What Society does

Society is a UK-headquartered executive search firm specializing in senior leadership appointments for charities, educational institutions, and public bodies globally. Founded in 2010 by Simon Lucas, the firm operates vertical practices in Higher Education, Schools and Colleges, Not-For-Profit, and Public Sector, delivering Chief Executive, board, and non-executive placements across more than 40 countries on five continents. Its service portfolio spans retained executive search, non-executive appointments, board services, interim management and consultancy, leadership development, and research and insight, with named clients including Great Ormond Street Hospital, MSF, Monash University, University of Nottingham, Stonewall, and the Alzheimer's Society.

The firm runs on a professional services revenue model, charging retained and contingency search fees for senior placements, with pricing disclosed only on a quote basis. Society monetizes through project-based mandates rather than subscription or volume-based pricing, and reports 61% of income from repeat clients, an NPS of 54.8, and 52% female / 24% Global Majority appointment outcomes as its primary commercial and impact metrics. Go-to-market is relationship-driven and consultative, executed through direct engagement with client leadership teams, supported by content marketing via an Insights blog, quarterly newsletters, LinkedIn presence, and detailed case studies.

Technically, Society positions itself as an AI-augmented search practice rather than an AI-native firm, integrating Altrata (1.7M+ profiles, 30% non-LinkedIn), AssessioAI psychometric assessments, Ezekia CRM, Metaview AI interview notetaking, LinkedIn Recruiter, and ChatGPT for translation and summarization, with all AI outputs verified by human consultants. The firm holds B Corp certification, embedding social and environmental governance into its operating model. In February 2026, Society became part of the Norman Broadbent Group and now functions as the wider firm's Civil Society, Education, and Public Sector Practice, with Simon Lucas serving as Managing Director of that division.

Name

Society

Legal name

Society

Website

https://society-search.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Society is a UK-based executive search firm placing senior leaders (CEOs, non-executives, board members) in charities, educational institutions, and public bodies across 40+ countries; since February 2026 it operates as the Civil Society, Education, and Public Sector Practice of the Norman Broadbent Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Leadership & Cabinet Administration (EDADAKAA), Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Senior leadership recruitment
• Board appointments
• CEO search
• Non-executive appointments

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Retained and contingency search fees for executive and non-executive appointments across charities, educational institutions, and public bodies. The firm handles senior leadership placements including Chief Executive, Board, and specialized leadership roles.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Society is an ethical executive search firm that conducts senior leadership and board-level appointments for charities, educational institutions, and public bodies worldwide. The firm offers retained and contingency search for Chief Executive, Non-Executive Director, and other senior leadership roles, alongside related services including interim management, leadership development, and research and insight. Society now operates as the Civil Society, Education, and Public Sector Practice of the Norman Broadbent Group following its 2026 acquisition.

Product overview

Society is an ethical executive search firm operating as a division of the Norman Broadbent Group (joined February 2026). The firm offers a unified executive search service centred on placing senior leaders—primarily CEOs, non-executives, and board members—in charities, educational institutions, and public sector bodies. The core offering comprises Executive Search Services, Chief Executive Appointments, and Non-Executive Appointments, supported by Board Services, Interim Management and Consultancy, Leadership Development, and Research and Insight modules. The firm operates specialist practices for Higher Education, Not-For-Profit, Public Sector, and Schools and Colleges sectors. Society differentiates through its use of technology tools (Altrata, LinkedIn Recruiter, Ezekia, Metaview AI) and commitment to diversity metrics (52% female appointments, 24% People of Global Majority appointments).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Services Ethical executive search services focused on placing diverse and effective senior leaders in charities, educational institutions, and public bodies worldwide. Retained and contingency assignments for Chief Executive, Board, and other senior leadership roles.
• Chief Executive Appointments High-stakes CEO search services for organisations across charities, education, private members' clubs, and purpose-led businesses, identifying and placing transformational chief executives.
• Non-Executive Appointments Placement of non-executive directors and board members for organisations across multiple sectors.
• Board Services Board-level appointment and advisory services including trustee, governor, and committee member placements for client organisations.
• Interim Management and Consultancy Temporary leadership solutions and consultancy services for organisations requiring immediate executive support or transition management.
• Leadership Development Services focused on developing and enhancing executive leadership capabilities within client organisations.
• Research and Insight Market research and intelligence services to inform leadership appointments and organisational strategy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 52% of appointments are female candidates
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Norman Broadbent GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Society has become part of the Norman Broadbent Group, a leading UK executive search firm established in 1979. Society now functions as the wider firm's Civil Society, Education, and Public Sector Practice. This partnership combines Society's specialized expertise with Norman Broadbent's 45+ years of industry experience and global reach across 40+ countries.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search incumbent whose Education, Social Enterprise, and Nonprofit practices overlap with Society's verticals.
• Odgers Berndtson: Large UK-headquartered global executive search incumbent whose public sector, education, and charity practices directly compete with Society for senior appointments.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search incumbent with dedicated Social Impact, Education, and Public Sector practices competing for similar mandates, though operating at much greater scale.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search incumbent with dedicated Nonprofit and Education practices, providing direct competition for senior mission-driven leadership mandates.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search incumbent with practices covering nonprofit, public sector, and higher education leadership searches.
• Korn Ferry: Largest global executive search firm with a dedicated Education and Nonprofit Industry practice that overlaps with Society's verticals.

Direct peers

• Norman Broadbent: Parent group since Feb 2026 — UK executive search firm established 1979 with which Society now operates as the Civil Society, Education, and Public Sector Practice.
• Perrett Laver: UK-headquartered executive search firm specializing in higher education, arts, charities, and social impact sectors — directly overlapping with Society's verticals and founder Simon Lucas's former employer.
• Saxton Bampfylde: UK executive search boutique with specializations in the not-for-profit, education, and public sectors — a closely comparable model to Society in terms of sector focus and firm size.
• Signium International: Global executive search group operating in the same social enterprise, education, and public sector niches; Society founder Simon Lucas was previously associated with the firm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/society
• Xx.com/societysearch

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Society