Executive Search Practice
Retained, research-led executive search for boards, private equity sponsors and global enterprises — delivered with the rigor, discretion and market intelligence that consequential leadership decisions demand.
What Is Executive Search
Executive search is the specialist practice of identifying, assessing and attracting senior leaders for roles where the consequence of a mis-hire is measured in market capitalization, missed strategy or organizational trust.
Unlike contingency recruitment — which relies on active jobseekers and volume — retained executive search is an exclusive, research-led engagement. We map the entire universe of qualified leaders, approach them confidentially, evaluate them against a defined competency framework, and present a curated shortlist accountable to the outcome.
Our craft sits at the intersection of behavioral science, market intelligence and discretion. It is the way world-class organizations make their most important people decisions.
Why Companies Choose Retained Search
The most compelling executives are rarely on the market. We open discreet dialogue with leaders who would never respond to a job posting.
Independent, evidence-based evaluation removes bias and internal politics from your most consequential hiring decisions.
Sensitive succession, turnaround and pre-transaction searches conducted under strict information controls.
A worldwide research network with deep sector intelligence across 40+ markets.
Retained mandates typically deliver a curated shortlist within four to six weeks — without compromising rigor.
94% two-year retention on placed executives. We are accountable for long-term leadership performance, not just the hire.
Our Executive Search Process
We spend the first week immersed in your strategy, culture and stakeholder landscape — defining the mandate before defining the candidate.
Dedicated research teams map the full universe of qualified executives across geographies, competitors and adjacent industries.
Discreet, senior-led approaches to a longlist of leaders, calibrated against your competency framework and cultural profile.
Structured competency interviews, leadership assessment, deep referencing and — where relevant — psychometric evaluation.
Three to five extensively vetted finalists presented with full evaluation dossiers, references and market context.
We advise on offer structure, closing the candidate, and the first 100 days — where most executive hires succeed or fail.
Modes of Engagement
An exclusive, research-led engagement for C-suite, board and mission-critical leadership roles. Fixed retainer, fully transparent methodology, and a rigorously curated shortlist.
For succession planning, incumbent replacement or pre-transaction hires. Conducted under coded mandates, NDAs and strict information partitioning.
Beyond the Search
Our search practice is underpinned by a suite of advisory capabilities that organizations engage individually — or as intelligence layered onto every mandate.
Structured evaluation of internal and external candidates against defined leadership competencies, delivered as a written dossier for board and CEO review.
Team-level diagnostics of your existing leadership bench — capabilities, gaps, succession readiness and cultural alignment.
Deep-dive research on specific individuals: career trajectory, verified achievements, reputation intelligence and off-record references.
A complete competitive view of leadership talent in your sector — org charts, compensation benchmarks and mobility signals.
Long-horizon pipelines of future leaders across critical functions, ready to activate when a role opens or a strategy shifts.
Board-level advisory on CEO and C-suite succession — internal candidate benchmarking against the external market.
Positions We Recruit
We concentrate our mandates on the roles where executive quality disproportionately determines organizational outcomes.
Industries Served
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical retained search runs 10 to 14 weeks from mandate confirmation to signed offer. Shortlist delivery usually occurs within 4 to 6 weeks. Highly specialized or cross-border mandates may extend beyond this range.
Retained search is an exclusive, research-driven engagement with a fixed professional fee, dedicated resources, and full accountability for outcomes. Contingency is speculative and volume-driven — inappropriate for confidential senior mandates.
Every mandate operates under a coded project name, signed NDAs on both sides, partitioned research files, and blind-briefed candidate approaches. Your identity is disclosed only at final stages with written consent.
Yes. If a placed executive departs — voluntarily or otherwise — within 12 months, we conduct a replacement search at no additional professional fee.
We recruit across Manufacturing, Mining, Engineering, Construction, Energy, Healthcare, Technology and Financial Services, with active mandates across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
Retained search is billed in three milestone payments across the engagement — engagement, shortlist and placement. All fees are agreed in writing before work begins, with no success-fee inflation.
Begin an Engagement
Speak with our senior partners about a retained mandate, succession plan or leadership assessment. All initial discussions are held under strict confidence.
