Focus Search Partners

What Focus Search Partners does

Focus Search Partners was a professional services firm specializing in retained executive search and strategic talent solutions for C-suite and board-level placements, serving organizations from mid-market through enterprise. The firm has been repositioned as Highspring following a 2025 rebrand that merged Focus Search Partners with MorganFranklin Consulting and Built Global under a single platform, with parent ownership by Vaco Holdings. The unified organization now delivers three integrated service lines — Consulting, Managed Services, and Talent Solutions — across six primary verticals: Aerospace and Defense, Consumer Goods and Retail, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Private Equity, and Technology.

Highspring monetizes through professional services engagements including retained executive search fees, project-based consulting, interim leadership placements, and ongoing managed services outsourcing for critical business operations such as finance and accounting, governance/risk/compliance, and transaction advisory. Solution verticals span Artificial Intelligence, Business Transformation, Data, Digital, Enterprise Applications, Finance & Accounting, GRC, and Supply Chain Management. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales targeting C-suite and board-level decision makers, supported by thought-leadership content (blog, white papers, case studies), industry events, and a multi-channel social presence.

No proprietary technology platform, AI models, patents, or trademarks are disclosed. The firm leverages 'top technology partners' to deliver digital and AI advisory work. Global operations span multiple geographies with localized English and French-Canadian support. Operational scale (headcount, revenue, office count) is not publicly disclosed; the firm characterizes itself as a 'leading global professional services organization' with an expanding international footprint.

Name

Focus Search Partners

Website

https://focussearchpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highspring (formerly Focus Search Partners) is a global professional services firm offering consulting, managed services, and executive search to enterprise and PE-backed clients across six industries including technology, manufacturing, and financial services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search and Professional Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB), Financial Services Leadership Search (Banking/Insurance/PE/Asset Mgmt) (BPACAAAF), Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC), Consumer & Retail Leadership Search (BPACAAAG), Buy-Side Search & Acquisition Advisory (FSAEAIAD)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Professional consulting
• Managed services outsourcing
• Talent solutions
• Transaction advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Brentwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Advisory and expertise services to move business initiatives forward with confidence. Delivered through retained engagements and project-based consulting.
2. Managed Services: Outsourcing for critical business operations. Ongoing service delivery model for operational support.
3. Executive Search / Talent Solutions: Retained search for C-suite and board-level executives, as well as strategic staffing services. Engagements include retained search fees and contingency staffing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Focus Search Partners, now operating as Highspring, provides integrated professional services spanning consulting, managed services, and talent solutions. The firm delivers retained executive search for C-suite and board-level roles, strategic staffing, interim leadership placement, and advisory engagements across verticals such as Private Equity, Aerospace and Defense, Consumer Goods and Retail, Financial Services, Manufacturing, and Technology.

Product overview

Highspring is a unified professional services platform that combines consulting, managed services, and talent solutions under a single brand. Formed through the merger of Focus Search Partners, MorganFranklin Consulting, and Built Global, the platform offers industry-specific solutions across verticals including Artificial Intelligence, Business Transformation, Data, Digital, Enterprise Applications, Executive Search (with Retained Search and Interim Leadership offerings), Finance and Accounting, Governance Risk and Compliance, and Transaction Advisory. Services are delivered to industries including Aerospace and Defense, Consumer Goods and Retail, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Private Equity, and Technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Consulting

Quantifiable outcome

• Interim CFO re-engineered order-to-cash cycle for $120M Platform-as-a-Service company

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VacocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVaco has rebranded to 'Vaco by Highspring' as part of the unified brand transformation. Vaco serves as a trusted contact connecting clients to Highspring's expanded capabilities. Vaco continues as the point of contact for existing clients while connecting them to the full spectrum of Highspring services.
• MorganFranklin ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy brand that merged into Highspring. MorganFranklin Consulting brought advisory and consulting expertise that is now integrated into Highspring's unified service offerings.
• BuiltcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy brand (Built Global) that merged into Highspring. Brought additional professional services capabilities that are now part of Highspring's integrated consulting, managed services, and talent solutions.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep expertise across C-suite, board, and functional leadership searches. Directly competes with Highspring's executive search offering and shares the same enterprise buyer persona.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the world's leading executive search firms specializing in board, CEO, and senior leadership placements across industries. Highly comparable to Highspring's retained search and C-suite placement practice, and a direct competitor for the same premium mandates.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep C-suite and board practice. Directly comparable to Highspring's executive search core and competes for the same Fortune-level leadership mandates.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm focused on board, CEO, and senior functional leadership assignments. Direct competitor for Highspring's retained C-suite and board-level search engagements across financial services, technology, and industrial sectors.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm combining executive search, talent consulting, and advisory services. Highly comparable to Highspring's three-in-one structure (search + consulting + RPO/managed services) and serves the same enterprise and PE clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Half: Large global staffing and talent solutions firm serving finance, technology, and administrative roles. Comparable to Highspring's talent solutions and interim leadership practices, though Robert Half operates at much broader scale and is publicly traded.
• BearingPoint: Global management and technology consulting firm with deep finance transformation, GRC, and digital practices. Comparable to Highspring's consulting and managed services lines serving large enterprise and PE-backed clients across regulated industries.

Others

• MorganFranklin Consulting: Legacy brand now fully integrated into Highspring; previously operated as an independent advisory and consulting firm specializing in finance, technology, and risk. Included here because its former service lines closely mirror Highspring's consulting and GRC offerings.
• Vaco: Strategic operating parent of Highspring (formerly Focus Search Partners); Vaco provides staffing, consulting, and managed services and has rebranded to 'Vaco by Highspring.' Sister entity under shared ownership and the source of shared go-to-market and operational infrastructure.

Regional players

• Hays: Global staffing and workforce solutions firm focused on professional and executive recruitment across industries. Comparable to Highspring's talent solutions and retained search offerings, with particular overlap in financial services and technology verticals outside the U.S.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@highspring
• Facebookfacebook.com/HighspringGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/focus-search-partners-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/highspring_global

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Focus Search Partners