— CAPABILITIES: Executive Search
We don't fill roles.
We find leaders who stay.
Executive search has not fundamentally changed in a hundred years. Most firms source from the same visible pool, screen against a job description, and hand you a finalist. We built our entire process — Foresight™ — around solving the problem that method consistently produces: leaders who look right on paper but fail in practice.
92%
Placement retention at the 2-year mark
VS. 55% INDUSTRY AVERAGE
4,000+
Retained engagements completed — zero abandoned
30 YEARS. EVERY SINGLE ONE.
97%
Offer / acceptance ratio
VS. 70% INDUSTRY AVERAGE
— Why Most Searches Fail
The root cause of executive failure is almost never the résumé.
The root cause is fit — cultural, behavioral, contextual fit that standard assessment tools and rushed processes are simply not designed to surface. When a $350,000 executive hire fails after 18 months, the cost is not just the fee. It is organizational disruption, lost momentum, damaged culture, and the eighteen months you can never recover. We built Foresight™ to prevent that outcome — before the first interview is ever scheduled.
Allen Austin's founder, Rob Andrews, learned this as an operating president — not as a recruiter. He has sat in the seat of the executive making the hire, watched what happens when fit is wrong, and designed this process specifically to solve that problem.
— The Foresight™ Process
A search that begins with your organization.
Not our database.
Every Allen Austin search follows our proprietary Foresight™ process — developed and refined over 30 years. It is an evidence-based methodology that establishes cultural fit, performance expectations, and success criteria before we identify a single candidate. This is not due diligence after the fact. It is the architecture of a search that actually works.
1. Organizational & Position Needs Analysis
We begin by developing a comprehensive understanding of your organization's culture, operating environment, leadership expectations, and the specific conditions for success in this role. This analysis produces a detailed roadmap and performance specification that governs every subsequent phase of the search.
2. Original Research & Talent Sourcing
Our sourcing strategy combines original research, big data, and predictive analytics to identify high-fit candidates who are not visible to the broader search community. We surface hidden talent — people not already on everyone else's radar — rather than recycling the same names the market already knows.
3. Candidate Self-Appraisal & Fit Screening
Before any candidate is presented to you, our structured self-appraisal process compels less-than-ideal candidates to identify and acknowledge gaps in fit. This protects your time, raises the quality of every presented slate, and ensures that candidates who proceed are genuinely invested in the opportunity.
4. 360° Reference Audit
Every short-listed candidate undergoes a comprehensive reference audit before presentation. We go beyond standard reference checks to surface true strengths, development areas, behavioral tendencies, and indicators of cultural fit. You receive a complete picture — not a curated one — before you make a decision.
5. Partner-Led Execution Throughout
Senior partners execute every mission-critical phase — candidate contact, evaluation, due diligence, and reference audits. There are no handoffs to junior staff. The person you work with at the start of the engagement is the person standing behind the outcome.
6. Onboarding Support & Aftercare
Our relationship does not end at placement. We provide structured onboarding assistance and follow-through for at least one year after placement — because the first year is when placements succeed or fail, and we intend for ours to succeed.
★ Full two-year guarantee on all placements above $250K total compensation
— Positions We Place
Board to C-suite. Every mission-critical role.
We conduct retained searches for board members and senior executives across every major function and industry. Our functional practice areas include:
Board of Directors
Independent directors, committee chairs, and board composition advisory.
Chief Executive Officer
Founder succession, PE-backed CEO placement, and turnaround leadership.
Chief Financial Officer
CFOs for growth, transformation, liquidity events, and public company readiness.
Chief Operating Officer
Operational leaders who translate strategy into execution at scale.
Chief Human Resources Officer
People leaders who build culture, capability, and organizational
health.
Chief Marketing Officer
Revenue-oriented marketing leaders who connect brand to business outcomes.
Chief Information Officer
Technology leaders who align digital capability with strategic direction.
Chief Revenue Officer
Commercial leaders who build and scale revenue engines.
Chief Legal Officer
General counsel and CLOs for complex, high-stakes legal environments.
— Industries We Serve
Deep experience. Across every sector.
Our partners bring genuine industry expertise — not just search expertise — across the sectors where we work. This means we understand the specific leadership challenges, cultural dynamics, and performance expectations unique to your industry before we begin.
Consumer Products & Retail
CPG, specialty retail, e-commerce, and direct-to-consumer brands.
Financial Services
Banking, asset management, insurance, fintech, and PE/VC.
Life Sciences & Healthcare
Pharma, biotech, medtech, health systems, and healthcare services.
Technology, Media & Telecom
Enterprise software, SaaS, media, and communications.
Industrial & Energy
Manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, AEC, and supply chain.
Private Equity & Venture
Portfolio company leadership from pre-close through exit.
Not-for-Profit
Mission-driven organizations requiring business-caliber leadership.
Business & Professional Services
Consulting, legal, accounting, and specialty services firms.
Architecture, Engineering & Construction
Project-based and design-led organizations at every scale.
—
"The firm’s team members are true professionals and conduct searches expeditiously, professionally, and when necessary, confidentially."
— Barry Coombs, President & CEO, Old San Francisco Steak House
— BEGIN A SEARCH
Ready to approach your next search differently?
Tell us about the role, the organization, and what success looks like. We'll tell you how Foresight™ applies — and whether we're the right firm for this engagement.