The CTO I didn’t place, who became a repeat client.
The strongest reference we have isn’t from a placement. It’s from a search that ended with no fee at all — and what the candidate did next.
The situation
During the pandemic, Warren spent months advising Andrew Liles — then CTO at Tribal Worldwide — on his next move. Andrew ultimately took a role through another route entirely. No placement, no fee.
Weeks later, Andrew resigned that CTO position at Tribal Worldwide — and recommended Edison Hill to the board to find his own replacement. Not because we’d placed him, but because of how we’d worked with him throughout the search.
The search
The board engaged us on an exclusive retained search. We appointed a CTO from one of Tribal’s direct competitors, with a seamless transition into the role.
Why it's worth reading
Anyone can look after the client who’s paying the fee. How a search firm treats the people it doesn’t place is a better test — candidates talk, and boards listen to their CTOs. The relationship didn’t end there either: Andrew has since trusted Edison Hill with multiple senior technology appointments at his new organisation.
From the CTO who wasn’t the placement.
“Warren is a big step difference from others in this market... a shortlist of all competent candidates, one of whom we appointed. Don't look further.”
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