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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The Key Search platform

We hire your key leader.

Key Search delivers leaders who can truly embed AI, accelerate execution, and push Groupon into its next chapter.

Dusan Senkypl

CEO, Groupon

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
0+

Successfully placed over 300 executives globally, empowering high-growth companies.

Industries
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Extensive expertise spanning 14 global sectors, specializing in tech ecosystems like SaaS, Fintech, and beyond.

Success Rate
0%

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

Marketplaces
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

Cyber & Infrastructure
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 & Retail
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 & Retail
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

B2B Enterprise
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 →
HealthTech
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 →
Investors
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

Climate Tech
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 & AI
KONUX

CTO & CPO placed to scale KONUX's AI-driven predictive maintenance platform.

Key Search identified and placed the technology and product leadership for KONUX — building a C-suite capable of taking their AI-driven predictive maintenance platform from Series B to global rail network deployment.

2Hires

CTO & Chief Product Officer placed

1Platform

AI-driven predictive rail maintenance

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

FinTech
Taxfix

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.

1Hire

VP of Product placed

1Mission

Female leadership in product at scale

100%Retained

12 months post-placement

Logistics
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

Logistics
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 & EdTech
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 Services
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

Software & SaaS
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

TravelTech
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 →
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.

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

The team behind every hire

20 partners.
One shared standard of excellence.

Meet the Team
Loved by Enterprises

Key Search is trusted by
teams that rely on clarity

Mihaela-Adelina Persa
Resourcify

“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 at Resourcify

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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Placement success rate, first-year retention

0+

Years of executive search expertise

0+

Candidates assessed annually

0%

Clients return for a second search

0 days

Average days to first shortlist

0+

Successful placements across industries

0+

Industries served globally

0%

Placement success rate, first-year retention

0+

Years of executive search expertise

0+

Candidates assessed annually

0%

Clients return for a second search

0 days

Average days to first shortlist

0+

Successful placements across industries

0+

Industries served globally

0%

Placement success rate, first-year retention

0+

Years of executive search expertise

0+

Candidates assessed annually

0%

Clients return for a second search

0 days

Average days to first shortlist

Sector Expertise

14 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

B2B SaaS & AI Software

SaaS & Platforms, Enterprise & AI Native Software, FinTech, HealthTech & Cyber

5 sectorsExplore →

DeepTech & AI Infrastructure

AI Infrastructure, Robotics & Autonomous Mobility, Climate Tech & Energy Transition, Logistics

4 sectorsExplore →

Digital Platforms & Consumer

Marketplaces, Consumer Goods & Retail Tech, Media, Gaming & EdTech, TravelTech

4 sectorsExplore →

Investors & Strategic Advisory

Venture Capital & Private Equity, and Professional Services & Consulting

2 sectorsExplore →
Our Partners

Trusted by High-Growth
Companies and Global Leaders

Key Search Insights

Insights on building
modern teams

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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.