Who We Are
The Downing Network is intentionally lean. Every search is led by the partner you engage, from the first conversation through to appointment and beyond. You deal directly with the people responsible for your search, and you will find us straightforward, responsive and easy to work with.
Our roots trace back to Downing Teal, one of the longest-standing names in Australian executive search. John Downing founded The Downing Network in 2023 to return to a principal-led model: experienced partners, direct relationships, and personal accountability for every assignment.
Our role is to give clients informed judgement, not simply execute a brief. If the role needs reshaping, the remuneration or expectation do not align with the market reality, we will say so early. When we assess candidates, you receive a balanced view of both strengths and development areas.
We have spent decades placing leaders in organisations where delivery is difficult and the consequences of leadership decisions are significant. We are not interested in being the loudest voice in the market. We would rather be known by the quality of the leaders we have placed and the relationships we have built over time.
Meet the people behind The Downing Network.
Ivan Vujicic
Managing PartnerIvan has spent close to twenty years in executive search, starting at Downing Teal in 2008 and returning to the network in 2026 after senior roles with international search firms, most recently as a Principal with one of the global majors. His work sits in mining, resources and capital-intensive project delivery, placing operational and project leaders for owners and contractors across Australia and Asia Pacific.
His counselling and psychology qualification shapes how he assesses people. Less weight on interview polish, more on how someone actually thinks and operates under pressure.
Searches don't always run to script. Markets are thin, briefs shift, good candidates say no. Ivan's reputation is built on the ones that were hard, staying on the problem until the right person is found rather than the available one. He is known for straight answers and thorough work.
Michael Freis
Senior PartnerMichael leads our construction and infrastructure work from Melbourne. Before search, he sat on the client side of the table, including buy-side work with John Holland. He's assessed leaders as the person who had to live with the appointment, and it changed how he does this job.
That experience shows up in his shortlists. Less weight on presentation, more on delivery history, and a practised eye for the difference between someone who was near a successful project and someone who drove it. Contractors and owners tend to trust him quickly because he speaks their language and doesn't waste their time.
He has placed senior leaders across contractors, developers and infrastructure operators through Australia's east coast markets.
John Downing
Founding DirectorJohn founded The Downing Network in 2023, decades into a search career built in Australian resources and industrial markets. His name has been part of the industry for a long time. Downing Teal, where the story starts, remains one of the longest-standing names in resources search, and the affiliate network that grew from it still carries his fingerprints across Asia Pacific and Latin America.
What sets John apart is time. Many of his relationships began with project engineers he met early in their careers and stayed close to as they became general managers and managing directors. He's watched a generation of leaders develop from the ground up, which gives his read on candidates a depth that can't be shortcut.
Clients keep coming back for the same two things. Honest views, and judgement about people that's been right often enough, for long enough, to trust.