International executive search firm Pedersen & Partners has opened its first US office in Houston, one of the country’s oil capitals.

The Houston office is the firm’s sixth in the Americas but first in the US.

The company’s chief operating officer and partner Darcie Murray will be based in the office as the new head of North America. She has worked for the firm since 2006 and will return to the US after working in Europe for the past 10 years. She will also manage the Canadian office.

She is joined by the firm’s North America head of energy Chris Barrett and client partner David Sanchez.