YOUR EXECUTIVE SEARCH PARTNER
Leadership hires
that won't fail
In a crowded, transactional market, the right leadership decisions demand more than speed. We help ambitious companies hire transformative leaders with confidence, clarity, and long-term impact.
10 top executive hires to bring Groupon to AI-first leadership.
Key Search sourced and placed 10 C-level, VP and Director hires across technology, marketing and operations – across both the US and European markets – transforming Groupon into an AI-first company in 8 months.
C-Level, VP and Directors across US & European markets
average time to shortlist per role
12 months post-placement
7 leadership hires during times of change across Europe & the US.
Key Search partnered with CommScope to rebuild and strengthen their HR and Talent Acquisition leadership team – placing seven critical profiles across both the US and European markets during a period of significant organizational transformation.
HR & TA leadership profiles placed globally
Simultaneous placements across the US & Europe
12 months post-placement
CIO hire to lead Tonies' global technology and digital transformation.
Key Search partnered with Tonies to place a Chief Information Officer capable of scaling the company's technology infrastructure across 14 countries - combining consumer product expertise with enterprise-grade IT leadership.
Chief Information Officer placed globally
technology footprint under new CIO leadership
12 months post-placement
The first US hire – taking Fairphone from Dutch start-up to global player.
When Fairphone decided to make its American move, Key Search placed their very first US go-to-market hire – the critical first step in a Dutch-born brand entering one of the world's most competitive consumer technology markets.
First-ever US go-to-market placement
European start-up scaling into North America
12 months post-placement
5 C-suite hires powering Europe's fastest-growing pharmacy chain.
Key Search partnered with Dr. Max across four years to place five C-suite leaders — Chief Digital Officer, CEO Italy, Chief Information Officer, Head of M&A, and Chief Commercial Officer — supporting the group's transformation from a €3B regional player into Europe's #2 pharmacy chain with €4.6B in revenue, 3,030 pharmacies, and a presence across 17 countries.
CDO · CEO Italy · CIO · Head of M&A · CCO
reached in 2023, up from ~€3B in 2021
across 17 European countries
3 key hires to build Neptune Software's Commercial DACH Leadership team.
Key Search built Neptune Software's go-to-market leadership for the DACH region - placing three senior commercial leaders who combine deep enterprise software expertise with the regional knowledge to accelerate growth across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Commercial DACH Leadership team placed
Germany, Austria & Switzerland
12 months post-placement
CEO hire to lead data4life's privacy-first digital health mission.
Key Search partnered with data4life to identify a Chief Executive Officer to lead their mission of giving people sovereignty over their own health data - placing a leader with deep health data expertise and the vision to scale a privacy-first platform across Europe.
Chief Executive Officer placed
major health data alliance members served
12 months post-placement
Prime US hiring partner for ScaleNL – bringing Dutch innovation to the US market.
Key Search is proud to have partnered with multiple ScaleNL cohorts and serves as the prime partner for placing the first General Managers on the ground in the US for Dutch and European scaleups.
Dutch & European scaleups placed into the US market
ScaleNL cohort partnerships
to getting your first US hire right
4 C-Level hires to build Oxyle's leadership team in WaterTech.
Key Search partnered with Oxyle - a VC-backed Swiss WaterTech scaleup pioneering advanced water purification technology - to build their entire C-suite in Switzerland, placing a CTO, COO, CCO and CPO to lead the company's next phase of commercial and operational growth.
CTO, COO, CCO & CPO placed in Switzerland
Switzerland - full C-suite build
12 months post-placement
3 key hires for Wire, including the CEO, CTO and VP Sales.
Key Search partnered with Wire to make three key leadership hires across executive, technology and commercial functions - placing the CEO, CTO and VP Sales.
CEO, CTO & VP Sales placed
Executive, technology & commercial leadership
12 months post-placement
VP Product hire - bringing female leadership to Taxfix's product organisation.
Key Search partnered with Taxfix to identify a VP of Product - placing a senior female product leader to head their product organisation as the company scaled its pan-European tax platform, strengthening both capability and diversity at the top.
VP of Product placed
Female leadership in product at scale
12 months post-placement
VP Operations & VP Commercial placed to lead byrd's European logistics growth.
Key Search built byrd's commercial and operational leadership for the European market - placing a VP of Operations and VP of Commercial to accelerate growth and operational excellence across their distributed eCommerce logistics network.
VP Operations & VP Commercial placed
European logistics network coverage
12 months post-placement
CFO & Chief Sales Officer placed to lead B2X's growth in Germany.
Key Search partnered with B2X to strengthen their C-suite for the German market - placing a Chief Financial Officer and Chief Sales Officer to drive financial discipline and commercial growth at one of Europe's leading after-sales service and repair platforms.
CFO & Chief Sales Officer placed
Germany focus
12 months post-placement
Content & German leadership team built for Podimo's European expansion.
Key Search partnered with Podimo - Europe's leading podcast and audiobook platform - to hire their Content and German market leadership team, placing the senior profiles needed to grow Podimo's German-speaking audience and deepen their original content offering.
Content & German leadership team placed
German-speaking Europe focus
12 months post-placement
3 practice leads placed to build hy.'s digital transformation advisory team.
Key Search partnered with hy. - a leading boutique consultancy for digital transformation - to place three senior practice leads who combine deep industry knowledge with hands-on transformation experience, strengthening their advisory offering across key European markets.
Senior practice leads placed
advisory coverage expanded
12 months post-placement
3 growth hires to accelerate Yodeck's next chapter.
Key Search partnered with Yodeck to build out the commercial and product leadership team needed to scale one of Europe's fastest-growing digital signage platforms - placing a CMO, VP Revenue and VP Product to drive growth across marketing, revenue and product strategy.
CMO, VP Revenue & VP Product placed
Europe's fastest-growing digital signage platform
12 months post-placement
CFO & CMO placed to lead Ferryhopper's next chapter of growth.
Key Search partnered with Ferryhopper - Europe's leading ferry booking platform - to place two C-Level leaders: a Chief Financial Officer and a Chief Marketing Officer, building the executive bench needed to scale the business across European travel markets.
CFO & CMO placed
Europe's leading ferry booking platform
12 months post-placement
10 top executive hires to bring Groupon to AI-first leadership.
Key Search sourced and placed 10 C-level, VP and Director hires across technology, marketing and operations – across both the US and European markets – transforming Groupon into an AI-first company in 8 months.
Visit Groupon →C-Level, VP and Directors across US & European markets
average time to shortlist per role
12 months post-placement
Beyond Speed.
Built for Lasting Impact.
We believe leadership hiring can be more thoughtful, more inclusive, more strategic. Our process is powered by a powerful in-house technology, but our focus is always human. We don't chase volume; we build relationships that last.
Key Search is trusted by
teams that rely on clarity
“What really stood out was how valued I felt — it wasn’t just about filling a position. Key Search is genuinely invested in long-term relationships. It never felt transactional.”
Mihaela-Adelina Persa
VP Engineering · Resourcify
“The Key Search team is dedicated, professional, and uses a personalized approach that made a huge difference in helping us scout, identify and recruit top talent when opening our operations in a new market. They were involved in every step.”
Catalin Vladescu
Head of Growth · VTEX
“The experience has been outstanding since day one — smooth, professional, and completely stress-free. The team was always available and handled everything with clarity and care.”
Benjamin Schilz
CEO · Wire
“I’ve been on both sides of executive search, and most of it is a friction-filled process or noise. Key Search was the exception. They recruited me into my role at Groupon, and the process was fast without ever feeling rushed. What stood out most was the follow-through — they kept checking in well after the placement because they were genuinely invested in how it landed. That’s rare.”
Masha Sharma
VP of Merchant Experience · Groupon
When the right leader joins your team, everything changes. We make those moments happen. Every time.
Real operational outcomes delivered across growing teams
Organizations using Key Search report improved alignment, faster execution, and measurable efficiency gains across departments.
Successful placements across industries
Placement success rate, first-year retention
Years of executive search expertise
Candidates assessed annually
Clients return for a second search
Average days to first shortlist
Successful placements across industries
Placement success rate, first-year retention
Years of executive search expertise
Candidates assessed annually
Clients return for a second search
Average days to first shortlist
Successful placements across industries
Placement success rate, first-year retention
Years of executive search expertise
Candidates assessed annually
Clients return for a second search
Average days to first shortlist
Boutique by Design.
Global by Reach.
We work as an extension of your leadership team-bringing strategic counsel, market expertise, and a highly tailored search process designed around your business goals. This is not transactional recruiting. This is partnership at the highest level.
Reduce Risk
Gain financial and strategic confidence knowing your leadership investment is protected at every stage.
Build Trust
Full transparency, clear communication, and complete visibility throughout the process.
Lasting Value
New leaders that creates meaningful impact, long-term business success, and culture.
Intelligent Technology
We leverage advanced research, data, and proprietary tools to enhance precision, insight, and decision-making.
16 Industries across 4 Strategic Practice Pillars
Every search is led by a consultant with genuine domain depth - no generalists, no hand-offs.
B2B SaaS & AI Software
SaaS & Platforms, Enterprise & AI Native Software, FinTech, HealthTech & Cyber
DeepTech & AI Infrastructure
AI Infrastructure, Robotics & Autonomous Mobility, Climate Tech & Energy Transition, Logistics
Digital Platforms & Consumer
Marketplaces, Consumer Goods & Retail Tech, Media, Gaming & EdTech, TravelTech
Investors & Strategic Advisory
Venture Capital & Private Equity, and Professional Services & Consulting
Trusted by High-Growth
Companies and Global Leaders
Insights on building
modern teams
AI Leaders Say We Need to Slow AI Down. Power and Water May Do It First.
AI data-centre growth is now a Climate Tech leadership challenge. Konrad Nowicki examines the power, grid, water, cooling and permitting expertise companies need.
Why Your Most Important Hires Shouldn't Be a DIY Project
Marketplace executive hiring requires leaders who understand liquidity, network effects, trust, unit economics, and multi-sided growth. Tiffany Sizemore explains when specialist search reduces the risk of a critical hire.
Enterprise AI Transformation: What My Conversation with Neptune Software CRO Bart Meursing Taught Me
My conversation with Neptune Software CRO Bart Meursing changed how I think about enterprise AI execution, revenue leadership and the qualities companies need in an AI era CRO.
Why Every Modern Board Needs an AI Oversight Blueprint
As AI advances faster than regulation, modern boards need independent oversight frameworks that can make swift, binding decisions.
Common questions, straight answers
Have a question that's not covered here? Reach out and we'll get back to you within one business day.
The timeline varies by role and seniority, but most senior-level placements are completed within 8–12 weeks from kickoff to accepted offer. We move with urgency without compromising quality of assessment.