What it looks like in practice.
Four searches that show the range: one run under total confidentiality, one creating a CTO role that had never existed, one where every party involved went on record afterwards — and one that began with no placement and no fee at all.
A Head of Technology search run on almost no information
A serial founder, backed previously by major New York investors, launching something too sensitive to name. No company. No sector. No reference to past exits — and still a Head of Technology to find who could rebuild a platform from the ground up.
The company’s first ever CTO
A founder-led B2B software business, c.50 engineers, acquired by a consortium and mandated to become a product-led SaaS company. That meant creating a CTO role that had never existed.
The client, the investors and the CTO
A critical CTO appointment where the founders, the investor and the candidate all had to be brought along together — and all three went on record afterwards.
The CTO I didn’t place, who became a repeat client
Months spent advising a CTO on his next move ended with no placement and no fee. Weeks later he resigned from Tribal Worldwide — and recommended us to the board to find his own replacement.
If you’re responsible for a pivotal hire, let’s talk.
Fifteen confidential minutes on the role, the market and whether we’re the right firm for it.