CarterBaldwin
CarterBaldwin Executive Search is a privately held, partner-owned retained executive search firm founded in 2000, placing C-level and VP leaders across nine sector practices for enterprise, PE-backed, nonprofit, and education clients using a performance-based retainer model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CarterBaldwin does
CarterBaldwin Executive Search is a privately held, partner-owned retained executive search firm founded in 2000 and headquartered in Roswell, Georgia, with additional offices in Alpharetta, GA and Washington, DC. The firm conducts senior executive searches for C-level, Vice President, President, and General Manager roles across nine sector-specialized practice areas: Business Services, Consumer & Retail, Distribution & Logistics, Education, Energy & Infrastructure, Industrial, Nonprofit, Private Equity, and Technology. Within each practice, partners engage directly with CEOs, boards, and hiring committees using a structured, metrics-driven "engineered search process" intended to deliver predictable placement outcomes.
The firm's core "product" is its people — partners and search consultants supported by a research team — and it returns no proprietary technology product to market. Instead, CarterBaldwin relies on its process methodology, research infrastructure, and a distinctive performance-based retainer model that ties firm compensation to the achievement of client deliverable milestones through completed placement. The firm does not disclose pricing publicly, but retained executive search fees are negotiated per engagement based on scope and seniority.
CarterBaldwin targets enterprise clients, including Fortune 500 corporations, PE-backed portfolio companies, large nonprofits, and mission-driven institutions, with named clients spanning TPG, Warburg Pincus, Mohawk Industries, TriNet, Langan, Brenntag, X-energy, Pepperdine University, World Vision, and Mercy Ships. Distribution is exclusively direct: senior partners own client relationships end-to-end, with no channel or reseller partners. The firm has been named by Forbes as one of America's Best Executive Search Firms on multiple occasions, recognized by Hunt Scanlon as a top 1% retained firm and a PE Power 75 firm, and has twice been included on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies.
CarterBaldwin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CarterBaldwin
- Legal name
- CarterBaldwin
- Website
- https://carterbaldwin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CarterBaldwin Executive Search is a privately held, partner-owned retained executive search firm founded in 2000, placing C-level and VP leaders across nine sector practices for enterprise, PE-backed, nonprofit, and education clients using a performance-based retainer model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CarterBaldwin industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB), Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI), Consumer & Retail Leadership Search (BPACAAAG), Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC)
Keywords
Where CarterBaldwin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
CarterBaldwin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Retained Executive Search Services: The firm operates exclusively on a retained search model where clients engage CarterBaldwin to identify and place senior executive talent. Their distinctive performance-based retainer structure ties their financial success to client outcomes, requiring the firm to hit key deliverable milestones before receiving full fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Multi-year contract | Performance-based retainer model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
CarterBaldwin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CarterBaldwin Executive Search is a retained executive search firm that identifies, evaluates, and places C-level, VP, President, and GM executives for client organizations across nine specialized practice areas. The firm operates on a performance-based retainer model in which fees are tied to the achievement of key deliverable milestones culminating in a successful executive hire. All engagements are partner-led, consultative, and delivered directly without intermediaries.
Product overview
CarterBaldwin is a retained executive search firm that operates as a single, unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is executive search services delivered through nine specialized practice areas (Business Services, Consumer & Retail, Distribution & Logistics, Education, Energy & Infrastructure, Industrial, Nonprofit, Private Equity, and Technology). The firm employs a performance-based retainer model where fees are tied to milestone achievement. No distinct software products, modules, or technology platforms are offered—all services are human-delivered consulting engagements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Business Services Practice
- Consumer & Retail Practice
- Distribution & Logistics Practice
- Education Practice
- Energy & Infrastructure Practice
- Industrial Practice
- Nonprofit Practice
- Private Equity Practice
- Technology Practice
Quantifiable outcome
- Thousands of executive placements completed over 25 years of operation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CarterBaldwin
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
CarterBaldwin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
CarterBaldwin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- National Association of Wholesaler-DistributorsminorCarterBaldwin is a member of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, supporting their Distribution & Logistics practice area clients.
- Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU)minorCarterBaldwin is a proud sponsor of CCCU, participating in their International Forum and leading sessions on leadership best practices.
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)minorCarterBaldwin is a sponsor of NAIS, supporting the independent school community.
- Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)minorCarterBaldwin maintains sponsorship relationship with ACSI for education sector engagement.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights9 records
CarterBaldwin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DHR Global: Global executive search firm with broad practice area coverage. Direct competitor in retained search, particularly serving mid-market to large enterprise clients similar to CarterBaldwin's target market.
- ON Partners: Executive search firm focused on placing C-suite, board, and senior executive leaders across technology, industrial, consumer, and PE-backed companies. Direct competitor in retained search with similar practice area structure.
- Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm focused on C-suite and board-level placements across industries. Spencer Stuart is a direct competitor in retained executive search and target client base significantly overlaps with CarterBaldwin's Fortune 500 and PE-backed clients.
- Boya Search Group: Boutique executive search firm serving PE-backed and growth-stage companies. Comparable mid-sized competitor in retained search with focus on PE and growth-stage clients similar to CarterBaldwin's private equity practice.
- Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with strong presence across multiple sectors including industrial, private equity, and technology. Direct competitor in retained search with similar practice area structure.
- WittKieffer: Executive search firm with strong focus on education, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. Direct competitor in CarterBaldwin's Education and Nonprofit practice areas, particularly for president and senior leadership searches.
- Korn Ferry: One of the largest global executive search and organizational consulting firms. Direct competitor in retained executive search with overlapping practice areas and similar core client base of Fortune 500 companies and PE portfolio companies.
- Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Direct competitor in retained executive search for C-suite and board roles, particularly serving large multinational and PE clients.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with multiple practice areas including consumer, technology, and industrial. Direct competitor serving similar enterprise and PE client segments.
- Odgers Berndtson: Global executive search firm with strong sector-based practice areas. Direct competitor in retained search for senior executive placements across multiple verticals.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CarterBaldwin social profiles
Digital presenceCarterBaldwin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CarterBaldwin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
CarterBaldwin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CarterBaldwin 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 CarterBaldwin
What does CarterBaldwin do?
CarterBaldwin Executive Search is a retained executive search firm that identifies, evaluates, and places C-level, VP, President, and GM executives for client organizations across nine specialized practice areas. The firm operates on a performance-based retainer model in which fees are tied to the achievement of key deliverable milestones culminating in a successful executive hire. All engagements are partner-led, consultative, and delivered directly without intermediaries.
Is CarterBaldwin a public or private company?
CarterBaldwin is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was CarterBaldwin founded?
CarterBaldwin was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CarterBaldwin based?
CarterBaldwin is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does CarterBaldwin make money?
One revenue line is on record: retained Executive Search Services.
Who are CarterBaldwin's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DHR Global, ON Partners, Spencer Stuart, Boya Search Group, Heidrick & Struggles, WittKieffer, Korn Ferry, Egon Zehnder, Russell Reynolds Associates and Odgers Berndtson.
Does CarterBaldwin have an API?
No public API is recorded for CarterBaldwin.
What industry is CarterBaldwin in?
CarterBaldwin's product category is Executive Search Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAA, C-Suite & Board Search, with a secondary code of BPACAAAB, Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops). Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 7361.