Seven things that shape a US executive appointment
Each one changes the offer, the timeline or the shortlist.
The offer is about equity, not salary
At US executive level, unvested restricted stock, options and long-term incentive awards are often worth more than base pay. A credible offer has to value what the candidate forfeits and decide whether to buy it out, which means the search has to establish the equity position during research, not at offer stage.
At-will employment makes the start date fast
Notice at US executive level is typically two to four weeks, far shorter than Europe. The practical constraints are vesting cliffs, bonus payment dates and board transition timing, not contractual notice. That makes the US the fastest of our markets from offer to productive start.
Non-compete enforceability is state law, and it moved
The Federal Trade Commission’s nationwide non-compete rule was set aside by a federal court in August 2024, so enforceability remains a matter of state law. California, Minnesota, Oklahoma and North Dakota broadly prohibit them; other states enforce reasonable restrictions, several with income thresholds.
We establish the governing state and any restriction during research. Enforceability in a specific case is a question for your counsel; the position continues to evolve, so check the current rule before relying on it.
Board appointments run on the SEC calendar
Director appointments at public companies sit inside proxy season, nominating and governance committee cycles and disclosure obligations. A director search timetable follows the annual meeting calendar.
Note that Nasdaq’s board diversity disclosure rule was vacated by the Fifth Circuit in December 2024; investor and institutional expectations on board composition did not disappear with it.
Executive pay is disclosed, in detail
Public company proxy statements disclose named executive officer compensation, the CEO pay ratio and pay versus performance. For a listed-company search that is a benchmark you can verify rather than estimate, and the candidate has read it too.
Thirty metro markets, not one national market
Executive supply, pay and willingness to relocate differ sharply between New York, the Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, Atlanta and Denver. A national search that is really a New York search produces a shortlist that will not move.
Background and reference practice is constrained
Several states and cities restrict salary-history questions and regulate background checks, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act governs third-party screening. We design the process so a US appointment does not create a compliance problem on the way in. See US pay transparency laws.
The us search process, week by week
Seven stages. Nothing begins until the brief and success profile are written down.
| Stage | What happens | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 0–1 | Scoping and success profile | Brief with the hiring body or committee, written success profile, metro and comparator set agreed, compensation positioned against disclosed proxy data where available |
| Weeks 1–3 | Market mapping | The qualified population identified metro by metro and verified, including current equity position and realistic mobility |
| Weeks 3–5 | Confidential approach | Named approaches, interest and motivation established, restrictive covenants and governing state identified |
| Weeks 5–7 | Longlist to shortlist | Structured interviews against the success profile, written assessments, shortlist with the reasons for every exclusion |
| Weeks 7–10 | Client interviews | Interview process managed, board or committee presentations where applicable, feedback handled both ways |
| Weeks 10–12 | Referencing and offer | Referencing, background screening run compliantly, offer constructed including any equity buyout, negotiation and acceptance |
| Weeks 12–16 | Transition | Two to four weeks’ notice is typical; vesting cliffs, bonus dates and board transition usually matter more than notice itself |
Two dates matter, and we quote them separately. Time to offer is what a search firm controls. Time to start depends on notice, garden leave, regulatory approval and relocation — and in several of our markets it is the longer of the two by a wide margin. A plan built on the first date alone will slip.
Roles and levels we search for
Where the qualified population is small and not actively looking, search is the right instrument. Where it is deep and available, it is not — and we will say so.
| Level | Typical roles | What the search turns on |
|---|---|---|
| Board and non-executive | Chair, non-executive director, senior independent director, audit and remuneration committee chairs | Governance process, documented search, composition requirements and committee calendar |
| Chief executive | CEO, managing director, country head, general manager | Confidentiality, succession context and the business case the appointee is being hired to deliver |
| Chief financial officer | CFO, finance director, group financial controller | Listed or private experience, transaction background and regulatory exposure |
| Technology and digital | CTO, CIO, CPO, CISO, chief data or AI officer | Depth of hands-on capability versus governance experience, and which one the role actually needs |
| Commercial and operations | CCO, COO, chief revenue officer, supply chain director | Sector adjacency, scale of operation and route-to-market fit |
| People and risk | CHRO, chief people officer, chief risk officer, general counsel | Regulatory exposure, works council or employee representative experience where relevant |
| Senior specialist | Head of function, principal, technical fellow, regulated specialist | A scarce capability where the qualified population is small and not looking |
Governance and regulation
The machinery around a us appointment, and where it sits in the timeline.
| Area | Framework | What it means for a search |
|---|---|---|
| Director duties | Delaware General Corporation Law and state corporate law | Fiduciary duties of care and loyalty frame what a board appointment commits someone to |
| Public company disclosure | Securities and Exchange Commission rules | Named executive officer pay, CEO pay ratio and pay versus performance are public |
| Board composition | Exchange listing standards and investor stewardship expectations | Nasdaq’s diversity disclosure rule was vacated in December 2024; institutional investor expectations remain |
| Restrictive covenants | State law; the FTC’s federal rule was set aside in 2024 | Enforceability varies by state and continues to evolve — confirm the current position with counsel |
| Screening | Fair Credit Reporting Act and state and city rules | Background checks and salary-history questions are regulated and vary by jurisdiction |
We are a research firm, not a law firm. The purpose of this table is to make sure the right questions are asked early and the right specialists are engaged, not to give legal advice. Every one of these frameworks changes periodically — confirm the current position with your own counsel before an appointment date is fixed.
Sectors we search in United States
Deepest where the qualified population is smallest.
- Technology and AI — CTO, CPO, CISO, chief AI officer and the engineering leadership beneath them. See the US AI talent market.
- Life sciences and healthcare — biotech, pharma, devices, payer and provider leadership. See US healthcare talent mapping.
- Financial services — banking, asset management, insurance, fintech, risk and compliance leadership.
- Industrial, aerospace and defense — including cleared appointments where clearance is the binding constraint.
- Semiconductors and hardware — operations, process and design leadership.
- Energy and climate technology — project, commercial and technical leadership.
- Private equity and venture portfolio — CEO, CFO and value-creation appointments on a deal timetable.
Confidentiality and ethics
In senior markets this decides whether a search succeeds, and whose reputation carries the cost if it does not.
The client is not named until engagement
We approach the market describing the opportunity, not the employer, until a candidate is genuinely interested and an NDA is in place where appropriate. The disclosure point is agreed in writing before the first call.
No pretext, ever
We do not misrepresent who we are or who we are working for in order to obtain information, and we do not solicit confidential information from current or former employees. A firm willing to do that for you will do it about you.
Off-limits agreed up front
Which organisations are off-limits, and for how long, is written into the scope. So is what happens if a candidate approaches us independently during the search.
Candidate data handled to one standard
Professional information only, sourced per field, transferred securely, and no special-category data compiled against named individuals. See the methodology for the full standard.
Declines are reported, with reasons
Who declined and why is as useful as who accepted. It is the clearest evidence you will get about how the role, the package and the employer brand are actually perceived.
The market map stays with you
Not with us. We do not recycle a client’s search into another client’s shortlist, and we do not resell research.
Search, mapping and contingency recruitment
Three different instruments. The expensive mistake is using the wrong one.
| Executive search (this) | Talent mapping | Contingency recruitment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starts from | A defined appointment | A role or population to understand | A live vacancy |
| Covers | The whole qualified population, approached | The whole qualified population, profiled but not approached | Whoever the recruiter can reach quickly |
| Best when | The right people are not looking | You need to decide before you commit | The market is deep and candidates are available |
| Output | An appointment, plus the full search report | A named population and analysis | A shortlist of available candidates |
| Our fee model | Fixed project fee | Fixed project fee | We do not work on contingency |
| Market fee model | 25–33% of first-year package, retained | Project fee | 15–25% on placement |
| Who owns the research | You | You | The agency |
| Confidentiality | High — client unnamed until engagement | High — no approach made at all | Low by construction |
The honest guidance: if the role is one where good people are actively looking and several agencies already have them on file, contingency recruitment is cheaper and faster, and we will tell you so. Search earns its fee where the qualified population is small, not looking, and reachable only through a researched and credible approach.
Many clients buy a the US talent map first, use it to decide whether to open the role at all, and convert into a search only if the answer is yes. The map is not wasted either way — it becomes the search’s first stage.
What executive search costs in United States
Fixed project fees, scoped on the search rather than on the salary.
| Engagement | What it covers | Typical fee | Typical duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior or specialist appointment | One VP or senior specialist role, one metro | $12,000–$28,000 | 10–14 weeks to offer |
| Board or C-suite appointment | CEO, CFO, CTO or director appointment with a full market map and governance-grade documentation | $28,000–$55,000 | 12–18 weeks to offer |
| Leadership team build | Three to five linked appointments, sequenced so the first hire shapes the rest | $55,000–$120,000 | 4–8 months |
A retained US search is normally 30 to 33 per cent of first-year total compensation, so a $400,000 appointment carries a fee of roughly $120,000 to $132,000 and delivers one hire and no retained asset. Our fee is for the work the search takes, and the full market map stays with you. The fee comparison calculator runs it on your own numbers.
Our fee is for the work the search takes, agreed in writing before it starts. It does not move with the appointee’s package, and there is no success fee. That is what allows a search to conclude that the role should be restructured, the package re-priced, or an internal candidate appointed. The fee comparison calculator runs it against a percentage model on your own numbers.
What you receive
The appointment is the outcome. The search report is the asset.
- The appointment — managed through offer, acceptance, notice and start, not handed over at signature.
- The market definition — the written scope every figure and judgement in the search rests on.
- The complete market map — the full qualified population, not only the people who responded. This is the asset most search firms keep.
- Approach and response record — who was approached, who engaged, who declined and the reason each gave.
- Written assessments — every shortlisted candidate against the agreed success profile, with the reasons for each exclusion.
- Compensation evidence — what the market pays on a stated and normalised basis, which is what makes an offer defensible internally.
- Referencing — structured, including regulatory references where the market requires them.
- Permanent ownership — all of the above is yours. Most clients reuse the map within a year for the next appointment or for succession planning.
US executive search FAQs
What is executive search in the US?
Executive search in the US is a managed, research-led process for appointing senior leaders: defining the role and the market, mapping every qualified candidate across the relevant metros, approaching them confidentially, assessing and referencing them, and constructing an offer that accounts for unvested equity, state restrictive covenant law and the board calendar.
How much does executive search cost in the US?
A senior or specialist appointment typically costs $12,000 to $28,000. A board or C-suite appointment typically costs $28,000 to $55,000. A leadership team build of three to five linked roles typically costs $55,000 to $120,000.
These are fixed project fees for the work the search takes. A retained US search at 30 to 33 per cent of first-year total compensation on a $400,000 role is roughly $120,000 to $132,000 for a single hire, and the search report stays with the search firm.
How long does a US executive search take?
Ten to fourteen weeks from brief to accepted offer for a senior or specialist role, and twelve to eighteen weeks for a board or C-suite appointment.
The US is the fastest of our markets from offer to start, because employment is generally at will and notice is typically two to four weeks. The real constraints are vesting cliffs, bonus payment dates and board transition timing.
How do you handle equity in a US offer?
By establishing it during research rather than at offer stage. At US executive level, unvested restricted stock, options and long-term incentive awards are frequently worth more than base pay, so what a candidate forfeits by leaving is usually the real negotiation.
We quantify the forfeiture with the valuation assumption stated, and advise on whether and how to buy it out. For listed comparators we use disclosed proxy data rather than estimates.
Can you enforce a non-compete against a US executive?
It depends on the governing state, and the position has moved. The Federal Trade Commission’s nationwide non-compete rule was set aside by a federal court in August 2024, so enforceability remains a matter of state law. California, Minnesota, Oklahoma and North Dakota broadly prohibit them; other states enforce reasonable restrictions, several with income thresholds.
We identify the governing state and any restriction during research so the shortlist is built from people who can take the job. Enforceability in a specific case is a question for your counsel, and the position continues to evolve.
Do you run board and director searches?
Yes. Director appointments at public companies run inside proxy season and the nominating and governance committee cycle, so the timetable follows the annual meeting calendar rather than a hiring manager’s preference.
We document the process to governance standard and provide the written record the committee needs. Note that Nasdaq’s board diversity disclosure rule was vacated by the Fifth Circuit in December 2024; institutional investor expectations on board composition did not change with it.
Do you charge a percentage of compensation?
No. We charge a fixed project fee based on the work the search requires. There is no percentage, no placement fee and no success fee, and the full search report is yours.
Can you run a confidential search?
Yes. Confidential searches are common in the US where an incumbent is still in post, where the appointment signals a strategy change, or where the company is in a transaction. We approach the market without naming the client until a candidate is genuinely engaged and an NDA is in place.
How do you handle background checks and salary history?
Carefully, and by jurisdiction. Third-party background screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and several states and cities restrict salary-history questions and regulate the timing and scope of checks.
We design the process so an appointment does not create a compliance problem on the way in, and we flag where a client’s standard process would breach a local rule. The state-by-state detail is on our pay transparency guide.
Will you search outside our metro?
Only if relocation is genuinely on the table, and we will tell you honestly how much of the qualified population would move. Executive relocation willingness in the US is lower than most plans assume, particularly where a partner’s career or schooling is involved.
Where the role can be remote or hybrid, we size both populations and show the difference in cost and depth rather than assuming one.
What do we receive at the end?
The appointment, and the full search report: the market definition, the complete map of the qualified population, who was approached and who declined and why, assessments against the success profile, and the compensation evidence behind the offer. You keep all of it.
How is this different from a contingency recruiter?
A contingency recruiter is paid only on placement and typically works from an existing network, which is fast and inexpensive for roles with a deep available market. It is the wrong instrument for an appointment where the right people are not looking.
An executive search researches the whole qualified population, approaches people who are not in the market, and documents the process. We do it on a fixed fee rather than a percentage, which removes the incentive to close rather than to advise.
Can you support a private equity portfolio appointment?
Yes, and on a transaction timetable. We run pre-deal leadership assessment, post-close CEO and CFO appointments, and value-creation hires, with the market map retained by the fund rather than by us — which matters when the same thesis repeats across the portfolio.
Primary sources and how we check
- Non-compete clause rulemakingFederal Trade Commission
- Executive compensation disclosureUS Securities and Exchange Commission
- Occupational Employment and Wage StatisticsUS Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Fair Credit Reporting Act — employment background checksFederal Trade Commission
- EDGAR company filingsUS Securities and Exchange Commission
- Delaware Division of CorporationsState of Delaware
- Pre-employment inquiries and the lawUS Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Figures quoted on this page were checked against the sources above on 20 October 2026. Statutory rates, thresholds and quotas change: where a number drives a budget or a legal obligation, confirm it against the primary source before you rely on it.