Neon River
Neon River is a London-based boutique executive search firm founded in 2004 by Peter Franks, specializing in C-level and VP-level leadership hiring for technology and games companies across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Neon River does
Neon River is a London-headquartered boutique executive search firm founded in 2004 by Peter Franks, specializing in senior leadership hiring for technology and games companies. The firm operates a partner-led, research-led model in which the founding partner personally leads every engagement from initial briefing through shortlist to final close, supported by expert research staff. Its core offering covers C-level and VP-level appointments — including CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, CPO, COO, NED, and senior functional leadership roles — across five sector specialisms: AI, Apps, Games, Internet, and Software.
The firm has no proprietary technology products, platforms, or software. Its deliverable is the search engagement itself, executed via a structured methodology comprising mandate briefing, systematic market research, candidate conversion, and assessment. Coverage is international: search mandates are delivered across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa, with the London office serving as headquarters. The firm has accumulated more than 100 senior leadership placements over its history, including 11 placements each at Miniclip and King, alongside marquee work for Star Stable Entertainment, Montagu Private Equity portfolio companies, Wireless Logic, Dedalus, GfK, Prezi, Weaveworks, Ten Square Games, Peak Games, and Metacore.
Revenue is generated through professional services fees structured in thirds — equal payments at launch, shortlist, and completion — with fixed and transparent pricing and a six-month replacement guarantee on every search. Go-to-market is partner-led direct engagement with founders, investors, and senior operators, supplemented by a content-led demand engine comprising the firm's website, recurring research publications (Top 30 CTOs in EMEA, Top 30 Mobile Gaming Leaders, Mobile Games Growing Companies Report), the No Latency editorial platform, and direct referrals within the technology and games communities. The firm is privately held, founder-owned, and operates independently with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company.
Neon River firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Neon River
- Legal name
- Neon River
- Website
- https://neonriver.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Neon River is a London-based boutique executive search firm founded in 2004 by Peter Franks, specializing in C-level and VP-level leadership hiring for technology and games companies across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Neon River industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Industrial & Engineering Leadership Search (BPACAAAD)
Keywords
Where Neon River is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Neon River business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Executive Search Fees: Thirds fee structure with equal payments at launch, shortlist and completion. Fixed and transparent pricing. All searches include a six month replacement guarantee.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Standard executive search engagement |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Neon River product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Neon River provides partner-led executive search services for senior leadership hiring in technology and games companies. The firm specializes in C-level and VP-level placements including CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, CPO, COO, and NED positions across AI, Apps, Games, Internet, and Software sectors, using a research-led methodology with international reach across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa.
Product overview
Neon River is a boutique executive search (headhunting) firm that offers a single, unified service: partner-led executive search for senior leadership positions in technology and games companies. Their core offering consists of research-led, partner-delivered search services across multiple sectors (AI, Apps, Games, Internet, Software) with a structured methodology covering briefing, market research, candidate conversion, and assessment. They do not offer modular software products, platforms, or add-on services—their product is the search engagement itself, led end-to-end by a Partner from first brief to final close.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Executive Search Services Partner-led executive search for senior leadership hiring in technology and games companies, covering C-level and VP-level roles including CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, CPO, COO, and NED positions across AI, Apps, Games, Internet, and Software sectors, delivered with a research-led methodology and a six-month replacement guarantee.
Quantifiable outcome
- Successfully placed over 100 senior leaders across technology and games companies including 11 placements each at Miniclip and King
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Neon River
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Neon River technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Neon River partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Neon River competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- True Search: Boutique executive search firm focused on technology, digital, and product leadership. Comparable to Neon River on technology and product C-level mandates with similar boutique positioning, though with somewhat broader geographic coverage.
Broad incumbents
- Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated technology, media, and telecom practice. Comparable to Neon River on technology and games C-suite mandates, but with broader industry coverage and a larger research infrastructure.
- Stanton Chase: Global executive search firm with a technology and media practice. Comparable on technology leadership mandates but with broader industry coverage and a partner-led model similar in spirit to Neon River's delivery approach.
- Harvey Nash: Technology-focused executive search and talent solutions firm. Comparable to Neon River on technology leadership mandates and also has a games-adjacent practice, though operates at larger scale across technology recruiting broadly.
- Odgers Berndtson: UK-headquartered global executive search firm with a strong technology practice. Comparable to Neon River on technology leadership mandates and headquartered in the same London market, but with broader sector and functional coverage.
- Egon Zehnder: Global executive search firm with deep technology and digital leadership practices. Comparable to Neon River on senior technology and product leadership searches, but with broader sector coverage and larger partner teams.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with dedicated technology, media, and entertainment practices including games. Comparable on C-level technology and games searches, but with broader cross-industry coverage and larger partner network.
- Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with a strong technology, media, and telecommunications practice. Directly comparable to Neon River on C-level technology mandates, but operates at significantly greater scale across all industries and geographies.
- Korn Ferry: Large global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice covering technology leadership. Comparable on mandate type but operates at much larger scale across all C-suite functions and industries.
Direct peers
- Lupa Search: Boutique executive search firm specializing in the games industry. Directly comparable to Neon River on games-sector C-level and senior leadership mandates, with similar boutique scale and sector focus.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Neon River social profiles
Digital presenceNeon River financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Neon River leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Neon River funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Neon River M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Neon River
What does Neon River do?
Neon River provides partner-led executive search services for senior leadership hiring in technology and games companies. The firm specializes in C-level and VP-level placements including CEO, CFO, CTO, CMO, CPO, COO, and NED positions across AI, Apps, Games, Internet, and Software sectors, using a research-led methodology with international reach across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa.
Is Neon River a public or private company?
Neon River is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Neon River founded?
Neon River was founded in 2004. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Neon River based?
Neon River is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Neon River make money?
One revenue line is on record: executive Search Fees.
Who are Neon River's main competitors?
True Search is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Heidrick & Struggles, Stanton Chase, Harvey Nash, Odgers Berndtson, Egon Zehnder, Russell Reynolds Associates, Spencer Stuart and Korn Ferry. Lupa Search is listed as a direct peer.
Does Neon River have an API?
No public API is recorded for Neon River.
What industry is Neon River in?
Neon River's product category is Executive Search Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAC, Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO), with a secondary code of BPACAAAD, Industrial & Engineering Leadership Search. Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 8742.