Mackinnon Bruce International

What Mackinnon Bruce International does

Mackinnon Bruce International is a UK-headquartered specialist executive search and recruitment firm founded in 2012 in Leeds, operating across more than 25 industry verticals including technology, chemicals, consumer goods, agriculture, life sciences, medical technology, and renewables. The firm employs 101–250 staff across UK offices in Leeds (headquarters), Manchester, and Nottingham, with publicly stated plans to expand into Australia and North America.

The company delivers a multi-service recruitment offering built on four core service lines: retained executive search, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), market mapping, and salary benchmarking, supplemented by talent pool development. Its go-to-market targets enterprise and growth-stage clients within deep vertical specializations — supported by named client relationships such as Timac Agro (13 years), Scholl, Germains, and CarbonScape — rather than SMB volume hiring.

The revenue model combines one-off retained search fees, recurring RPO contracts, and project-based market mapping and benchmarking engagements. Long-tenured client relationships (e.g., 50+ placements over 5+ years in specialty chemicals) and a career progression initiative for 2025 indicate a deliberate scaling strategy through consultant headcount growth, geographic expansion, and adjacent service line development.

Name

Mackinnon Bruce International

Legal name

Mackinnon Bruce International

Website

https://mackinnon-bruce.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Mackinnon Bruce International is a UK-headquartered specialist executive search and recruitment firm founded in 2012, operating across 25+ industry verticals from offices in Leeds, Manchester, and Nottingham, serving enterprise and growth-stage clients via retained search, RPO, market mapping, and salary benchmarking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search and Specialist Recruitment Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC), Industrial & Engineering Leadership Search (BPACAAAD)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Specialist recruitment agency
• Retained search solutions
• Talent pool development
• Salary benchmarking consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Search & Retained Search: Retained search and selection service delivering focused and confidential approach to securing senior, specialist and hard-to-find talent. This is a core revenue stream involving exclusive engagements where clients retain the firm to find specific candidates.
2. Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO): RPO service where clients hand over part or all of their recruitment process. Mackinnon Bruce works with clients to understand the level of support needed, providing scalable recruitment solutions.
3. Market Mapping: Provides clear view of available talent, competitor structures, and market trends to support recruitment strategy. Fixed-cost engagement with clawback scheme where no further placement fees payable until mapping cost is recouped.
4. Talent Pool Development: Access to high-calibre professionals aligned with business needs, leveraging market intelligence and sector expertise. Proactive, future-focused talent planning service.
5. Salary Benchmarking: Accurate market data service to help clients structure pay and rewards with confidence, supporting informed, evidence-based decisions about compensation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mackinnon Bruce International is a specialist executive search and recruitment agency that places mid-to-senior and C-suite professionals across 25+ industry verticals globally. Its core offerings are retained and executive search, complemented by Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), market mapping, talent pool development, and salary benchmarking services for hiring organizations, with supporting job search and CV upload services for candidates. The firm works consultatively with enterprise clients to source hard-to-find specialist and leadership talent in sectors such as Chemicals, Life Sciences, Medical Technology, Agriculture, Renewable Energy, Technology, and Aerospace & Defense.

Product overview

Mackinnon Bruce International is a global executive search and recruitment agency offering a portfolio of interconnected services. The core offering consists of Executive Search and Retained Search for senior and specialist placements, complemented by Market Mapping, Talent Pool Development, Salary Benchmarking, and Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services. For candidates, the company provides Job Search and CV Upload capabilities. These services work together to deliver end-to-end talent acquisition solutions across multiple specialist industries including Technology, Chemicals, Life Sciences, Agriculture, Medical Technology, Aerospace & Defense, Data Centres, Future Mobility, Renewables, and more.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Connects enterprise clients with high-calibre leaders for C-suite and senior roles through a focused, confidential recruitment approach. Designed for hiring organizations seeking senior executive talent across specialist industries.
• Retained Search A retained search and selection service delivering a focused and confidential approach to securing senior, specialist, and hard-to-find talent for enterprise clients on an exclusive engagement basis.
• Market Mapping Provides a clear view of available talent, competitor structures, and market trends to support recruitment strategy through structured research and talent identification, with fixed-cost engagement and a clawback scheme against future placement fees.
• Talent Pool Development Strategic workforce planning service that builds and maintains talent pools for critical and future roles by identifying, engaging, and nurturing high-calibre professionals aligned with client business needs, leveraging market intelligence and sector expertise.
• Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Allows clients to hand over part or all of their recruitment process, with flexible support levels to meet varying hiring needs; Mackinnon Bruce works with clients to understand the level of support required and provides scalable recruitment solutions.
• Salary Benchmarking Provides accurate market data to help organisations structure pay and rewards with confidence, through analysis of salary ranges, benefits, and competitor comparisons, supporting informed, evidence-based compensation decisions.
• Job Search Online platform for candidates to search and apply for jobs across various specialist industries and sectors served by Mackinnon Bruce International.
• CV Upload Service allowing candidates to submit their CV for consideration in future recruitment opportunities and access unadvertised senior and specialist roles across MBI's industry verticals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 positions filled for one specialty chemicals client over five years spanning regulatory, toxicology, and product safety functions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• CarbonScapecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Mackinnon Bruce International announced partnership with CarbonScape, a material innovator driving sustainability within the lithium-ion battery market. CarbonScape has developed world-first, patented technology employing forestry by-products like wood chips to make biographite - a green alternative to synthetic and natural graphite. MBI is working with CarbonScape to secure talent for their expanding teams as they scale the business and develop production facilities in Europe and the US following $18M in new investment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Hays: UK-headquartered global recruitment firm operating across multiple specialist sectors. Comparable to MBI as a multi-vertical staffing and search provider with a strong UK base, but at much larger scale with broader generalist coverage alongside specialist desks.
• Robert Walters: UK-founded international recruitment group placing mid-to-senior professionals across multiple industries. Comparable to MBI in its UK roots, vertical organization, and senior-level focus, with a more established international footprint.
• Michael Page: Global recruitment firm (PageGroup) operating specialist desks across professional disciplines. Comparable in multi-vertical senior-level search from a UK base, though it spans a wider salary band from mid-professional to executive.
• SThree: UK-listed specialist recruitment group operating across STEM, energy, and life sciences verticals. Comparable in its specialist vertical organization and mid-to-senior placement focus, with public-company scale and international offices.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep C-suite practice across industries. Comparable on senior executive search positioning, with a much larger global footprint, more established brand, and broader leadership consulting services.
• Spencer Stuart: Privately-held global executive search firm focused on board, CEO, and senior-level advisory. Directly comparable to MBI on senior executive search across industries, with significantly deeper international presence and brand equity in C-suite mandates.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice covering multiple industries. Comparable to MBI on senior-level search across sectors, with a much broader talent advisory and RPO offering and global scale.

Direct peers

• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with strong UK presence focused on C-suite and board-level appointments. Most directly comparable to MBI on senior-level executive search across multiple sectors, with deeper brand recognition and broader geographic coverage.
• Coulter Partners: Boutique executive search firm focused on life sciences, health, and tech sectors. Comparable to MBI as a UK/EU-based specialist executive search boutique with similar vertical specialization and senior-level focus, but more concentrated in life sciences.
• Norman Broadbent: UK-based executive search and talent advisory firm serving senior leadership appointments across multiple sectors. Directly comparable to MBI on UK-based mid-to-senior executive search with a multi-vertical, consultative approach and similar service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mackinnon-bruce-international
• Xx.com/MackinnonBruce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Mackinnon Bruce International