Role search
Get an Interim President & CEO who can own the business mandate and board relationship.
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You choose from a short list of people who have done this before.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Interim Headhunters: You need one person accountable for both the company-wide direction and the operating result.
This is what we do all day: place interim executives, interim managers and contract professionals.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
- No upfront fee
- 2 to 3 vetted consultants per assignment
- Matched to your industry
- You choose
- Interim plus permanent search
- Interim President & CEO
The judgment call
What this hire really comes down to
Hiring an interim executive is a tactical choice to stop organizational bleeding. You require a leader who acts immediately without needing a cultural induction period. This person must possess the specific operational experience to handle your exact ownership structure. Whether your business is backed by private equity or family wealth, the executive must understand the reporting cadences and fiscal constraints unique to that model.
Your new leader must provide a diagnostic perspective on day one. They need to reconcile raw data with the current reality of your ledger. This is not a time for strategic contemplation or long-term vision building. We prioritize leaders who can identify risks and secure essential business levers. They must stabilize your internal team and calm institutional anxiety while the board decides on the permanent path forward.
What should the brief settle before we search?
You need one person accountable for both the company-wide direction and the operating result. Combining President and CEO in the title does not settle the board's approval rights or the authority of subsidiary leaders. Explain whether this person runs an independent company, a sponsor-owned platform or a business inside a parent. Ask about a decision they took through board approval and then put into practice with reluctant managers. Test whether they can distinguish a failing strategy from weak execution before replacing the team.
What we check
What we check before you see anyone
- We verify the candidate has personally held full P&L authority in organizations of similar size and complexity to your own. We confirm they have successfully managed EBITDA targets under the specific ownership constraints you currently face, ensuring they know how to satisfy investor expectations without excessive hand-holding.
- We require evidence of their ability to communicate with institutional lenders and equity holders. They must describe instances where they explained negative financial performance to a board and the specific corrective actions taken to satisfy those stakeholders. Their track record with external capital providers is a non-negotiable metric for this assignment.
- We assess their history of team stabilization by reviewing how they handled personnel during previous transitions. We look for proof that they can retain essential staff while simultaneously cutting unnecessary overhead in the first thirty days. They must demonstrate a clear methodology for identifying who must stay to preserve institutional knowledge and who to release.
- We conduct deep-dive behavioral interviews focusing on their decision-making process during periods of fiscal distress. We demand clear examples of how they handled capital structures while maintaining daily operations without causing further degradation to the firm. We verify that their past actions did not sacrifice long-term capability for short-term gains, maintaining integrity in every transaction.
Sourcing
Where we find them
We do not rely on active job boards or resume databases to source your interim leadership. Our team maps organizational hierarchies within private equity portfolio companies and family offices. We look for high-impact leaders who are currently operating at full capacity. These individuals are not looking for work, but they often respond to assignments that offer a clear, difficult challenge.
A leader would take this assignment because it provides an opportunity to deploy their full toolkit without the long-term baggage of a permanent executive role. They are attracted to environments where they can focus entirely on stabilization and value creation. They value the ability to move through an organization, fix the primary operational bottlenecks, and hand over a clean slate.
Where searches go wrong
Mistakes we see
- Buyers often mistake a functional expert for a general manager. A strong CFO may understand the numbers but lacks the mandate to drive cross-functional operational change, which requires broader command over production, sales, and supply chain logistics to achieve effective results.
- Selecting someone who views the role as a placeholder rather than an active fix. This leads to passive observation instead of the immediate intervention your board requires, resulting in missed windows for operational adjustment and wasted capital during the transition window.
- Failing to vet for specific ownership experience. An executive who thrived in a public company environment often struggles to execute in an owner-led or private equity setting due to the difference in reporting requirements, fiscal transparency, and the speed at which decisions are required to occur.
The search
How the Interim President & CEO search runs
- We start by mapping the specific financial and ownership pressure points of your firm. We verify which executives have steered similar entities through comparable fiscal volatility within the last five years, specifically targeting those who have managed through similar debt covenants or board-mandated restructuring efforts.
- We conduct rigorous vetting that focuses on historical performance during periods of transition. We verify their success metrics with board members and lenders from their past roles to ensure they can survive your level of scrutiny and communicate effectively with stakeholders who are currently concerned about their investment.
- We present candidates who are prepared to hit the ground running. You evaluate their diagnostic plan for your P&L and confirm their ability to lead your specific team immediately upon arrival. We ensure that the final candidate has a clear vision for the first 90 days and the technical experience to execute that vision without needing further instruction from the board.
Guides for this role
Questions
How soon can the interim CEO start?
Start dates depend upon individual commitments and the complexity of the current transition requirements. The candidate must complete pending project obligations or board transitions before assuming full duties to maintain continuity for both firms.
Is this a temporary role or a permanent one?
This is strictly a temporary, interim assignment. It fills the gap while you search for a permanent successor or execute a turnaround.
What should we discuss before requesting Interim President & CEO candidates?
Combining President and CEO in the title does not settle the board's approval rights or the authority of subsidiary leaders. Explain whether this person runs an independent company, a sponsor-owned platform or a business inside a parent.
Do I pay extra if the person becomes permanent?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Our structure is designed to support the interim transition period.
Will the interim CEO change our current staff?
They will assess the current team and make necessary changes to restore stability. You approve all major restructuring decisions.
What replacement terms apply?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
How are recruiting fees agreed?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present. We scope the assignment before quoting; the fee page explains our model.
How soon can we see options?
Availability depends on the assignment and the people who fit it. We qualify interest and commitments rather than promising a shortlist date before the search is scoped.
What if the scope grows?
Discuss new responsibilities before adding them to the engagement. Agree the priorities and record any change to the brief and terms.
Can we extend an engagement?
Discuss what remains unfinished and whether the same responsibility is still needed. Extensions depend on the person's commitments and the agreed engagement terms.
Can the appointment become permanent?
A permanent move can be discussed if both sides want it. Review the future role and the applicable agreement instead of assuming that temporary coverage automatically converts.
How is a confidential search handled?
Tell us what can be disclosed and whom we must not contact. We agree those boundaries before approaching people; do not send sensitive records with an initial brief.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What do you not do?
We do not sell job-board reposting as a search or bill hourly for recruiting work. We do not take a retainer unless expressly agreed, and an introduction does not authorize an engagement.
Tell us the seat
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. Share the title, the situation and the timing. A person reads it.
Interim President & CEO by industry and related roles
Need the team under this role?
All industries
- Private Equity & Portfolio Companies
- Real Estate & Development
- Financial Services & Fintech
- Professional & Business Services
- Family-Owned & Owner-Led Businesses
- Venture-Backed & High-Growth Companies
More Executive Leadership & Board roles
The Six-Step Search
What do you get at each step of the search?
We agree what the person must own before contacting anyone. You see how the search is scoped and which backgrounds we pursue. We speak with candidates about the work before presenting them. The Six-Step Search gives you useful written notes and support through interviews, rather than a pile of applications.
- 01
Scope call
We talk through the seat, the business and what has to change.
You get: A one-page role brief you approve before we search.
- 02
Market map
We work out where people who have done this job actually sit.
You get: A short note on the pool and how we plan to reach it.
- 03
Direct outreach
We approach people who are not looking at job boards.
You get: Progress updates so you are never chasing us.
- 04
Screening
We interview every candidate on the work, not the resume.
You get: Written notes on fit, availability and terms for each person.
- 05
Shortlist and interviews
You meet a short list. We handle the scheduling.
You get: Several vetted options and a debrief after each interview.
- 06
Offer and start
You choose. We help settle terms and the start date.
You get: Confirmed terms, a start date and check-ins after day one.
Tell us who you need.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.
Send us the seat. We will take it from there.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you engage someone we present.