What Harper Fox Partners does

Harper Fox Partners is a privately held executive search firm founded in 2018 and headquartered in London, with additional offices in Solihull (Birmingham, UK) and Houston, Texas. The firm delivers retained executive search across six STEM-oriented verticals: Energy, Engineering, Technology, Transport, Renewables, and Private Equity, serving enterprise clients such as E.ON, Eminox, Hella, Innio Jenbacher, Trolex, Meggitt, Bosch, Lightsource bp, ITW, and Balfour Beauty. Its core products are Leadership Search, an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion advisory practice built around a proprietary Fair Selection Practice methodology, and Leadership Talent Assessment; the firm reports a 97% candidate retention rate over 12 months, a 98% service excellence record, and a 4x increase in diverse talent placement versus a 9% industry benchmark.

The firm operates a consultative, sales-led go-to-market through direct enterprise engagement and Calendly-scheduled discovery, with no publicly disclosed pricing or fee tiers; engagements appear to be bespoke retained search contracts. Technology infrastructure is built on Microsoft Azure with data stored on Microsoft 365, but the firm's core IP is human-driven — a specialist STEM talent network, GDPR-compliant special category data collection on diversity, and a content engine comprising the Leadership Unfiltered podcast, Trailblazer Talks vodcast, and gated STEM diversity guides. Distribution is supported by an active LinkedIn presence, industry award participation, and high-visibility strategic partnerships, most notably with Lord Sugar (announced 2020) and The Equal Group.

Harper Fox Partners is owned and operated by its founders under Founding Director Scarlett Allen-Horton, with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. The firm has no publicly traded shares. Its growth since founding has been marked by geographic expansion (Birmingham in 2023, Houston in 2023) and a steady accumulation of industry awards from 2021 through 2024, with no regulatory actions, M&A, or restructuring disclosed in the available data.

Name

Harper Fox Partners

Legal name

Harper Fox Partners

Website

https://harperfoxpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Harper Fox Partners is a privately held, multi-award winning executive search firm founded in 2018, delivering retained senior leadership search and EDI advisory to enterprise clients across STEM verticals — Energy, Engineering, Technology, Transport, Renewables, and Private Equity — with offices in London, Birmingham, and Houston.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search 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

Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search (BPACAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC), Financial Services Leadership Search (Banking/Insurance/PE/Asset Mgmt) (BPACAAAF)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Leadership recruitment
• Retained search firm
• Talent assessment services
• Diversity inclusion consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search: The firm operates on a retained search model, providing executive search services to organizations seeking senior leadership talent. Services include leadership search solutions, diversity and inclusion consulting, and leadership talent assessment. The retained model involves clients engaging the firm for dedicated search engagements.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Harper Fox Partners is a retained executive search firm that identifies and places senior leadership talent for enterprise clients in STEM sectors including Energy, Engineering, Technology, Transport, Renewables, and Private Equity. The firm delivers retained search engagements, dedicated diversity and inclusion consulting, and leadership talent assessment services, achieving a 97% candidate retention rate and a 4x increase in diverse talent placement compared to the industry average.

Product overview

Harper Fox Partners is a multi-award winning executive search firm offering three core services: Leadership Search (executive talent acquisition), Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI consulting and diverse talent placement), and Leadership Talent Assessment (candidate evaluation and retention). The firm specializes in placing senior leadership across six key sectors: Energy, Engineering, Technology, Transport, Renewables, and Private Equity. The company complements its core services with educational content including downloadable guides on diversity in STEM and ERGs, plus podcast series (Leadership Unfiltered and Trailblazer Talks) covering leadership and EDI topics. All services are delivered with a focus on transparent, purpose-led recruitment achieving a 98% service excellence record and 97% candidate retention rate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leadership Search Retained executive search solutions delivering senior leadership talent for enterprise organizations in STEM sectors. Includes discovery, targeted candidate research, assessment, and placement, achieving a 98% service excellence record.
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Equality, Diversity & Inclusion consulting and diverse talent placement service for enterprise clients, with a reported 4x increase in diverse talent placement over industry average and 27% increase in placing diverse talent versus a 9% industry average.
• Leadership Talent Assessment Candidate evaluation and fit assessment service for executive placements, achieving a 97% candidate retention rate over the last 12 months and a 90-hour minimum time savings per engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% Service Excellence Record
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Lord SugarflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020In 2020, Harper Fox Partners announced a business partnership with Lord Sugar, expressing excitement about continued business expansion. Lord Sugar serves as a high-profile business partner providing strategic backing and visibility for the executive search firm.
• The Equal GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarper Fox Partners partnered with The Equal Group to provide a comprehensive EDI offering to clients. This partnership enables systematic change which puts everyone on an equal footing to earn and secure top leadership positions.
• REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScarlett Allen-Horton, Founding Director of Harper Fox Partners, was appointed as a D&I ambassador by the REC, demonstrating the firm's leadership in diversity and inclusion within the recruitment industry.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nigel Wright Group: UK-based executive search firm with strong industrial, engineering, and consumer practices. Comparable on STEM verticals, retained search model, and mid-to-senior leadership mandate focus.
• Eton Bridge Partners: UK-based executive search and interim management firm focused on senior commercial and functional leadership. Comparable on retained search model, UK enterprise client base, and mid-to-senior STEM-adjacent mandates.
• Odgers Berndtson: Major UK-headquartered international executive search firm with strong STEM, energy, and engineering practices. Closely comparable to Harper Fox Partners on geography, vertical mix, and senior leadership mandate size.
• Green Park: UK executive search and diversity-focused firm serving enterprise clients across multiple sectors. Directly comparable to Harper Fox Partners on retained search model, EDI positioning, and UK enterprise client base.
• JM Search: US-based executive search firm specializing in industrial, technology, and PE leadership placements. Comparable to Harper Fox Partners on STEM vertical mix and retained senior-leadership model, with a stronger US footprint.

Emerging players

• Inclusive Boards: UK-based specialist focused on diversity in board and senior leadership appointments. Highly comparable to Harper Fox Partners on the EDI differentiation angle, though narrower in sector coverage.

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search leader with deep STEM and industrial practice coverage. Compares as a broad incumbent that competes with Harper Fox Partners on senior STEM leadership mandates, particularly with energy, engineering, and PE clients.
• Korn Ferry: Largest global organizational consulting firm with a major executive search practice spanning industrial, technology, and PE. Competes with Harper Fox Partners on senior STEM mandates, particularly at large multinationals.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search firm with strong industrial, technology, and PE practices. Overlaps with Harper Fox Partners on senior STEM mandates and competes for enterprise leadership placements.
• Spencer Stuart: Top-tier global executive search firm with strong industrial, technology, and PE practices. Direct overlap with Harper Fox Partners on senior STEM leadership mandates at large enterprises.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HarperFoxGlobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

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 Harper Fox Partners