O'Neill Consulting
O'Neill Consulting is a retained executive search and talent solutions consultancy founded in 1996, providing management search, assessment, and project recruitment for private equity firms, portfolio companies, and corporations across industrial, consumer, and business services sectors globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersWakefield, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What O'Neill Consulting does
O'Neill Consulting is a retained executive search and talent solutions consultancy founded in 1996 by Kevin O'Neill and headquartered in Wakefield, Rhode Island, with a regional office in New York. The firm provides three interconnected service lines—Management Search (retained executive search for mid- and senior-management roles), Management Assessment (candidate evaluation and leadership fit analysis), and Project Recruitment (flexible project-based hiring)—serving private equity firms, their portfolio companies, and corporate management teams. Its core technology consists of proprietary assessment tools, validated candidate evaluation methodologies, and data-driven research processes that underpin a candidate vetting workflow; the firm has completed over 2,000 executive searches globally across sectors including industrial, consumer, business & professional services, energy, and social impact, with placement mandates spanning operations, supply chain, finance, technology, transformation, and corporate development functions.
O'Neill differentiates through a "client-for-life" partnership model emphasizing extreme ownership of client needs, agile delivery, and combination of instinct with validated data tools. The firm operates as a founding member of the Acertitude Group, a network co-founded by Kevin O'Neill in 2015 alongside TEG Consulting, which extends its reach into Board, CEO, and senior executive search while O'Neill retains its upper- and middle-management focus. The firm maintains direct, sales-led client engagement with no intermediaries or channel partners, handling all engagements through its principals and consultants.
The revenue model is professional services-based, with retained executive search engagements priced on a custom, per-engagement basis (pricing not publicly disclosed) and tied to scope, complexity, and seniority of placement. Marquee client engagements include retained placements at PepsiCo, Revlon, UNFI (supporting the $2.9B SuperValu integration), Dexter Axle, Confie Seguros, Maxion Wheels, Ready Pac Foods, and Schimenti, alongside smaller startup mandates. The firm has earned three-time Inc. 5000 recognition (2014-2016) with 158% three-year sales growth, a +82 Net Promoter Score, and +9.4/10 client satisfaction on placement quality. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, the firm is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, and it has remained operating-company owned by founder Kevin O'Neill, who also serves as Founder & Chairman.
O'Neill Consulting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- O'Neill Consulting
- Legal name
- O'Neill Consulting Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://oneillconsulting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- O'Neill Consulting is a retained executive search and talent solutions consultancy founded in 1996, providing management search, assessment, and project recruitment for private equity firms, portfolio companies, and corporations across industrial, consumer, and business services sectors globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where O'Neill Consulting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wakefield
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
O'Neill Consulting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Retained Executive Search: Retained executive search services for mid- and senior-management leadership positions. Clients engage the firm on a retained basis to identify, assess, and place exceptional talent for critical organizational roles. The firm specializes in management search, assessment, and project recruitment across multiple industries and functions.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
O'Neill Consulting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
O'Neill Consulting is a retained executive search firm and talent solutions consultancy that identifies, assesses, and places mid- and senior-management leaders for private equity firms, their portfolio companies, and corporate clients. The firm delivers three interconnected service lines: Management Search, Management Assessment, and Project Recruitment, serving industries including Industrial, Consumer, Energy, Business & Professional Services, Private Equity, and Social Impact.
Product overview
O'Neill Consulting is an executive search firm and talent solutions consultancy offering a unified suite of recruitment services. The company provides three interconnected service lines: Management Search (retained executive search), Management Assessment (candidate evaluation), and Project Recruitment (flexible project-based hiring). These services are delivered across multiple industries including Business & Professional Services, Consumer, Energy, Industrial, Private Equity, and Social Impact, and functional areas spanning Corporate & Finance, Operations & Supply Chain, Technology, and Transformation & Restructuring.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Management Search
Quantifiable outcome
- Net Promoter Score of +82 indicating best-in-class client satisfaction
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use O'Neill Consulting
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
O'Neill Consulting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
O'Neill Consulting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Acertitude GroupcoreO'Neill Consulting is a founding member of the Acertitude Group, a global executive search and talent solutions organization. Founded by Kevin O'Neill in 2015 alongside O'Neill Consulting, Acertitude connects member firms to solve talent needs at all organizational levels. O'Neill Consulting focuses on upper and middle management search while Acertitude handles Board, C-level, and senior executive search. The Acertitude family includes O'Neill Consulting (Industrial), TEG Consulting (Software & SaaS), and Acertitude (comprehensive search services).
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
O'Neill Consulting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spencer Stuart: Global retained executive search firm serving boards and CEOs across industries. Directly comparable to O'Neill Consulting in business model (retained search), target buyer (PE firms, large corporates), and leadership-level focus, though significantly larger in scale.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm focused on senior leadership across consumer, industrial, and PE-backed mandates. Directly comparable in industry specialization, retained search model, and PE-driven client base.
- Heidrick & Struggles: Public-listed retained executive search and leadership advisory firm. Closely comparable service offering in executive search plus adjacent leadership assessment; a much larger incumbent that competes for the same PE/industrial mandates.
- Egon Zehnder: Privately-held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Closely comparable in retained search business model, senior-level positioning, and cross-sector coverage including industrial and consumer.
- DHR Global: Privately-held retained executive search firm with strong industrial and consumer practices. Comparable in size, retained search model, and PE-backed client focus.
- Odgers Berndtson: Global executive search firm serving mid- to senior-level leadership needs across consumer, industrial, and PE segments. Closely comparable in retained search business model and cross-sector client base.
- Signium: Global retained executive search firm with strong industrial and consumer practices. Comparable boutique-to-mid-market scale and PE-driven client relationships.
Broad incumbents
- Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm combining executive search with broader talent, RPO, and consulting offerings. Overlaps with O'Neill's retained search and assessment services but operates at much greater scale and service-line breadth.
Others
- Acertitude: Affiliated executive search firm co-founded by Kevin O'Neill in 2015, focused on Board, C-level, and senior executive search. Sister brand within the Acertitude Group; shares founder, network, and overlapping industry verticals.
- TEG Consulting: Sister firm within the Acertitude Group focused on upper/middle management search in Technology, Healthcare, and SaaS. Comparable retained search model and shared brand infrastructure with O'Neill Consulting.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
O'Neill Consulting social profiles
Digital presenceO'Neill Consulting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
O'Neill Consulting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
O'Neill Consulting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
O'Neill Consulting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about O'Neill Consulting
What does O'Neill Consulting do?
O'Neill Consulting is a retained executive search firm and talent solutions consultancy that identifies, assesses, and places mid- and senior-management leaders for private equity firms, their portfolio companies, and corporate clients. The firm delivers three interconnected service lines: Management Search, Management Assessment, and Project Recruitment, serving industries including Industrial, Consumer, Energy, Business & Professional Services, Private Equity, and Social Impact.
Is O'Neill Consulting a public or private company?
O'Neill Consulting is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was O'Neill Consulting founded?
O'Neill Consulting was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is O'Neill Consulting based?
O'Neill Consulting is headquartered in Wakefield, United States, in the North America region.
How does O'Neill Consulting make money?
One revenue line is on record: retained Executive Search.
Who are O'Neill Consulting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spencer Stuart, Russell Reynolds Associates, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder, DHR Global, Odgers Berndtson and Signium. Korn Ferry is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Acertitude and TEG Consulting.
Does O'Neill Consulting have an API?
No public API is recorded for O'Neill Consulting.