Retained Executive Search Firms for C-Suite and Board-Level Hiring

Alliance Recruitment Agency runs exclusive, confidential retained executive search mandates for organisations hiring CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CTOs and board directors across 36+ countries. With 16+ years of C-suite placement experience and 15,000+ senior hires completed, our executive search firm’s practice delivers pre-assessed, passive leadership candidates, not people who applied to a job ad. Book a call to scope your mandate.

Our Retained Executive Search Services

Every Alliance retained executive search engagement is exclusive, milestone-structured and fully managed by a dedicated senior search consultant. We cover:

Our executive placement services team manages 100% of the process — from brief to accepted offer.

Who Hires Our Retained Executive Search Team

We run retained mandates for:

• PE and VC-backed portfolio companies — leadership hires post-acquisition, growth-stage MD and CEO appointments
• Publicly listed corporations — confidential C-suite replacements, board refreshes
• Family businesses scaling to institutional structure — first professional CEO, CFO or COO appointment
• Multinationals entering new markets — country manager and regional MD mandates
• Non-profits and mission-driven organisations — President, CEO, Executive Director search
• Scale-ups pre-IPO — building out the C-suite ahead of a liquidity event

If your mandate requires confidentiality, passive candidate access, or a wrong hire would cost significantly more than the search fee, retained is the right model.

Our Retained Executive Search Process — Brief to Placement

Average timeline: 8–14 weeks from signed brief to accepted offer. Board-level and highly specialist roles in constrained markets may extend to 16–20 weeks.

What Every Alliance Retained Search Mandate Includes

• Single dedicated search consultant — one senior partner owns your mandate from brief to onboarding
• Full passive market coverage — 70%+ of shortlisted candidates are not actively seeking at time of approach
• Stealth process — no job board postings, no public advertising, NDA-protected at every stage
• Structured competency assessment — behavioural interview scoring against your defined leadership criteria
• Reference validation — structured calls with former direct managers before offer stage
• Replacement guarantee — if the placed executive exits for performance reasons within the guarantee period, we re-run the search at no additional placement fee
• Post-placement onboarding support — scheduled check-ins in the first 90 days after hire

Retained vs Contingency — Which Model Is Right for You

For roles above $200K total compensation, confidential mandates or niche talent markets, retained is the model that delivers. Our senior executive recruitment agencies team will recommend the right engagement structure for your specific hire.

Executive Roles We Place Through Retained Search

Our CEO headhunters and CFO search team handle both first-time appointments and complex succession mandates. Discuss your role.

Retained Executive Search Across Every Industry

We also run retained searches through our corporate executive search practice for holding companies and multi-entity group structures.

Hiring Challenges Our Retained Search Team Solves

Why Organisations Choose Alliance for Retained Executive Search

16+ years. 36+ countries. 15,000+ placements.

• Global reach, genuine presence — active search capability across North America, EMEA, APAC and the Middle East, not a referral network
• C-suite only focus — our retained search consultants work leadership mandates exclusively
• No candidate-side conflict — we do not run candidate-side placement as a side business; your mandate gets undivided attention
• Technology-enabled, relationship-led — AI-assisted market mapping + consultant outreach, not just a database search
• Transparent milestones — you know exactly what is delivered at each stage before you sign
• Replacement guarantee — structured, clearly defined, confirmed at engagement

Our executive recruiting firm team is ready to scope your mandate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is retained executive search and how does it differ from contingency recruitment?

Retained executive search is an exclusive, milestone-fee engagement where one firm dedicates full resources to your leadership mandate. The firm runs confidential market mapping to identify passive candidates, leaders who are not actively job-seeking. Contingency recruitment is non-exclusive and paid only on placement, which means multiple agencies share the role and only work active candidates. Retained is the correct model for CEO, CFO, board and C-suite appointments.

Q2. How is the retained search fee structured?

Retained search fees are typically 20–33% of the placed executive’s first-year total compensation, split across three milestones: an upfront retainer on engagement, a milestone payment on shortlist delivery, and a completion fee on start date. The milestone structure means the firm’s incentives are aligned with quality of delivery at every stage, not just getting to a placement quickly.

Q3. Which executive roles does Alliance’s retained search practice cover?

Alliance places across the full C-suite: CEO, President, CFO, COO, CTO, CHRO, CMO, CIO, CISO and Chief Revenue Officer. We also place board directors, independent directors, managing directors, country managers, general counsel and divisional VPs across all major industries and in 36+ countries.

Q4. How long does a retained executive search take?

Most retained searches run 8–14 weeks from signed brief to accepted offer. Week 1 is calibration; weeks 2–6 cover market mapping, outreach and candidate assessment; weeks 6–8 deliver the shortlist; client interviews and offer management follow. Board-level and highly specialist roles in constrained markets may take 16–20 weeks.

Q5. Are retained executive searches confidential?

Yes, retained search is specifically designed for confidential mandates. Alliance operates under an NDA on all retained engagements. We do not post the role publicly or disclose your organisation’s identity to candidates until they are formally shortlisted and have signed confidentiality documentation themselves.

Q6. How does Alliance identify passive candidates?

We use AI-assisted market mapping to identify leaders currently employed and performing well across competitor organisations and adjacent sectors. Our consultants then approach candidates directly through professional networks, confidentially, relationship-led, without job board advertising. This is how we access talent that contingency agencies never reach.

Q7. What replacement guarantee does Alliance provide?

Alliance provides a structured replacement guarantee on every retained search engagement. If the placed executive exits or is terminated for performance-related reasons within the guarantee period, we re-run the search at no additional placement fee. Guarantee terms are confirmed at the engagement stage; contact us to discuss.

Q8. Does Alliance run retained searches outside the United States?

Yes. Alliance has active retained search capability across 36+ countries, including the UK, UAE, India, Singapore, Canada, Australia, Germany, Saudi Arabia and across Southeast Asia and the Middle East. We regularly run cross-border and multi-market mandates.

Q9. When should an organisation choose retained over contingency search?

Choose retained when: the role is C-suite or board level; the total compensation exceeds $200K; the incumbent is still in post and confidentiality is critical; the candidate pool is passive and narrow; or a wrong hire would carry high financial or operational cost. For those mandates, retained is not a premium; it is the only model that works.

Q10. How does Alliance handle a retained search when the role is highly sensitive, or the incumbent does not know?

We run a fully stealth process, no public advertising, no job board listings, no mention of your organisation until candidates are pre-qualified and signed to a mutual NDA. Our consultants reach passive candidates directly through professional relationships, maintaining complete confidentiality throughout.