Ward Howell International

What Ward Howell International does

Ward Howell International is a global executive search and leadership consulting firm founded in 1951 in the USA by former McKinsey partner Henry Ward Howell, and recognized as the world's second oldest executive search firm. The company is structured as a network of independent member firms under a UK parent entity (Ward Howell International Ltd., London) with a German operating entity (Ward Howell International GmbH, Düsseldorf), operating 33 offices across 24 countries with approximately 135 partners. Its service portfolio spans three layers: core executive search (retained search, interim services, management assessment, talent management, industry mapping), leadership advisory (board services, succession planning, coaching, family business governance, people/culture/organization advisory), and 11 industry-specific practices (Consumer & Retail, Life Sciences, Industrial, Automotive, Technology/IT/Telecom, Media, Legal, Financial Services, Public Sector & Education, Energy, Non-Profit), plus specialized offerings like the Greek Desk.

The firm generates revenue through professional services fees, primarily retained executive search engagements for C-suite and board-level placements, supplemented by advisory fees for coaching, succession planning, board evaluation, and organizational design. Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales executed by office-based Managing Partners who develop client relationships directly with multinational corporations, mid-sized companies, government agencies, law firms, and nonprofit organizations. The firm does not disclose pricing, but operates on standard retained search fee structures. Technology is described as standard business software and analytics tools with no proprietary platform, public API, or disclosed AI/ML capabilities.

In January 2025, the firm executed two notable strategic moves: the acquisition of US-based Waverly Partners (Cleveland and Kansas City), adding a nonprofit and chamber-of-commerce vertical, and the opening of an Abu Dhabi office to anchor Gulf region presence. Recent thought leadership includes The Leadership Brief Podcast and the Austria 2025 Study on management and leadership conducted with TQS-Research & Consulting. The firm is privately held with no parent company, no PE/VC ownership, and no disclosed funding rounds, operating as a partnership network rather than a centralized corporate structure.

Name

Ward Howell International

Legal name

Ward Howell International Ltd.

Website

https://ward-howell.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Ward Howell International is a global executive search and leadership consulting firm founded in 1951, operating 33 offices across 24 countries with 135 partners. It serves multinational corporations, mid-sized companies, government agencies, law firms, and nonprofits through retained C-suite/board search and leadership advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Düsseldorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices29 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 executive search services placing executives and board directors for clients. The firm identifies and recruits senior-level leaders for positions including CEO and other C-suite roles.
2. Advisory Services: Executive assessment, development and coaching; board advisory including board evaluation and succession support; C-suite succession; team development; organizational design; and digital transformation consulting.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ward Howell International is a retained executive search and leadership consulting firm that identifies, recruits, and develops senior executives, C-suite leaders, and board directors for client organizations. The firm delivers a holistic suite of services including executive search, interim management, management assessment, talent management, industry mapping, board advisory, succession planning, executive coaching, family business governance, and people/culture/organization advisory, organized across 11 industry practices and a global network of 33 offices in 24 countries.

Product overview

Ward Howell International is a global executive search and leadership consulting firm founded in 1951, known as the world's second oldest executive search firm. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services organized across three main categories: (1) Core Executive Search Services including Executive Search, Interim Services, Management Assessment, Talent Management, and Industry Mapping; (2) Leadership Advisory services covering Board Services, Succession Planning, Coaching, Family Business Governance, and People/Culture/Organization Advisory; and (3) Industry-Specific Practices serving Consumer & Retail, Life Sciences, Industrial, Automotive, Technology/IT/Telecommunication, Media, Legal, Financial Services, Public Sector & Education, Energy, and Non-Profit sectors. The firm also operates specialized offerings like the Greek Desk for cross-border mandates and acquired Waverly Partners to strengthen its nonprofit practice. Services are delivered through a global network of over 30 offices across 24 countries by approximately 135 partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Retained executive search service for identifying, assessing, and placing senior-level leaders including CEOs and other C-suite positions for client organizations across multiple geographies.
• Interim Services Provides temporary executive staffing solutions for organizations requiring immediate leadership coverage during transitions or special assignments.
• Management Assessment Evaluates and assesses executive competencies, leadership qualities, and management capabilities for development and placement purposes.
• Talent Management Comprehensive talent acquisition and management consulting services to support organizational leadership needs.
• Industry Mapping Strategic mapping and analysis of industry landscapes to identify talent pools and competitive positioning for executive search mandates.
• Board Services Advisory services for board composition, effectiveness evaluation, governance structure optimization, and board director recruitment.
• Succession C-suite succession planning and leadership transition management services for organizations preparing for executive changes.
• Coaching Executive coaching services for leadership development and performance enhancement of senior executives and high-potential leaders.
• Family Business Governance Specialized advisory services for family-owned businesses addressing governance, succession, and leadership transition challenges unique to family enterprises.
• People, Culture & Organization Advisory Advisory services focusing on organizational design, culture development, diversity and inclusion strategy, and people strategy for client organizations.
• Greek Desk Specialized cross-border service supporting Greek companies, family-owned businesses, and family offices, as well as international organizations with growth ambitions in or expanding into Greece, with expertise in Industrial, Consumer Goods, Professional Services, and Shipping sectors.
• Waverly Partners, a Ward Howell company National retained executive search firm operating as a Ward Howell subsidiary, with offices in Cleveland and Kansas City, specializing in nonprofit organizations, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, hospitals, and academic institutions.

Named customers10 records

Segments15 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• Waverly PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2025Waverly Partners, founded in 2001, is a national retained executive search firm with offices in Cleveland and Kansas City. As of January 2025, Waverly Partners has joined Ward Howell International. The firm led executive search assignments for CEO- and other senior-level leaders at Fortune 500 corporations, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, nonprofit entities, professional service firms, and hospitals. This strategic alignment significantly expands Ward Howell's service offerings and market presence within the nonprofit sector while providing Waverly Partners' clients with additional board advisory and management appraisal services. The firm will be known as 'Waverly Partners, a Ward Howell company'.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Egon Zehnder: Global privately-held executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep sector practices across consumer, industrial, life sciences, and technology. Closely mirrors Ward Howell's combination of retained search plus board advisory, succession, and leadership consulting.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the world's leading retained executive search firms with a global partner-led network across multiple industries. Directly comparable to Ward Howell in business model, target client (boards and CEOs), and category, but with materially larger scale and brand recognition.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Publicly listed global executive search and leadership consulting firm with practices across virtually all of the same industries Ward Howell serves (consumer, life sciences, industrial, financial services, tech). Direct comparable on business model and client base, but with larger scale.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm combining executive search with RPO, talent assessment, and leadership development. Overlaps with Ward Howell's retained search and leadership advisory offerings while operating at materially greater scale.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm serving boards and CEOs across consumer, industrial, life sciences, financial services, and technology — directly comparable to Ward Howell's industry practice structure and partner-led delivery model.
• Odgers Berndtson: Privately-held international executive search firm with strong EMEA presence and practice-led structure across multiple sectors. Closely comparable to Ward Howell in scale, geography, and combination of search with leadership advisory services.
• Signium: Global executive search firm operating a partner-owned network of offices across multiple continents. Comparable to Ward Howell in network structure, vertical specialization, and focus on senior leadership and board mandates.
• DHR International: Global executive search firm with industry practices spanning consumer, life sciences, industrial, and financial services. Direct comparable to Ward Howell in retained search model, vertical coverage, and partner-led client engagement.

Emerging players

• PageGroup: Global publicly listed recruitment group with executive search and senior-level hiring offerings. Adjacent rather than directly competing with Ward Howell's retained C-suite focus, but overlaps in mid-to-senior professional search mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Half: Large publicly listed staffing and talent solutions firm with executive search capabilities via Robert Half Executive Search and Protiviti. Operates across a much broader portfolio than Ward Howell but competes in senior-level and specialized professional search.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wardhowellint
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ward-howell

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Ward Howell International