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Top Executive Headhunters in NYC: 2025 Edition

Top Executive Headhunters in NYC

Top New York City Area Headhunters and Executive Recruiters

It’s important to work with the right retained firm to hire talent at the senior executive level. Consequently, it makes sense for any executive search buyer to develop a short list of retained executive headhunting firms tailored to your company’s needs. However, selecting the correct retained firm isn’t easy because so many executive headhunters are headquartered here in the New York City Area. We hope the list below helps executive search buyers find the top-rated executive search firms more easily.

You’ll notice that our list of top NYC executive headhunters includes our competitors. Since we advocate for better executive search practices and make our feelings known (on this blog and elsewhere), we frequently get asked to share our shortlist insights.

Chief executive officers, board members, and venture capitalists all come to us with the same question. “What are the top headhunting companies in NYC in the retained recruiting industry?” The answer should be what headhunters are right for you. The list of NYC headhunters below features the names of executive headhunting companies that, like ours, have established track records of success in the business. We created our list with help from Hunt Scanlon Media’s Top 50 Recruiters and, of course, our personal experience in the industry.

Top New York City Headhunters

(In alphabetical Order)

Acertitude

Acertitude is a NYC executive search firm

Consumer, Financial, Health Care, Industrial, Private Equity, Professional Services, Technology, and Telecommunications Businesses.

Bay Street Advisors

Bay Street Advisers is a NYC executive search firm

Asset Management, Capital Markets, and Corporate and Investment Banking.

Caldwell Partners

Consumer, Retail & e-Commerce; Education, Nonprofit & Government; Financial Services; Industrial; Life Sciences & Healthcare; Private Equity & Venture Capital; Professional Services; and Technology.

Catalyst Advisors

Catalyst Advisors is a NYC executive search firm

Life Sciences.

Diversified Search Group

Diversified Search Group is a NYC executive search firm

Consumer and Retail; Digital Media, Entertainment, and Sports; Education; Energy; Financial Services; Healthcare Services; Industrial; Life Sciences; Nonprofit and Arts & Culture; and Technology.

Egon Zehnder

Consumer; Financial Services; Health; Industrial; Private Equity; Public & Social Sector; Services; and Technology & Communications.

EMA Partners

EMA Partners is a NYC executive search firm

Consumer & Retail; Energy & Natural Resources; Financial Services; Government & Nonprofit; Healthcare & Life Sciences; Industrial & manufacturing; and Technology & Communications.

ForceBrands

ForceBrands is a NYC executive search firm

Beverage Industry; Food industry; Beauty Industry; Cannabis Industry; and Pet Care Industry.

Heidrick & Struggles

Consumer Markets; Education, Nonprofit and Social Enterprise; Energy; Financial Services; Healthcare and Life Sciences; Industrial; Private Equity; Professional Services; and Technology.

Herbert Mines

Retail; Digital & Tech; Consumer Products; Hospitality & Leisure; and Private Equity.

Odgers Berndtson

Business Services; Professional Services; Consumer; Entertainment; Education; Financial Services; Healthcare & Life Sciences; Industrial; Public & Not For Profit; and Technology.

Options Group

Capital Markets; Global Markets; Alternative Investments; Hedge Funds; Private Banking & Wealth Management; and Technology.

Russell Reynolds

Business and Professional Services; Consumer; Education; Energy; Financial Services; Healthcare; Industrial; Nonprofit; Private Equity; and Technology.

Sheffield Haworth

Consulting, Technology & Services; Corporate; Financial Services; and Real Assets.

Slayton Search Partners

Consumer; Retail; Financial Services; Insurance; Industrial; and Private Equity.

Solomon Page

Solomon Page is a NYC executive search firm

Clinical Resource Network; Fashion & Beauty; Financial Services; Healthcare & Life Sciences; Hospitality; Media, Education & Publishing; and Specialty Financial Services.

Spencer Stuart

Technology, Media & Telecommunications; Consumer; Financial Services; Industrial; Education, Nonprofit & Government; Private Equity; Healthcare; and Business & Professional Services.

The Good Search (That’s Us)

Analytics; Artificial Intelligence; Computational Biomedicine; Data Science; Hospitality & Leisure; Internet & Retail; Machine Learning; Software; Technology; and Venture Capital & Private Equity.

Consumer; Financial; Tech; Healthcare; IT; and Life Sciences.

ZRG Partners

ZRG Partners is a NYC executive search firm

Consumer; Financial Services; Healthcare; Industrial; Life Sciences; Not-For-Profit & Education; Private Equity; Professional and Technology Services; Sports, Media & Entertainment; and Technology.

Top Executive Recruitment Lists Advice

As you research executive recruitment agencies, beware. Some top executive recruiting company lists are not what they appear to be, which we detail in What Top Executive Headhunter Lists Can You Trust? In fact, at least one such list is completely bogus. An executive headhunting firm created the site and then listed itself as one of the top 5 firms without disclosing it owned the site.

That “dirty data” — a bogus top headhunting firm — appears to have fooled at least one of the more established headhunting lists. The little-known trickster headhunting company now appears in its Best Executive Recruiting Firms list.


Top Executive Recruitment Lists Advice

As you research executive recruitment agencies, beware. Some top executive recruiting company lists are not what they appear to be, which we detail in What Top Executive Headhunter Lists Can You Trust? In fact, at least one such list is completely bogus. An executive headhunting firm created the site and then listed itself as one of the top 5 firms without disclosing it owned the site.

That “dirty data” — a bogus top headhunting firm — appears to have fooled at least one of the more established headhunting lists. The little-known trickster headhunting company now appears in its Best Executive Recruiting Firms list.

How to Build a List of Top NYC Area Headhunters

  • If the website does not disclose who owns it — if there is no website owner, address, or contact information — beware. If there is a source, weigh the potential bias.
  • Next, follow the money. If the list provider sells advertising to search firms that are featured in the top list, that represents a conflict of interest. Search firms pay for advertising to ensure they are included in the list — they “pay to play”.

We hope you have enjoyed the list of Top New York Headhunters and invite you to check out our blog on how to build your own list of top executive recruiting companies,

Thanks for reading! Of course, we welcome your comments. If you enjoyed our post, please share it with your friends by clicking the buttons below. It makes it easier for others to find the post.

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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.