Executive search and headhunting for boards and CEOs.
I advise founders, CEOs, boards and CHROs on the leadership decisions that shape the next phase of the business — then headhunt the market to land them.
Every mandate is led by me — not passed to a junior researcher the way it is at most executive recruiting firms. I combine executive talent mapping, direct headhunting, market intelligence and structured leadership assessment through the Executive Search Excellence Method™ to shortlist five evidence-checked leaders in 14 days and close in 3–5 weeks.
Brian Itumo's proprietary advisory framework applied throughout this engagement.
Capabilities
Who it's for
- Boards and investors appointing a CEO, CFO, or non-executive director
- Founders replacing a co-founder or hiring their first C-suite leader
- CHROs running succession, restructuring, or confidential replacement searches
- Multinationals, government institutions and development organisations entering new markets
Deliverables
- Executive talent map with competitor leadership structures and compensation benchmarks
- Leadership assessment scorecards against the business outcomes of the role
- Evidence-checked shortlist of 5 leaders within 14 days
- Succession and bench-strength read on the wider leadership team
- Offer strategy, negotiation, and a 30/60/90 leadership onboarding runway
How it works
- Step 1Mandate & success profile
Align board, CEO and stakeholders on outcomes, comp band, capability bar and disqualifiers.
- Step 2Talent mapping & market intelligence
Map every credible leader in the target market within 7 days, with competitor and movement analysis.
- Step 3Assessment & shortlist
5 leaders with evidence of the outcomes you're hiring for — capability, not pedigree.
- Step 4Close & integrate
Offer engineering, backchannel referencing, and a structured leadership integration plan.
Recent executive search & leadership advisory placements
Real mandates, real outcomes.
Engagement
Retained advisory. Milestone-based fee across mandate, shortlist, and appointment.
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Start a conversationFAQs
Do you work confidentially?
Yes — most mandates are confidential, including replacement and board searches. Candidates only see the organisation once mutual interest is confirmed.
How does this compare to executive recruiting search firms?
Contingency recruiting firms forward profiles from a database and work several clients at once. This is retained executive search: a mapped market, direct headhunting, structured assessment and one accountable advisor from brief to appointment.
How do you headhunt candidates who aren't looking?
By mapping the leaders already delivering the outcome you're hiring for at comparable companies and approaching them privately, with the mandate framed around the business case rather than a job advert.
Do you assess leadership capability, not just experience?
Yes. Every shortlist includes structured leadership assessment against the capabilities the business needs next, plus a succession read on the surrounding team.
What regions do you cover?
Africa, EMEA, North America, APAC and the Middle East — including diaspora talent strategy and cross-border relocation.
What's the guarantee?
Free replacement if the appointment leaves within 90 days for any reason.
Ready to talk about executive search & leadership advisory?
60-minute intro call. If it's a fit, you'll have a proposal within 48 hours.