Specialty leaderboard · Updated Nov 11, 2026

Executive search firms, Chicago

Fee models, from the firms' own websites: 15 retained and 2 hybrid.

111

Executive Search firms ranked

Executive Search recruiting firms in Chicago, ranked within the specialty
Rank	Firm	Focus	Fee model	Terms	Index score
=44	BWP & Associates	School district superintendent and educational executive search	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	CAA Executive Search	Executive leadership, boards, corporate officers and senior HR appointments	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Chicago Execs	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Cowen Partners	—	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	CPG Talent Management	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Crist\|Kolder Associates	—	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	CVC Search Partners	Senior executive recruitment for private equity-backed and privately owned companies	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	DHR Global	Executive and board search across consumer, technology, industrial, healthcare and financial services	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	DMSEARCH	Finance, technology and commercial leadership	Hybrid	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Drive Talent	—	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Ferguson Partners	Executive and board recruitment for real estate, infrastructure and real assets	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Frontage Search Partners	Middle-market executives and leadership for private equity, family-owned and public businesses	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Global Leadership Society	Executive and leadership search for venture-backed, private equity-backed and public companies	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Global Recruiters Network	Management, technical, professional and executive recruitment through a network of search offices	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Global Recruiters of Chicago WestOak Park	Food science, flavor, nutrition, ingredients and executive management	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Global Recruiters of Sauk TrailFrankfort	Rail fleet services, asset finance and manufacturing leadership	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Global Recruiters of SchaumburgItasca	Packaging and manufacturing corporate leadership, sales, finance and engineering	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Gray Harrison Executive Search	Executive and professional search across HR, operations, finance, sales, marketing and legal	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	GTM Talent	Go-to-market leadership and nonprofit executive recruitment	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Heidrick & Struggles	Executive and board search, CEO succession and leadership advisory across professional industries	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Herald Search Group	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Holden Richardson	Executive and management search in industrial, consumer, finance and technology businesses	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Hughes Partners	Leadership and investment roles in banking, asset management, fintech and private equity	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	InterimExecs	Interim and fractional C-suite executives for growth, turnaround and project leadership	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	JM Search	Board and senior executive recruitment across private equity, private and public companies.	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Joseph GroupNaperville	Sales, marketing, and engineering leadership	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Kanzer Associates	Board, finance, HR, marketing, operations and strategy leadership across multiple industries.	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Kinzie Search Partners	Retained executive search for manufacturing and distribution, including private equity portfolio companies.	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Kroot	C-suite and executive recruitment alongside professional direct hire and HR services	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Madison Wells	Retained leadership search for insights, analytics, strategy and commercial growth	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Major Executive Search	—	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Marengo Hampshire Partners	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Martin Partners	Senior leadership, finance and operating executive appointments	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	McKinley & Co. Recruitment	Professional and executive recruitment in supply chain, government and healthcare.	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Meraki Search Group	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	N2Growth	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	NextGroup	Nonprofit executive and leadership search	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Odgers	Executive and board search across financial services, industrial, healthcare, technology and professional sectors	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	PierceGray	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Preston Hunter Inc.	Executives and management for private equity, water, industrial, business services and technology	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Raines International	—	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Roberts and Ryan	—	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Rodgers HouderOak Brook	Retained and contingent search for food, consumer, and industrial firms	Hybrid	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	RSR Partners	Board, CEO, family-enterprise and senior functional executive search	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Rukes GroupHoffman Estates	Church and nonprofit leadership staffing	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Search 4/79Oak Brook	Executive search	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Search Excellence Partners	Executive and specialist leadership search in automotive, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food industries	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Sheer Velocity	Retained executive search, with deep tech and life sciences leadership expertise	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	Slayton Search Partners	C-suite and senior leadership across finance, HR, technology, marketing and industry practices	Retained	Not disclosed	23.8
=44	SPI of Chicago	Executive, scientific, engineering and commercial recruiting for ingredients and industrial sectors	Not stated	Not disclosed	23.8

=44BWP & AssociatesSchool district superintendent and educational executive search23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44CAA Executive SearchExecutive leadership, boards, corporate officers and senior HR appointments23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Chicago Execs23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Cowen Partners23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44CPG Talent Management23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Crist|Kolder Associates23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44CVC Search PartnersSenior executive recruitment for private equity-backed and privately owned companies23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44DHR GlobalExecutive and board search across consumer, technology, industrial, healthcare and financial services23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44DMSEARCHFinance, technology and commercial leadership23.8
HybridNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Drive Talent23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Ferguson PartnersExecutive and board recruitment for real estate, infrastructure and real assets23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Frontage Search PartnersMiddle-market executives and leadership for private equity, family-owned and public businesses23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Global Leadership SocietyExecutive and leadership search for venture-backed, private equity-backed and public companies23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Global Recruiters NetworkManagement, technical, professional and executive recruitment through a network of search offices23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Global Recruiters of Chicago WestOak Park · Food science, flavor, nutrition, ingredients and executive management23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Global Recruiters of Sauk TrailFrankfort · Rail fleet services, asset finance and manufacturing leadership23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Global Recruiters of SchaumburgItasca · Packaging and manufacturing corporate leadership, sales, finance and engineering23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Gray Harrison Executive SearchExecutive and professional search across HR, operations, finance, sales, marketing and legal23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44GTM TalentGo-to-market leadership and nonprofit executive recruitment23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Heidrick & StrugglesExecutive and board search, CEO succession and leadership advisory across professional industries23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Herald Search Group23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Holden RichardsonExecutive and management search in industrial, consumer, finance and technology businesses23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Hughes PartnersLeadership and investment roles in banking, asset management, fintech and private equity23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44InterimExecsInterim and fractional C-suite executives for growth, turnaround and project leadership23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44JM SearchBoard and senior executive recruitment across private equity, private and public companies.23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Joseph GroupNaperville · Sales, marketing, and engineering leadership23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Kanzer AssociatesBoard, finance, HR, marketing, operations and strategy leadership across multiple industries.23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Kinzie Search PartnersRetained executive search for manufacturing and distribution, including private equity portfolio companies.23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44KrootC-suite and executive recruitment alongside professional direct hire and HR services23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Madison WellsRetained leadership search for insights, analytics, strategy and commercial growth23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Major Executive Search23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Marengo Hampshire Partners23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Martin PartnersSenior leadership, finance and operating executive appointments23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44McKinley & Co. RecruitmentProfessional and executive recruitment in supply chain, government and healthcare.23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Meraki Search Group23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44N2Growth23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44NextGroupNonprofit executive and leadership search23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44OdgersExecutive and board search across financial services, industrial, healthcare, technology and professional sectors23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44PierceGray23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Preston Hunter Inc.Executives and management for private equity, water, industrial, business services and technology23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Raines International23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Roberts and Ryan23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Rodgers HouderOak Brook · Retained and contingent search for food, consumer, and industrial firms23.8
HybridNot disclosed0 open roles
=44RSR PartnersBoard, CEO, family-enterprise and senior functional executive search23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Rukes GroupHoffman Estates · Church and nonprofit leadership staffing23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Search 4/79Oak Brook · Executive search23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Search Excellence PartnersExecutive and specialist leadership search in automotive, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food industries23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Sheer VelocityRetained executive search, with deep tech and life sciences leadership expertise23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44Slayton Search PartnersC-suite and senior leadership across finance, HR, technology, marketing and industry practices23.8
RetainedNot disclosed0 open roles
=44SPI of ChicagoExecutive, scientific, engineering and commercial recruiting for ingredients and industrial sectors23.8
Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles

Score built from public signals · Fee model from firm websites · Terms reported by firms · Terms never affect the score

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How these firms are scored

Rank here is within Executive Search. Every score is built from public signals and measures specialisation and activity, not a guarantee of service quality. Terms, claiming and sponsorship never change it.

Specialist focus: 40%
Market activity: 35%
Track record: 25%

Read the full methodology →

What Exec Search firms charge

Market context · Fee survey

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0 of 150 NYC firms so farReport publishes at 150

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Hiring in Executive Search?

Describe the role once. We route it to the Chicago firms that specialise in it, and they reply with their approach and terms.

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Executive search firms in Chicago: questions

How do executive search firms in Chicago charge?

Of the firms ranked here, by their own websites: 15 retained and 2 hybrid. Most agencies charge a percentage of the hire's first-year base salary. Contingency recruiters are commonly quoted at around 15–25% and are paid only when you hire; retained and executive search firms often charge 25–35%, paid in stages as the search progresses.

How are executive search firms ranked here?

Rank is within this specialty only. The biggest factor is specialist focus: the share of a firm's open roles that are in this field. Hiring activity and track record make up the rest. No firm can pay for placement.

Should I use more than one recruiter?

For contingency roles many employers brief two or three firms at once. Retained searches are exclusive by design. Posting one brief here sends it to the specialists and lets you compare their approach and terms before you commit.