Choosing the right executives can make or break any company. That makes the executive search process a consequential undertaking. Therefore, it makes sense to outsource the process to a specialist. Fortunately, there are countless executive search firms that UK businesses can entrust the process to. But how can decision-makers select the right one?
Here’s an overview of the top seven executive search firms operating in the UK today. We’ll even cover the strengths of each that explain their ranking on our list. Let’s get started.
What Are the Best Executive Search Firms in the UK for Senior Leadership Hiring?
1. Odgers
Once known as Odgers Berndtson, the recently-renamed Odgers has one of the longest track records for executive placement success in the UK. They have over 50 years of experience, and that shows in their results. The firm leverages its mature industry networks to identify candidates that other executive search firms might overlook.
With a global network encompassing over 60 offices worldwide, Odgers can access talent outside the UK with ease. Odgers also boasts 50 specialised sectors, each with dedicated teams. They’re also the largest executive search firm in the UK, which helps cement their position at the top of this list.
2. Novoexec
Novoexec occupies a somewhat unique space within the UK executive search sphere. That’s because they employ a decidedly research-heavy approach to executive recruitment. That gives them exceptional insight into the industries they serve.
It also helps them build talent pools that include many off-market candidates whom other firms often struggle to identify. Plus, the Novoexec leadership team has impressive depth of experience, with the majority boasting over 20 years’ experience leading successful executive search campaigns.
As a result, Novoexec has an extraordinary client success rate. At present, a full 75% of the firm’s assignments come from long-term clients. That’s a level of repeat business that indicates high placement satisfaction and excellent client relationship management.
3. Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry isn’t just an executive search firm. It’s a pioneer in the field of leadership science. It uses its internally developed Leadership Architect™ framework to rate candidates and guide searches. It consists, among other things, of 38 behaviour-based competencies that the firm’s curated data indicates have high correlations with leadership success.
Interestingly, Korn Ferry doesn’t insist on keeping its methodologies locked in a black box. They’re one of the few executive search firms that publish extensive research to back up their methods. That makes them an ideal partner for UK firms that want extra insight into their executive selection processes.
4. Russell Reynolds Associates
Russell Reynolds Associates is a multinational executive search firm with a strong UK presence. It specialises in finding candidates to help businesses navigate complex challenges. That includes leadership for businesses under active regulatory or investor pressure, or firms facing technological disruption.
They’re well-known for their talent and leadership development capabilities, making them an excellent long-term partner for firms undergoing leadership transitions. They also boast an almost unheard-of 96% client satisfaction score, which few competitors can equal.
5. Egon Zehnder
Founded in 1964, Egon Zehnder is a global executive search firm with a major presence in the UK. In fact, its London office is its largest worldwide, giving the firm local resources few competitors can match. The firm prides itself on its staff of consultants with real-world industry experience. Their industry specialists often leverage their own contact networks to find candidates others might overlook.
As a company, Egon Zehnder focuses on human-centric solutions that advance their company goal of developing what it calls “leadership for a better world.”
6. Heidrick & Struggles
Heidrick & Struggles is one of the UK’s leading executive search firms, specialising in C-suite and board member placement. In fact, their London office focuses exclusively on executive and leadership recruitment.
They are major believers in diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as purpose-driven culture transformations. That makes Heidrick & Struggles a top choice for businesses in need of interim leadership while navigating major cultural shifts.
Their laser focus on upper management roles makes them ideal for recruiting such executives. However, their relatively narrow service breadth in the UK prevents Heidrick & Struggles from ranking higher on our list.
7. Perrett Laver
Unlike the other executive search firms on this list, Perrett Laver isn’t a multi-industry recruiting specialist. However, their areas of focus are somewhat unique, making them well worth inclusion on this list. Perrett Laver specialises in executive recruitment for higher education, social impact, environmental, and research organisations. They employ a cross-sector search methodology that few other executive search firms can duplicate.
Their focus is on identifying unconventional candidates with a mix of private sector, nonprofit, and academic experience. In other words, they find candidates that other firms may pass over by design. They also operate in over 70 countries, giving them an extraordinary global footprint.
Your Search Is Over
Businesses in the UK have a near-endless list of options to assist with their executive search needs. However, as the saying goes, the cream certainly rises to the top. The executive search firms detailed above have proven themselves capable, especially in their core disciplines. All have a multi-decade track record to prove it.
Any one of them would make a perfect partner to help identify, recruit, and onboard the perfect fit for a business’s executive openings. Depending on the specific industry and need, there’s certain to be a match among these seven high-performance executive search specialists.
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