Sheffield Haworth

What Sheffield Haworth does

Sheffield Haworth is a global executive search, talent advisory, and consulting solutions firm founded in 1993 in the United Kingdom by Tim Sheffield, Nigel Haworth, and Michael Spencer. The firm employs 200+ professionals across 15 locations spanning Europe (London, Geneva), the Middle East (Dubai), the Americas (New York), and Asia-Pacific (Gurugram, Mumbai, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney). It serves enterprise clients including Fortune 500 financial institutions, technology companies, and consulting/professional services firms through retained C-suite and board-level search mandates.

The firm's core offerings span five integrated service lines: Executive Search (senior leadership recruitment), Executive Interims (on-demand interim executives), Strategic Research and Advisory (talent intelligence, market analysis, compensation benchmarking), Leadership Advisory (talent development, culture assessment), and Change Consulting (organizational transformation). These are organized by industry practices covering Financial Services (Real Assets, Alternatives, Private Markets, Asset Management, FinTech, Insurance, Global Banking, Global Markets, ESG & Sustainability), Technology, Consulting/Business Services/Professional Services, and Industrials. The firm has pursued an acquisition strategy to build capabilities, acquiring NBI Consulting (2017), Gillamor Stephens and S&H Consulting (2018), Symbiosis Search (2022), and O'Leary and Partners (2025).

The business operates on a professional services model with retained fee structures tied to search milestones, pricing not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is exclusively direct enterprise sales through senior consultant relationships targeting C-suite, boards, and HR leadership. The firm is AESC-member, with Chairman Tim Sheffield serving as Co-Chair of AESC's European arm, and is led by Alex Cormack as CEO. Sheffield Haworth is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or revenue figures.

Name

Sheffield Haworth

Legal name

Sheffield Haworth, Inc.

Website

https://sheffieldhaworth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sheffield Haworth is a London-headquartered global executive search, talent advisory, and consulting firm with 200+ professionals across 15 locations. It serves enterprise clients in financial services, technology, and professional services through retained C-suite and board-level search mandates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search & Talent Consulting

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Services Leadership Search (Banking/Insurance/PE/Asset Mgmt) (BPACAAAF), Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC), Human Capital & Workforce Transformation Consulting (BPAHACAE)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Talent advisory
• Leadership consulting
• Change management consulting
• Interim executive placement

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Retained executive search engagements for C-suite and board-level placements, typically on a retained fee basis with success-based components.
2. Strategic Research and Advisory: Bespoke talent intelligence solutions including market analysis, competitor profiling, and compensation benchmarking services.
3. Executive Interims: Interim executive placement services for financial services and other sectors.
4. Leadership Advisory: Leadership development and advisory services including culture assessment and transformation consulting.
5. Change Consulting: Organizational change and transformation consulting services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sheffield Haworth is a global executive search and talent consulting firm that places C-suite and board-level executives on a retained basis, delivers interim executive placements, and provides strategic research, leadership advisory, and change consulting services. The firm partners with clients across financial services, technology, professional services, and industrials to address leadership succession, talent intelligence, organizational transformation, and culture development, operating through 15 global offices and a network of senior advisors.

Product overview

Sheffield Haworth is a global executive search and talent consulting firm offering a portfolio of integrated services. The core offerings include Strategic Research and Advisory (talent intelligence and workforce planning), Executive Search (senior leadership recruitment), Executive Interims (on-demand interim executives), Leadership Advisory (talent development and culture), and Change Consulting (transformation advisory). These services are organized by industry practices covering Financial Services, Technology, Consulting/Business Services/Professional Services, and Industrials. The company operates across 15 global locations with over 200 professionals serving clients from Fortune 500 companies to technology disruptors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Retained executive search service partnering with clients on senior leadership hiring needs across global markets, placing C-suite and board-level executives across financial services, technology, professional services, and industrials.
• Strategic Research and Advisory Bespoke talent intelligence solutions providing market and competitor analysis, key issue intelligence, and compensation benchmarking to support strategic workforce planning.
• Executive Interims On-demand interim executive placement services positioned as market-leading for the Financial Services sector, providing temporary C-suite and senior leadership cover.
• Leadership Advisory Advisory services developing leaders, nurturing talent, and establishing winning cultures through leadership development and culture assessment engagements.
• Change Consulting Consulting services partnering with clients on change and transformation agendas, addressing organizational redesign, culture, and people-led transformation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21% more likely to outperform on profitability for companies in top quartile for gender diversity (McKinsey research referenced)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WinpeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2025Winpe, a leading platform advocating gender diversity in investing, announced Sheffield Haworth as Knowledge Partner for the ProClub Mentorship Program. Sheffield Haworth contributes thought leadership and expertise on leadership and career development.
• Progress TogetherminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2023Progress Together, a government-backed organisation focused on socio-economic diversity in senior leadership, teamed up with Sheffield Haworth to tackle deep-rooted disparities. The collaboration aims to address socio-economic disparity in senior leadership positions.
• AESC (Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheffield Haworth is an active member of AESC, contributing to its regional boards. Chairman Tim Sheffield serves as Co-Chair of its European arm. The firm adheres to AESC standards and ethics.
• BlueStepsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSheffield Haworth partners with BlueSteps, the executive career service of AESC, to increase visibility and provide career services for executives seeking new opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hays: Global recruitment and workforce solutions firm with broader mid-market coverage. Comparable only at the margins of senior financial services and professional services hiring; much broader and lower-skill-mix than Sheffield Haworth's retained search focus.
• Korn Ferry: Large-scale global organizational consulting firm with a major Executive Search segment alongside RPO and consulting. Overlaps with Sheffield Haworth's executive search and leadership advisory, but operates at significantly greater scale and breadth.

Direct peers

• Stanton Chase: Global executive search firm with comparable sector coverage including Financial Services and Technology. A direct mid-tier competitor for senior retained mandates in EMEA, APAC, and the Americas.
• Odgers Berndtson: Global executive search firm with strong Financial Services and Private Equity practices, headquartered in the UK. Comparable on senior-level retained search in London and other major financial centers.
• Egon Zehnder: Privately-held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Comparable in private-company status, board and CEO search focus, and integrated advisory offerings across Financial Services and Technology verticals.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with comparable Financial Services, Technology, and Board & CEO Practice coverage. Direct competitor on cross-border senior leadership mandates for large enterprises.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with strong Financial Services and Technology practices. Closely competes with Sheffield Haworth on senior leadership mandates across banking, asset management, and SaaS.
• DHR International: Global executive search firm with deep Financial Services and Private Equity practice expertise. Direct comparable for senior leadership mandates in asset management, alternatives, and banking.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the world's leading executive search firms with deep Financial Services and Board Practice coverage globally. Directly comparable to Sheffield Haworth on C-suite and board-level retained search for financial institutions and large corporates.

Others

• LinkedIn (Talent Solutions): Talent intelligence and recruitment platform increasingly used by clients to source senior candidates and benchmark talent. Represents an indirect competitive and substitute threat to traditional retained executive search models rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SheffieldHaworth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sheffield-haworth
• Xx.com/sheffhaw

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sheffield Haworth