Executive Search Firm UK
C-suite hiring
Senior executive appointments are a decision, not a process. One that shapes how an organisation performs for years. The wrong executive costs more than their salary and takes far longer than the search to fix.
Redgrave is a partner-led executive search firm, partnering with Boards, CEOs and investors to appoint C-suite and board-level leaders who make the difference. We work across private equity (PE)-backed businesses, listed companies, family-owned groups and ambitious growth businesses across the UK and globally.
Every search at Redgrave is led from brief to placement by a senior partner, not handed to a junior team once the relationship is established. The person who understands your business is the person who finds your next executive.
Why boards choose Redgrave as their executive search firm
The best search firms bring judgement to the process, not just a list of candidates. They challenge your brief, access people who are not looking and give you a clear point of view on every candidate they present. That requires experience, seniority and relationships.
Here is what shapes how we work:
1. Partner-led from the first conversation
Every Redgrave search is run by a senior partner throughout. The person you meet at the briefing meeting is the person approaching candidates and assessing your shortlist. This is not the standard model. Most firms assign partners to open relationships and then delegate the work. We don’t. For a C-suite or board appointment, the judgement calls that determine the outcome cannot be delegated.
2. C-suite and board-level executive search is our focus
We are a specialist firm. Our practice is built around senior executive and board-level appointments, CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CMOs, CHROs, technology leaders, NEDs and Chairs. That focus means a more relevant network, a sharper assessment capability and a clearer understanding of what makes an executive genuinely effective at this level.
3. Access to candidates who are not looking
The strongest executives at senior level are rarely actively looking for their next role. Finding them requires rigorous research and market mapping to identify where the relevant experience sits, including candidates beyond the obvious names. Our established network of C-suite and board leaders then helps us open conversations with people who may not otherwise engage with a search. Together, that gives clients both breadth of market coverage and access to senior talent.
4. Honest counsel on every brief
We challenge thinking when we need to. If the profile you are describing doesn’t exist in the numbers you are expecting, we tell you. If the timeline is unrealistic, we say so upfront. Our value is in our judgement as much as our reach, and that means being direct and upfront.
C-suite and board-level executive search: roles we place
Our executive search firm places across the full senior leadership spectrum:
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD)
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Finance Director
- Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Operations Director
- Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
- Chief People Officer (CPO) and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)
- Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Chief Digital Officer (CDO) and Chief Information Officer (CIO)
- Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
- General Counsel and Company Secretary
- Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) and Independent Directors
- Chairs and Deputy Chairs
- Senior functional directors across finance, technology, people, operations, commercial and digital
- Interim executives across all of the above
If your requirement sits outside this list, speak to us. We will tell you directly whether it falls within our scope.
Executive search consultancy UK: every ownership structure
The ownership structure of a business shapes the executive search entirely, the profile, the assessment criteria and what the right candidate needs to understand before they will consider the role. We work across all of them.
- PE-backed businesses
Finding the right leaders for PE-backed businesses requires an understanding of what makes these environments different. The brief is shaped by the value creation plan and the deal stage. Assessment must account for how a candidate will perform under sponsor ownership. We understand the 100-day imperative, the relationship between management and the board and what makes an executive genuinely PE-ready. We work with sponsors, Operating Partners and portfolio management teams across the full investment lifecycle.
- Listed and public businesses
Executive search for listed businesses demands a specific kind of rigour. Whether operating in the FTSE, NYSE, Nasdaq or other public markets, investor expectations, regulatory exposure, ESG scrutiny and board accountability all shape what is required of senior leaders. We understand those demands and assess whether candidates have the experience and judgement to succeed in a public company environment.
- Private and family-owned businesses
Privately owned and family businesses often require an executive who can operate with genuine commercial independence while earning trust within an established culture. These searches carry their own complexity, succession, governance, the interplay between family and professional management. We understand it and handle it with the discretion it requires.
- High-growth and scale-up businesses
Fast-growth businesses need executives who can build and perform simultaneously, commercially aggressive, operationally hands-on and comfortable with ambiguity. We have placed C-suite leaders in some of the UK’s most ambitious growth businesses and understand both the profile and what it takes to attract the right person.
Our Clients
We’re proud to partner with leading organisations across the UK, Europe, and the United States. Our clients span a variety of industries and sectors, each benefiting from our global expertise and bespoke approach to executive search. From established multinational corporations to dynamic, privately held firms, our mission is to help build leadership teams that drive growth and innovation on a global scale.
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Executive Search Firm UK │ C-Suite & Board │ Redgrave
Redgrave is a partner-led executive search firm. We help Boards, CEOs and investors appoint C-suite leaders across sectors and functions, UK and globally.
Service Type: Executive Search Services