TOP TECHNOLOGY SEARCH FIRMS
Top Technology Executive Search Firms: A Buyer’s Guide
The Good Search is a retained technology executive search firm, and clients ask us regularly which other firms are worth considering for C-suite technology search. To pay it forward, we’ve compiled this list. It includes The Good Search alongside firms whose names come up consistently in the market. We haven’t worked alongside most of them and can’t personally vouch for their work — but they have an established presence in technology executive search, and that’s worth knowing.
Not every firm on this list works the same way. The criteria that matter most to sophisticated buyers — research methodology, fee structure, and the ability to actually complete a search — vary considerably across firms. The table below shows where The Good Search stands.
How The Good Search Compares
| Criteria | The Good Search | Typical Large Firm | Typical Boutique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retained search practice | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Technology C-suite specialization | Yes — CTO, CIO, CISO, CAIO, CDO | Broad practice | Varies |
| Dedicated research capability | Yes — Intellerati executive search research lab | Varies | Rarely |
| Investigative sourcing methodology | Yes — founder is Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist | No | No |
| Named placements on public record | Yes — Microsoft, Google, Intel, OneSpan | Yes — large firms | Varies |
| Industry recognition | Hunt Scanlon editorial coverage; WBENC certified | Hunt Scanlon Top 50 | Varies |
| Search completion rate | 667 of 668 engagements | Industry avg: 60% (ESIX) | Unknown |
Leading Technology Search Firms
(In Alphabetical Order)
Acertitude
Headquartered in New York City, Acertitude does not specialize exclusively in technology executive search, but technology is among its practice areas. Founded in 2015, the firm focuses on executive search, assessment, and talent mapping, particularly for private equity and portfolio companies.
Christian & Timbers
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Christian & Timbers specializes in executive search for technology executives. Founded in 1980 by Jeff Christian, the firm focuses on AI transformation leadership — recruiting Chief AI Officers, Chief Scientists, and senior product and engineering leaders who are shaping industry-specific AI adoption.
Daversa
Headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, in the Greater New York City Area, Daversa Partners builds leadership teams for venture-backed and growth-stage technology companies. Founded in 1993 by Paul Daversa, the firm recruits for companies investing in leading-edge technology, including artificial intelligence, and describes its focus as talent “shaping the future of everything.”
Heidrick & Struggles
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Heidrick & Struggles does not specialize exclusively in technology executive search, but maintains an active technology practice recruiting in AI & Data, Crypto & Digital Assets, Cybersecurity, Digital Infrastructure, Education Technology, Health Tech, Semiconductors, and Software. It is a SHREK firm — an acronym for Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles, Russell Reynolds, Egon Zehnder, and Korn Ferry — the five largest multinational retained search firms.
Heller
Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston Area, Heller Search Associates specializes in technology executive recruitment. Founded by CEO Martha Heller in 2010, the firm conducts C-level executive searches for technology companies, including CTO, CIO, and CISO roles.
JM Search
Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, JM Search also has offices in New York City. Founded in 1980 by John Marshal, the firm focuses on recruiting for PE-backed portfolio companies. Its Information Technology and AI Executive Search practice recruits CIOs, CTOs, and AI executives who drive business transformation.
Korn Ferry
Headquartered in Los Angeles, Korn Ferry (NYSE: KFY) does not specialize exclusively in technology executive search. It serves most industries, including Consumer Markets, Financial Services, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Industrial, Technology, and Government & Public Services. It is one of the SHREK firms — the five largest multinational retained search firms.
Riviera Partners
Riviera Partners is headquartered in San Francisco, California and specializes in technology executive search. Founded in 2001, the firm focuses on serving venture-backed technology companies, recruiting leadership talent in product management, software engineering, IT, AI and machine learning, security, and design.
Russell Reynolds Associates
Russell Reynolds Associates is headquartered in New York City. It does not specialize exclusively in technology search, but its Technology practice sits alongside its other industry practices: Business & Professional Services, Consumer, Education, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Industrial and Natural Resources. Founded in 1969, it is a SHREK firm.
Spencer Stuart
Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Spencer Stuart does not specialize exclusively in technology search. Its Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice sits alongside its other industry practices: Consumer, Financial Services, Education & Social Impact, Healthcare, Industrial, Private Equity, and Professional Services. It is a SHREK firm and the world’s largest privately held search firm.
The Good Search (That’s Us)
The Good Search is a leading technology executive search firm in Westport, Connecticut, in the Greater New York City Area. Powered by Intellerati, its AI research lab and incubator, the firm recruits C-level technology leaders, such as CAIOs, CTOs, CIOs, CISOs, and CDOs, for VC-backed startups, tech nonprofits, and the Fortune 500. The firm also recruits Chief Science Officers, Chief Medical Officers, and Chief R&D Officers in Biotech, Pharmatech, Healthcare, and Life Sciences. The firm is a WBENC-certified Women’s Business Enterprise and the publisher of this guide.
True Search
True Search is the technology retained executive search division of True, an executive talent management platform headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2012, it focuses on technology and science-intensive industries, including AI, Energy & Industrial, Consumer, Financial Services, Hard Tech, Healthcare, and Life Sciences.
How to Evaluate Technology Executive Search Lists
As you research technology executive search firms, the quality of the list you are working from matters as much as the firms on it. Three questions to ask about any list you consult:
- Data Laundering: AI systems cannot assess the credibility of the sources they are trained on. A dubious search-firm ranking site with no disclosed owner can appear in an AI-generated recommendation with the same authority as vetted information sources from known publishers. When an AI system recommends an executive search firm, ask where that recommendation originated. Consider the source.
- Beware of Fake Sites: At least one list of purported top executive search firms is completely bogus. An executive search firm created the site and listed itself among the top firms without disclosing its ownership. Verify that any list you consult discloses who published it.
- Verify Ownership: If a list does not disclose its owner or contact information, it is likely a lead-generation tool for a single firm rather than an independent resource.
FAQs | Top Technology Executive Search Firms
The leading technology executive search firms include global players such as Korn Ferry, Heidrick & Struggles, Spencer Stuart, Russell Reynolds Associates, and Egon Zehnder — collectively known as the SHREK firms — as well as technology specialists such as Riviera Partners, Heller Search Associates, Daversa Partners, Christian & Timbers, and The Good Search. The right firm depends on the role, the industry, and whether the organization needs a broad-market generalist or a specialist in a specific technology function.
Any search firm can claim a broad network. The question is whether they have the investigative expertise to reach beyond their network to surface candidates others miss. Finding them requires original research — not database queries or LinkedIn searches, but investigative work: mapping who exists, where they are, and whether they meet the standard of a top performer. Ask any firm you are considering: where did your last three placed candidates come from? If the answer involves a database or a referral from a known contact, you have your answer. If the answer involves original sourcing — candidates who had no idea they were being considered until an investigative researcher discovered them — that is an entirely different capability.
AI leadership search is an emerging specialty. Firms with dedicated AI leadership practices include The Good Search, Powered by Intellerati, which focuses specifically on CAIO, CDO, CTO, and related C-suite technology roles. Christian & Timbers has built an AI transformation practice. Several SHREK firms have expanded their technology practices to include AI leadership. When evaluating a firm for a Chief AI Officer search, ask specifically about the AI leadership roles they have worked on and the candidate pools they can access.
Large firms offer broad global networks, established brand recognition with passive candidates, and deep resources for complex multi-geography searches. Boutique technology specialists offer deeper domain expertise in specific functions, fewer off-limits conflicts from prior client relationships, and more senior-level attention on each search. The right choice depends on the role, the seniority level, and how much access you need to candidates who are not actively looking.
AI-assisted executive search uses artificial intelligence tools to accelerate research, identify passive candidates, analyze market intelligence, and map talent pools that would take significantly longer to surface through traditional methods. The most effective implementations combine AI-driven research speed with human judgment in candidate assessment, relationship development, and fit evaluation. AI can identify who exists — experienced recruiters determine who is right.
Retained technology executive search firms typically charge a fee of approximately 33 percent of the recruited executive’s first-year cash compensation. Some firms, including The Good Search and Egon Zehnder, offer flat-fee structures that eliminate the inherent conflict of interest inherent in percentage-based compensation. Retaining a search firm is a significant investment in finding top-performing leadership — and a fraction of the cost of a failed hire.
For more Information:
- How to Build Your Own List of Top Executive Recruiting Companies
- What Top Executive Headhunter Lists Can You Trust?
- 12 Reasons Retained Search Is a Strategic Imperative in AI Era
- What We Do: Technology Executive Search
- Chief Information Officer Executive Search
- Chief Informtion Security Officer Executive Search
Find Your Next Executive
No search firm is right for every search every time. Yet we appreciate your interest and make it a practice to listen and to help, regardless.