Board & CEO Search
The appointments that define the business.
Few decisions carry more weight than the chair, the board and the chief executive. They set the direction of a house for years, and they turn on succession, ownership and trust as much as on capability. These are the searches where discretion and judgement matter most.
Board, chair and non-executive search
The board sets the standard for everything beneath it. For a luxury business — whether founder-led, family-owned, investor-backed or sovereign-backed — the right chair and non-executive directors bring governance, perspective and access that shape the company’s trajectory.
We conduct chair, non-executive director and board advisory searches with particular sensitivity to the dynamics of luxury and privately held businesses: the relationship with a founder or family, the balance of commercial and creative judgement, and the discretion these appointments require.
CEO, president and managing director search
The chief executive of a luxury business is not a general manager with a premium price point. They are the custodian of a brand’s cultural identity, the interface between creative vision and commercial performance, and the person who must command the respect of artisans, investors, partners and a board simultaneously.
When the client is a UHNW family or a sovereign-backed principal, the CEO must also earn the trust of a patriarch or matriarch and operate with absolute discretion. When the client is a private-equity operating partner, the CEO must deliver a value-creation plan without eroding the cultural equity that justifies the premium. We search for leaders who can hold all of this at once.
Why these searches demand a retained partner
The strongest board and chief-executive candidates are never on the market. They are sourced through relationships, approached discreetly, and assessed against a brief that goes far beyond a job description. This is the heart of retained executive search, and the work cannot be done any other way.
Many of these mandates are confidential — conducted before a change is announced, sometimes before the incumbent is aware. That level of discretion is only possible with an exclusive, retained, founder-led partner.
- Chair & board chair appointments
- Non-executive director and board advisory mandates
- CEO, president and managing director search
- Succession planning for founder and family-led businesses
- Confidential leadership transitions
Succession, done with foresight
The most valuable board and CEO work often happens before a vacancy exists. Succession planning — mapping the market, identifying future leaders, and preparing for a transition with foresight rather than under pressure — is among the most strategically important services we provide, particularly for founder-led and family-owned luxury businesses navigating generational change.
Frequently asked questions
What board and CEO roles do you search for?
We conduct chair, non-executive director, CEO, president and managing director searches, alongside succession planning, across luxury, lifestyle, consumer, private wealth and UHNW businesses.
Can a CEO search be kept confidential?
Yes. Many of our chief-executive mandates are conducted in complete confidence, often before any change is publicly known. Confidentiality is a core reason these appointments are run as exclusive retained searches.
Do you advise on succession planning?
Yes. We map the market and identify future leadership ahead of need, which is particularly valuable for founder-led and family-owned luxury businesses planning a generational or strategic transition.
How do you assess a CEO for a luxury business?
We assess against a precise brief that reflects the specific business: cultural custodianship, commercial performance, the ability to command respect across creative and commercial functions, and — where relevant — the trust required to work with a founder, family or principal.
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