YES Partners

What YES Partners does

YES Partners, Inc. is a privately held global executive search firm founded in 1994 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with E.J. Dieterle as CEO and co-founder. The firm operates 11 offices across the US, UK, France, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, conducting retained search assignments for C-suite and senior executive roles across eight functional categories: General Management, Consulting, Human Resources, Finance, Engineering & Science, Information Technology, Operations, and Sales & Marketing.

The firm's core offering is a "No-Risk Headhunting" model: systematic, in-depth recruiting with no upfront cost to the client, positioning YES Partners as a retained search partner that aligns payment with successful placement. Operational infrastructure includes a Bullhorn-powered public candidate submission portal, a structured "Positions Placed" taxonomy across functional areas, and a broad vertical coverage spanning Technology, Life Sciences/Healthcare, Financial Services, Industrial/Manufacturing, Consumer Products, Automotive, Professional Services, Media/Communications, Logistics, and Telecommunications. The firm's go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, anchored by a portfolio of 100+ named enterprise clients that includes Apple, Samsung, SAP, Oracle, IBM, Salesforce, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, UBS, BMW, Roche, Siemens, BASF, Procter & Gamble, Accenture, DHL, and Nokia. Marketing is concentrated in content/SEO-driven thought leadership covering talent acquisition trends, executive compensation, DEI, hybrid work, and AI in recruitment. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no subsidiaries, no M&A activity, and no regulatory actions on record; ownership appears to remain independent and founder-controlled.

Name

YES Partners

Legal name

YES Partners, Inc.

Website

https://yespartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YES Partners is a privately held global executive search firm, founded 1994 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, placing C-suite and senior executives across eight functional areas for Fortune 500 and multinational clients in 11 offices worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare & Life Sciences Leadership Search (BPACAAAE)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Retained headhunting firm
• C-suite recruitment
• Senior leadership search
• Talent acquisition consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Menlo Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search Fees: YES Partners generates revenue through retained executive search assignments, placing C-suite and senior executive candidates with client companies. The firm offers 'no-risk headhunting' with no upfront costs, suggesting a success-fee or contingency-based model typical of retained search engagements, where fees are typically a percentage of the placed executive's first-year compensation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

YES Partners is a global executive search firm that conducts retained searches for senior executives and board members. They offer a no-risk headhunting model with no upfront fees, charging a percentage of the placed executive's first-year total cash compensation, backed by a free replacement guarantee.

Product overview

YES Partners is a Global Executive Search firm offering Talent Acquisition Solutions as its core service. The portfolio consists of No-Risk Headhunting (in-depth, systematic recruiting with NO upfront costs), supported by a Positions Placed showcase spanning eight functional areas: General Management, Consulting, Human Resources, Finance, Engineering & Science, Information Technology, Operations, and Sales & Marketing. The firm emphasizes fast results, claiming that positions open longer than four weeks indicate a problem with the process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Talent Acquisition Solutions

Named customers41 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Spencer Stuart: One of the largest global retained executive search firms specializing in board, CEO, and senior executive placements across industries. Closely comparable to YES Partners on the retained C-suite search model and global multi-office delivery.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Public global executive search and leadership advisory firm placing C-suite and board talent across industries including technology, life sciences, and financial services. Directly comparable in retained executive search delivery and global footprint.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm focused on senior leadership and board director placements across technology, life sciences, financial services, and industrial sectors. Closely comparable on target clients, retained model, and global coverage.
• Egon Zehnder: Privately held global executive search firm specializing in board-level and C-suite placements with strong European presence and deep technology and life sciences practices. Directly comparable in premium retained C-suite search with global reach.
• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with strong transatlantic practice across financial services, technology, and life sciences. Comparable on retained senior executive search and presence in both US and European markets.
• Christian & Timbers: Boutique retained executive search firm focused on technology, life sciences, and consumer industries with CEO and board-level mandates. Comparable on the retained boutique model serving Fortune-class enterprises.
• Witt/Kieffer: Executive search firm with deep specialization in healthcare, life sciences, and education leadership recruitment. Comparable on retained search delivery and overlap with YES Partners' healthcare/life sciences vertical practice.
• DHR International: Global retained executive search firm placing C-suite talent across consumer, industrial, financial services, and technology sectors. Comparable in retained senior-level search and multi-industry vertical coverage.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Largest global organizational consulting firm combining executive search, leadership development, and talent advisory. Overlaps YES Partners on retained executive search but operates a much broader portfolio of talent management services.
• Robert Half International: Large public staffing and talent solutions firm with a dedicated executive search practice via Robert Half Executive Search. Adjacent comparable — operates in the same recruitment market but with broader (non-executive-focused) service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yespartners
• Facebookfacebook.com/yes-partners-inc-132265920210264
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yes-partners-inc.

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 YES Partners