Key Search

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.

Find Your Next Leader
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Marketplaces1 / 17
Groupon

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.

10Hires

C-Level, VP and Directors across US & European markets

21Days

average time to shortlist per role

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Groupon →
Cyber & Infrastructure1 / 17
CommScope

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.

7Hires

HR & TA leadership profiles placed globally

2Markets

Simultaneous placements across the US & Europe

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit CommScope →
Consumer & Retail1 / 17
Tonies

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.

1Hire

Chief Information Officer placed globally

14Countries

technology footprint under new CIO leadership

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Tonies →
Consumer & Retail1 / 17
Fairphone

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.

1First Hire

First-ever US go-to-market placement

2Continents

European start-up scaling into North America

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Consumer & Retail1 / 17
Dr. Max

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.

5C-Suite Hires

CDO · CEO Italy · CIO · Head of M&A · CCO

€4.6BRevenue

reached in 2023, up from ~€3B in 2021

3,030Pharmacies

across 17 European countries

B2B Enterprise1 / 17
Neptune Software

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.

3Hires

Commercial DACH Leadership team placed

1Region

Germany, Austria & Switzerland

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Neptune Software →
HealthTech1 / 17
data4life

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.

1Hire

Chief Executive Officer placed

7Partners

major health data alliance members served

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit data4life →
Investors1 / 17
ScaleNL

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.

20+Companies

Dutch & European scaleups placed into the US market

5+Cohorts

ScaleNL cohort partnerships

100%Committed

to getting your first US hire right

Visit ScaleNL →
Climate Tech1 / 17
Oxyle

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.

4Hires

CTO, COO, CCO & CPO placed in Switzerland

1Country

Switzerland - full C-suite build

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Oxyle →
DeepTech & AI1 / 17
Wire

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.

3Key Hires

CEO, CTO & VP Sales placed

3Functions

Executive, technology & commercial leadership

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Wire →
FinTech1 / 17
Taxfix

VP Product hire - bringing female leadership to Taxfix's product organization.

Key Search partnered with Taxfix to identify a VP of Product - placing a senior female product leader to head their product organization as the company scaled its pan-European tax platform, strengthening both capability and diversity at the top.

1Hire

VP of Product placed

1Mission

Female leadership in product at scale

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Taxfix →
Logistics1 / 17
byrd

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.

2Hires

VP Operations & VP Commercial placed

6+Countries

European logistics network coverage

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit byrd →
Logistics1 / 17
B2X

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.

2C-Level Hires

CFO & Chief Sales Officer placed

1Market

Germany focus

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Media & EdTech1 / 17
Podimo

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.

1Team

Content & German leadership team placed

1Market

German-speaking Europe focus

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Podimo →
Professional Services1 / 17
hy.

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.

3Hires

Senior practice leads placed

4+Industries

advisory coverage expanded

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit hy. →
Software & SaaS1 / 17
Yodeck

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.

3Hires

CMO, VP Revenue & VP Product placed

1Platform

Europe's fastest-growing digital signage platform

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Yodeck →
TravelTech1 / 17
Ferryhopper

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.

2Hires

CFO & CMO placed

1Platform

Europe's leading ferry booking platform

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Visit Ferryhopper →

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.

Learn More About Us
Leadership hires
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Successfully placed over 320 executives globally, empowering high-growth companies.

Industries
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Extensive expertise spanning 16 global sectors, specializing in tech ecosystems like SaaS, Fintech, and beyond.

Success Rate
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94% of our placed leaders remain with their companies to drive sustained growth and value.

Loved by Enterprises

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

Mihaela-Adelina Persa

VP Engineering · Resourcify

When the right leader joins your team, everything changes.

We make those moments happen. Every time.

20 partners. One shared standard of excellence.

Meet the Team

When the right leader joins your team, everything changes. We make those moments happen. Every time.

20 partners.
One shared standard of excellence.

Meet the Team
Our Impact

Real operational outcomes delivered across growing teams

Organizations using Key Search report improved alignment, faster execution, and measurable efficiency gains across departments.

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Successful placements across industries

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Industries served globally

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Years of executive search expertise

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Candidates assessed annually

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Clients return for a second search

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Successful placements across industries

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How Key Search Helps

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.

Sector Expertise

16 Industries across 4 Strategic Practice Pillars

Every search is led by a consultant with genuine domain depth - no generalists, no hand-offs.

Explore all industries
Our Partners

Trusted by High-Growth
Companies and Global Leaders

Learn from experienced leaders

Leaders Lounge

Leaders Lounge, powered by Key Search

Beyond search, we host conversations with leaders about the moments that matter most in a career and in a company.

  • Leadership transitions

    Hear leaders talk through their journeys and what shapes the crucial first 90 days of a new leadership role.

  • Building teams

    Practical conversations on making key hires, including how to make your first US hire.

  • Scaling internationally

    Learn what to consider when hiring a US manager for international expansion.

Key Search Insights

Insights on building
modern teams

The Enterprise AI Margin Trap: Why B2B SaaS Needs Commercial Architects, Not Model Engineers
Featured

The Enterprise AI Margin Trap: Why B2B SaaS Needs Commercial Architects, Not Model Engineers

The real battleground for enterprise AI platforms centers on three frontline operational realities: overcoming procurement resistance to new billing models, guaranteeing agentic SLAs, and surviving the structural collapse of gross margins. POC demos and bloated compute bills are past history—today’s challenge is purely commercial and operational.

Oct 1, 2026·6 min read
Read article
Europe's E-commerce Growth Is a Marketing Leadership Test
Consumer & Retail Tech
Sep 24, 2026·8 min read

Europe's E-commerce Growth Is a Marketing Leadership Test

European e-commerce is growing, but winning customers is getting harder. Leonie Fehr explains why marketing leadership matters more than ever and what companies should look for when hiring.

Read more
Bleeding Edge vs. Cutting Edge: Why MedTech Investors Are Ditching "Code Moats" for Team Velocity
MedTech
Sep 21, 2026·8 min read

Bleeding Edge vs. Cutting Edge: Why MedTech Investors Are Ditching "Code Moats" for Team Velocity

As AI erodes traditional software moats, MedTech investors are prioritizing talent density, workflow integration, and leadership execution.

Read more
AI Leaders Say We Need to Slow AI Down. Power and Water May Do It First.
Artificial Intelligence
Sep 16, 2026·8 min read

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.

Read more
FAQ

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.

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