At Boyden, executive search means more than filling a leadership role. As a global executive search firm, we partner with organizations to identify, attract, and place the senior leaders who shape strategy and drive transformation.
Our C-level executive recruiters specialize in board-level recruitment, senior management recruitment, and global leadership recruitment across industries and regions.
With decades of experience in retained executive search, our teams bring a rare combination of industry specialization, functional expertise, and local insight with worldwide reach.
Whether you are seeking a CEO for international expansion, building a pipeline of future-ready leaders, or addressing board-level succession planning, Boyden provides executive search services designed to deliver top-tier leadership talent aligned with your culture, strategy, and vision.
Executive search is the recruitment of senior executives – at Board, C-suite and senior management level – by aligning a leader’s competencies, experience and leadership capabilities to the current and future goals of an organisation.
Executive search consultants are engaged by a client to assess the market for talent and attract the best leaders to their business.
The consulting engagement begins with a strategic review of business needs and industry trends. Then, through comprehensive and exhaustive research, appropriate leaders are identified and presented to the client organization. Ultimately, the engagement results in a recruitment offer and the provision of onboarding support for the recruited leaders. But at Boyden, it doesn’t end there. We are invested in the long-term success of our clients and the executives we help recruit.
Our partners are recognized as industry-specialist executive search consultants, bringing insights from sectors such as healthcare, financial services, private equity, technology, and consumer goods.
With offices in over 45 countries, Boyden combines a global network and local insights to reach leadership talent others cannot. This approach ensures relevance in local markets while maintaining access to a global talent pool.
At Boyden, we're proud of our deep sector and functional expertise globally to define a custom plan for every situation. Our collaboration results in solutions that not only address unique leadership needs, but also supports a client's growth at each stage. Contact us to learn more about our global boutique approach.
What is the difference between retained executive search and contingency search?
Retained and contingency search are two distinct approaches to hiring senior leaders. They differ primarily in their level of partnership, process depth, and alignment with the client’s long-term leadership goals.
Retained executive search is an exclusive engagement in which a client partners with one firm to lead the entire search process. This model is typically used for C-suite, VP, director, and other mission-critical roles where leadership fit, confidentiality, and rigorous evaluation are essential. The search team invests time in understanding the client’s strategy, culture, and leadership requirements, then conducts targeted research, market mapping, and discreet outreach to identify and assess high-calibre candidates. With full accountability for the outcome, the retained search firm delivers a disciplined, end‑to‑end process that minimises hiring risk.
Contingency search operates differently and serves different purposes. The firm is compensated only when its candidate is hired, and multiple firms may work on the same role simultaneously. This model generally relies on existing networks and active job seekers and can be effective for mid-level or time-sensitive hires that require quick access to a broad pool of candidates. However, the non-exclusive structure tends to prioritise rapid sourcing over deeper leadership assessment, making it less suited to complex, highly specialised, or high-stakes executive appointments.
In short:
Executive search and recruitment both support hiring, but they serve different purposes and use fundamentally different methods. The distinction becomes especially important when hiring senior leaders.
Recruitment focuses on attracting active candidates to apply for open roles. Organisations or agencies advertise the position, promote it through job boards or social channels, and review applications from individuals who are actively seeking new opportunities. This approach is appropriate for entry-level and mid-level roles where the talent pool is broad, timelines are shorter, and the primary goal is to generate interest from qualified applicants.
Executive search takes a different path. Rather than relying on applicants, search consultants proactively identify, assess, and engage senior executives who have the leadership capabilities, experience, and mindset required for the role. Most of these individuals are not actively seeking a new position, so the process relies on targeted research, discreet outreach, and a deep understanding of the client’s strategy, culture, and leadership needs.
Executive search engagements are much more involved and typically include:
Executive search also tends to be more specialised. Firms often organise their consultants by industry or functional expertise, enabling them to bring nuanced insight into leadership requirements, talent availability, and market dynamics. Recruitment agencies, by contrast, typically operate across a broader range of roles and industries and focus on generating candidate flow quickly.