What Lime Talent does

Lime Talent is a London-based specialist executive search firm founded in 2013, exclusively focused on the FMCG and consumer goods sector. Co-founded by Dan Hodge and Paul Jackson, the firm operates from Wimbledon and delivers retained search and leadership placement services across eight functional practices: C-suite & Executive Leadership, Management Consulting, Sales & Commercial, Marketing & Insights, Supply Chain & Operations, NPD & Technical, Finance, and People & HR. Its core proposition is access to passive candidates within the UK and international consumer-goods talent pool — leaders not actively job-seeking whom clients cannot reach through conventional channels. The firm works with both tier-one FMCG multinationals (L'Oréal, Kraft Heinz, Ferrero, Danone, Tony's Chocolonely, Itsu, JDE Peet's, Oatly) and high-growth challenger/startup brands (Who Gives a Crap, Freja, Untamed, Food Strategy Associates).

The firm operates as a pure professional services business with no proprietary software or technology products; its digital infrastructure is a WordPress-based website with Google Analytics. Lime Talent generates revenue through standard executive search fee arrangements (typically a percentage of first-year compensation, though not publicly disclosed). Its go-to-market is consultative enterprise field sales: senior consultants engage directly with HR and business leaders at FMCG companies, leveraging a decade of accumulated sector relationships to surface and vet candidates. The firm also offers salary benchmarking for senior consumer-goods roles as a value-add. Marketing channels are limited to organic LinkedIn, blog content covering FMCG hiring trends, and direct outreach — there are no paid acquisition channels or intermediary distribution partners.

Lime Talent Limited is a privately-held UK private limited company with no disclosed institutional investors, parent entity, or external shareholders. Ownership remains with the two co-founding directors. The firm has no subsidiaries, no disclosed M&A activity, no funding rounds, and no public market listing. Operational scale is modest — headcount in the 11-50 range — and the firm shows no signs of venture-style growth ambition, instead positioning itself as a focused, senior-led boutique built on long-tenured client relationships (Itsu as a 5-year partner, Tony's Chocolonely's full UK leadership team placed since 2018).

Name

Lime Talent

Legal name

Lime Talent Limited

Website

https://limetalentgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lime Talent is a London-based specialist executive search firm founded in 2013, exclusively focused on placing senior leadership and functional talent for FMCG, retail, and consumer goods businesses across the UK and internationally, serving both major multinational brands and high-growth challengers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer & Retail Leadership Search (BPACAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• FMCG recruitment
• Consumer goods hiring
• Leadership recruitment
• Talent acquisition

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Executive Search & Recruitment Services: Lime Talent generates revenue through providing executive search and recruitment services to FMCG and consumer goods businesses. They place leadership talent across functions including C-suite, commercial, marketing, supply chain, technical, and finance roles. The firm partners with both leading brands and high-growth challengers to fill senior positions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lime Talent is a specialist executive search firm focused exclusively on the FMCG and consumer goods sector. Since 2013, the London-based firm has partnered with leading brands and high-growth challenger businesses across the UK and internationally to identify and appoint leadership talent from management level through to senior leadership and board appointments. Their offerings span multiple functions including C-suite & Executive Leadership, Management Consulting, Sales & Commercial, Marketing & Insights, Supply Chain & Operations, NPD & Technical, Finance, and People & HR.

Product overview

Lime Talent is a specialist executive search firm focused on the FMCG and consumer goods sector. The company operates as a recruitment services business rather than a technology product company. It offers executive search and placement services across multiple business functions including C-suite & Executive Leadership, Management Consulting, Sales & Commercial, Marketing & Insights, Supply Chain & Operations, NPD & Technical, Finance, and People & HR. The company places candidates from management level through to senior leadership and board appointments for clients ranging from leading brands to high-growth challenger businesses. No distinct software products, modules, or SaaS offerings were identified.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search & Recruitment Services Specialist executive search and leadership placement service for FMCG, retail, and consumer goods businesses. Partners with leading brands and high-growth challengers to fill C-suite, commercial, marketing, supply chain, technical, finance, and HR roles from management level through to board appointments.
• Salary Benchmarking Salary benchmarking and market insights service for senior leadership roles within the consumer goods sector, supporting client compensation decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted partner for 5+ years by Itsu, indicating long-term client relationships and repeat business
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep consumer practice. Competes for the same senior FMCG leadership mandates Lime Talent serves, with a wider functional and geographic footprint.
• Korn Ferry: Largest global organisational consulting firm combining executive search with talent advisory. Competes for FMCG leadership mandates via its Consumer practice while also offering broader HR consulting services.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated Consumer & Retail practice. Competes with Lime Talent for senior FMCG mandates, but operates at vastly greater scale with global offices, proprietary research, and broader industry coverage.
• Michael Page: Large global recruitment group with dedicated consumer goods and marketing practices. While broader in scope, it competes with Lime Talent at the mid-to-senior marketing, sales, and supply chain level within FMCG.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search incumbent with a Consumer Goods practice serving CPG and retail clients. Overlaps with Lime Talent on FMCG board and C-suite work, with significantly broader geographic reach and cross-industry coverage.
• Odgers Berndtson: UK-headquartered global executive search firm with a strong consumer practice. Particularly direct competitor in the UK market, with overlapping reach among British FMCG brands and challenger businesses.

Direct peers

• Coltalent: Consumer goods and FMCG executive search boutique. Comparable specialist focus and client profile to Lime Talent, competing for mid-to-senior leadership roles in marketing, sales, and operations within CPG brands.
• HW Andersen: Boutique executive search firm focused on consumer goods, retail, and FMCG — a direct vertical peer to Lime Talent. Similar specialist positioning, serving brand owners and challenger businesses on senior commercial and marketing hires.
• Equitas Talent Search: Specialist executive search firm focused on consumer goods, retail, and hospitality. Closely comparable in size, vertical focus, and service model to Lime Talent, serving similar UK and international FMCG clients.
• Hoffman Reed: UK-based executive search boutique dedicated to the consumer goods sector, covering marketing, sales, and supply chain. Direct competitor to Lime Talent for FMCG leadership mandates in the UK and Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lime-talent-ltd
• Xx.com/Limetalentgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Lime Talent