CEO & Board Search Done Right, the First Time
Because you deserve more than rolodex recruiting
Role: Confidential Chief Executive Officer
“You gave us exactly what we asked for—an energetic CEO with deep industry knowledge capable of being a change agent, growth driver, and culture builder all at once. Your level of discretion and communication was appreciated; we will be reaching out to you again.”
— Partner, Confidential PE Firm with $275M+ AUM
Role: Managing Director
“There's a lot of excitement around what this hire can bring to the business! Your team has been fantastic to work with. The level of communication was just right, and beyond our hire, you presented some really strong candidates which allowed us to be choosey. My only ask: replicate this approach on our next search!"
— Director of HR, Americas
What’s Our Edge?
We Ensure Critical Cultural & Boardroom Alignment
A resume tells you what someone’s done. We care more about what they’ll do here. That’s why every CEO or board search we run starts deep inside your company’s DNA not a database.
We get in the weeds with your stakeholders, soak up the real story behind the mission statements, and dig into the nuance of your culture, team dynamics, and boardroom style. It’s not just skills on paper, it’s personality, presence, and the values your organization actually lives by when the doors close.
From there, we craft a candidate profile that goes way beyond a bullet-point wishlist. It’s the full picture: the expertise you need and the leadership traits that will thrive in your environment. Our decades of experience mean our network runs deep, and we couple this network with deep original research unique to each search project. We know how to find those rare combinations that look good on paper and fit in the room.
When you see a candidate from us, they’re vetted, tested, and aligned. Not just qualified, but the right match for your board culture and your company’s future. You’ll get clear updates at every step — no black box, no guesswork.
By the end, you’re choosing from a handpicked slate of leaders ready to step in, deliver results, and strengthen the character of your boardroom. Not dilute it.
We Find the Right Balance: Skills, Leadership, and the “It Factor”
We don’t just count up credentials. We weigh how someone actually leads when things get complicated — and how their style will shape your team.
Yes, we check the boxes: strategy, governance, regulatory insight, capital expertise, whatever your business demands. But we pair that with a deeper dive into how they operate: how they communicate, adapt, motivate, and tackle hard calls when the stakes are high.
Tools like the PXT Leadership Assessment help us build a clear, balanced profile, mapping what a candidate can do and how they’ll do it. These tools help to spot the traits that don’t always show up on a CV: authenticity, grit, systematic thinking, creative problem-solving.
It’s this blend, hard skills plus the “It Factor,” that turns a qualified name into the right next leader for your board or CEO seat.
We Approach Role Profiles & Search Criteria Like It’s Our Investment on the Line
Every board and CEO search starts with context. We roll up our sleeves alongside your team to decode your board structure, committee needs, upcoming business objectives, and the expertise gaps that really move the needle.
Together, we map out what’s working, what’s missing, and what will get you where you want to go next. That means defining the must-have skills and the leadership attributes that drive real impact.
By the time we hit the market, there’s nothing generic about your search criteria. Every role description is sharp, precise, and tied to your strategy, so every introduction is intentional, and every shortlist is built to raise the bar.
No empty seats filled for the sake of filling them. Just the right people, in the right roles, ready to lead.
When to Say ‘Enough’ to Your CEO
It’s not personal — it’s survival. If you’re asking the question, it’s time to explore your options.
Most boards know when something’s off — few act before it costs them. Read the signs.
Common Challenges in CEO Succession & Transition
When it comes to CEO succession and transition, there’s a lot more than just updating a nameplate on the door. These pivotal moments can make or break an organization’s momentum—and we've seen it all, from seamless baton passes to unexpected curveballs.
Here's what we consistently come up:
Maintaining Strategic Continuity: Ensuring the organization doesn’t lose its sense of direction while leadership changes hands.
Cultural Fit: Finding someone who not only has the right skills but also aligns with your company’s unique DNA—think Satya Nadella stepping into Microsoft, maintaining its innovative edge while pushing cultural transformation.
Stakeholder Communication: Employees, customers, and investors all need reassurance and clear information. Mishandling communication can lead to uncertainty or even panic. We often perform highly-discreet confidential searches for this reason.
Balancing Internal and External Candidates: Deciding whether to promote from within (leveraging institutional knowledge) or bring in fresh thinking from outside.
Onboarding and Integration: Even the most qualified CEOs need a thoughtful onboarding plan—a solid transition period can turn a good hire into an exceptional leader.
By anticipating these challenges, you can help your next CEO—and your company—hit the ground running.
Emerging Trends in CEO & Board Turnover
The pace at the top is changing. Fast. Across industries, CEO exits are hitting record highs as companies react to market swings, digital shakeups, and new demands from shareholders and stakeholders alike.
Here’s what’s driving the shift:
Turnover is Up: PwC and Deloitte both show CEO departures are at a high. Boards want leaders who can pivot and deliver.
Succession is Getting Serious: No more lip service. Smart organizations are treating succession like strategy, minimizing risk and unlocking fresh growth.
Boards are Getting a Makeover: Expect more new faces. Companies want diverse directors with sharper skills to steer through uncertainty in tech, healthcare, consumer — everywhere.
Tenures are Shorter: The average CEO shelf life keeps shrinking. Results come faster, or they don’t come at all.
Bottom line? Staying ahead means building a leadership bench that’s resilient, ready — and not afraid to evolve when the landscape does.
“Too many firms treat a CEO or board search like matching a resume to a job description. We do it differently. We get under the hood, we push for better answers, and we deliver leaders who do more than show up — they change the trajectory of the business.”
— Tracy Nickell, CEO, Summit Search Consultants
Your Leadership Partner Before, During, and After the Hire
More Than a Search. A Strategy.
When you trust us with your CEO or board search, you’re not just buying a shortlist — you’re gaining a partner who sweats every detail with you. From our first conversation to the moment your new leader steps in (and beyond), we stick around to keep things on track. We’re there in the trenches with you from day one decoding your culture, mapping the real skills you need, and calling out the blind spots that could trip you up later. Every candidate we put forward is vetted beyond the obvious: technical expertise, yes — but also how they’ll drive strategy, build culture, and handle tough calls when the pressure’s on.
Our leadership assessments dig deep — balancing the quantifiable must-haves like governance and strategic planning with the soft-edge factors that actually shape impact: situational awareness, adaptability, autonomy, vision. And when your new leader steps in, we’re still there — providing onboarding insights, bridging gaps, and being that trusted sounding board when new challenges pop up. The right CEO or board member won’t just fill a chair. They’ll shift the future of your company. And we’re here to make sure you find them — and keep them thriving.
See what makes our approach stick. Book a call, get to know our team, or dive into the stories behind our recent boardroom wins.