What PSD Group does

PSD Group is a London-headquartered executive recruitment firm founded in 1991 that delivers board, C-suite, and senior management search services across seven sector specialisations: Board Practice, Financial Services, Hospitality/Leisure/Lifestyle, Industry, Real Estate & Construction, Sport, and Technology & Transformation. The firm employs 251-500 people, including more than 50 specialist consultants, and operates from offices in London (Moorgate) and Manchester, executing mandates across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, the US, and Southeast Asia. Service delivery is structured as a matrix combining sector practices with four engagement models: Retained Search (exclusive, research-led board and executive placements), Talent Mapping & Benchmarking (candidate pool and market data studies), Interim & Contract (fixed-term executive appointments), and Contingent Recruitment (mid-to-senior management placements).

The underlying technology stack is described as a CRM plus candidate tracking and research tooling with no disclosed AI-native components; the firm's principal asset is its consultant bench and the institutional knowledge built over three decades of sector relationships. Notable enterprise clients include Investec, Fidelity, United Trust Bank, the British and Irish Lions, Arsenal FC, Liverpool FC, McLaren Racing, Corinthia Hotels, The Savoy, Rocco Forte, and Raffles London, spanning banking, sport, hospitality, and real estate.

The business model is fee-for-service professional services. Retained search engagements are quoted per assignment with an engagement fee plus success-fee structure; interim and contract roles are billed on time and materials. The firm is privately held following a 2010 management buyout led by Francesca Robinson and is governed by Chairman Simon Murphy, Group Managing Director Kit Taylor, and Finance Director Laurence Krafchik, with a strategic partnership extending the talent pool through sister firm Hoggett Bowers. No revenue figures, funding rounds, or external institutional ownership are disclosed.

Name

PSD Group

Legal name

PSD Limited

Website

https://psdgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

PSD Group is a UK-headquartered executive search firm founded in 1991, employing 50+ specialist consultants across seven sector practices to deliver board, C-suite, and senior management placements to enterprise clients in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, the US, and Southeast Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Board level recruitment
• Leadership talent acquisition
• C-suite headhunting
• Senior management recruitment

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retained Search: Exclusive, research-led executive search process for critical leadership and specialist appointments. Clients engage PSD on an exclusive basis for board, C-suite and executive leadership positions.
2. Interim & Contract: Short-term executive appointments for fixed-term projects and strategic initiatives. Specializes in Technology, HR, Finance, Property and Marketing contract roles.
3. Talent Mapping & Benchmarking: Detailed candidate mapping exercises providing up-to-date employment market data to support immediate recruitment needs and inform future hiring strategies.
4. Contingent Recruitment: Results-driven placement services for mid to senior management roles, leveraging specialist consultants with deep sector expertise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PSD Group is a specialist executive recruitment firm that provides board-level, C-suite, and senior management talent acquisition services through retained search, interim & contract placement, talent mapping & benchmarking, and contingent recruitment. It operates seven sector-specialist practices (Board Practice, Financial Services, Hospitality/Leisure/Lifestyle, Industry, Real Estate & Construction, Sport, Technology & Transformation) serving enterprise and strategic clients across the UK and internationally.

Product overview

PSD Group is an executive recruitment firm offering a unified talent acquisition platform organized by specialized sector practices and service delivery models. The company operates seven industry-specific practices (Board Practice, Financial Services, Hospitality/Leisure/Lifestyle, Industry, Real Estate & Construction, Sport, and Technology & Transformation) complemented by four core service offerings (Retained Search, Talent Mapping & Benchmarking, Interim & Contract, and Contingent Recruitment). The sector practices focus on executive and senior-level placements within their respective industries, while the service offerings provide different engagement models for talent acquisition—from exclusive retained searches for critical leadership roles to contingent recruitment for mid-to-senior management positions. PSD Group's matrix structure enables cross-functional expertise delivery across sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retained Search Exclusive, research-led executive search process for Board, C-suite and executive leadership appointments. Clients engage PSD on an exclusive retained basis for critical leadership and specialist hires.
• Interim & Contract Short-term executive appointments for fixed-term projects and strategic initiatives. Specialises in Technology, HR, Finance, Property and Marketing contract roles across PSD's sector practices.
• Talent Mapping & Benchmarking Detailed candidate mapping exercises providing up-to-date employment market data to support immediate recruitment needs and inform future hiring strategies.
• Contingent Recruitment Results-driven placement services for mid to senior management roles, leveraging specialist consultants with deep sector expertise across PSD's sector practices.
• Board Practice Executive search service specialising in board-level appointments including Chairs, NEDs, and governance roles across multiple sectors. Operates in close partnership with sister firm Hoggett Bowers.
• Financial Services Practice Executive recruitment service for banking, fintech, asset management, ETF providers, insurers, and PE/VC-backed financial services organisations at board, C-suite, and senior management levels.
• Hospitality, Leisure & Lifestyle Practice Specialist executive search covering hotels & resorts, leisure and entertainment, and restaurants & bars sectors for senior management and C-level placements.
• Industry Practice Executive recruitment for defence, aerospace, cyber-security, automotive, transportation, infrastructure, engineering, government agencies and private investors.
• Real Estate & Construction Practice Specialist executive search for real estate developers, investors, housebuilders, property services, construction, infrastructure, and renewable energy organisations.
• Sport Practice Executive recruitment service for sports organisations including clubs, teams, stadia and venues, governing bodies, rights holders, international federations, agencies, media and broadcasters.
• Technology & Transformation Practice Executive search covering technology leadership (CIO/CTO), digital transformation, AI, cybersecurity, data & analytics, and software engineering roles across multiple industries including Financial Services, Leisure & hospitality, Retail and Energy.

Named customers29 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hoggett BowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSD's highly successful Board Practice works in close partnership with their sister executive search firm Hoggett Bowers, enabling access to the widest possible pool of talent. This collaborative approach allows identification and attraction of individuals from diverse related sectors, supporting clients in building inclusive and sustainable leadership teams.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Odgers Berndtson: One of the largest UK-headquartered executive search firms, competing directly with PSD across multiple sectors including Financial Services, Public Sector, and Technology. Highly comparable in terms of multi-sector retained search model.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with strong board practice and sector specialization. Directly comparable to PSD's retained search and Board Practice offerings across financial services, technology, and consumer sectors.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Publicly-listed global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a global footprint. Competes with PSD in Financial Services, Technology, and Board Practice retained search engagements.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with deep Financial Services, Technology, and Board Practice expertise. Directly comparable in retained C-suite and board-level search where PSD operates.
• Egon Zehnder: Privately-held global executive search firm known for board advisory and sector-deep retained search. Competes with PSD for senior leadership appointments across multiple verticals.
• Hoggett Bowers: PSD's strategic sister firm with which PSD collaborates on Board Practice assignments. A specialized UK executive search firm whose pool and approach are highly analogous to PSD's.
• Norman Broadbent: UK-headquartered executive search firm operating in Financial Services, Defence, and Technology. Closely comparable in mid-sized, sector-specialized retained search.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Largest global executive search and talent advisory firm with a vastly broader portfolio of services. Overlaps with PSD in C-suite retained search and Board Practice but operates at materially larger scale.
• Robert Walters: Listed UK-based recruitment group with significant Financial Services and Property/Perm contracting presence. Overlaps with PSD's mid-to-senior permanent placement and Financial Services Practice, though much broader in scope.
• PageGroup (Michael Page): Global listed recruitment group with multiple brand-led practices (Michael Page, Page Personnel) and deep Financial Services and Property sector exposure. Overlaps with PSD's contingent recruitment arm at the mid-senior management level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/psd-group
• Xx.com/psdgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 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 PSD Group