at a time — because quality and attention cannot be scaled. Every search is led personally by a director. We find the right person, not the fastest available one.

01 — Executive Search

Executive & C-Suite Search

End-to-end retained search for MD, VP, Director, and C-suite appointments. We map the market, approach passive talent, and deliver a shortlist you can actually hire from.

Full market mapping before candidate approach

Passive candidate outreach from day one

Director-led from brief to offer

RetainedC-SuiteAPAC-wide

02 — Technical Hiring

Technical Leadership Hiring

Specialist search for senior engineers, project directors, and technical heads in construction, data centre, and AI infrastructure — roles where the wrong hire costs millions.

Deep sector knowledge in construction & data centres

Technical vetting by someone who understands the role

Access to passive talent not on the open market

ConstructionData CentreEngineeringAI Infra

03 — Market Expansion

Market Expansion Hiring

Building a new team in Malaysia, Hong Kong, or Southeast Asia? We have done it four times with global firms. We know how to find the right first hires who build culture, not just headcount.

Established networks across MY, HK & SEA

Compensation benchmarking for new markets

Foundational hire strategy & advisory

MalaysiaHong KongSEA Expansion

04 — Advisory

Talent Strategy Advisory

For companies planning significant headcount growth or entering new APAC markets. We advise on org design, compensation benchmarking, and talent market intelligence before the search begins.

Org design consulting before the first search

Real-time APAC talent market intelligence

Hiring roadmap & workforce planning

AdvisoryMarket IntelOrg Design

Ready to hire right?

Tell us about the role.
We'll be honest about whether we can help.

No retainer required for an initial conversation. Just a straight discussion about the role and what it takes to fill it properly.

Brief us → Meet the team

For Candidates

Your next move deserves more than a database.

We work with a select group of senior professionals at any given time. If we approach you, it is because we believe the opportunity is genuinely right for where you are going — not just where you have been.

How We Work With You

A process built around you, not our quota.

Confidential conversation first

We start by understanding your goals, not just your CV. What does the right next role actually look like — not just the title, but the mission, the culture, the growth?

Honest market context

We give you a real read on compensation, demand, and what employers are actually looking for right now — information you can't get from job boards alone.

Introductions that make sense

We only introduce you to opportunities that fit — not everything on our books. Your time and reputation matter. We have turned down placements because the fit wasn't right.

Support through to offer and beyond

Briefings, interview prep, feedback, offer negotiation, notice period planning. We stay in it with you until you are settled — and often well beyond the start date.

Our Promise to Candidates

What you can always expect from us.

Honesty

The truth, even when it stings

If your CV is positioned wrong, we'll tell you. If the salary you're targeting isn't realistic for the role, we'll tell you. If an opportunity isn't right, we won't push it.

Discretion

Complete confidentiality

Your CV will never be sent without your explicit permission. Your current employer will never hear from us. Your search is your business, not an announcement.

Respect

Your time is not filler

We don't arrange introductions for volume. Every conversation we set up is one we believe is genuinely worth your time — and we'll explain exactly why before you walk in.

Exploring what's next?

Send us a brief note.
Everything is confidential.

Tell us where you are and what you are open to. No commitment, no spam — just a real conversation if the timing and opportunity are right.

Get in touch →

Revolutionize Recruiting.