SPS International

What SPS International does

SPS International is a UK-headquartered executive search consultancy founded in 2003 that places C-level, VP-level, and senior executives into enterprise clients across four specialised industry verticals: Agribusiness, Nutrition & Health, Industrial, and Fashion & Retail. The firm serves multinational clients including Corteva, PPG Industries, Trinseo, Kemira, Omya, and Construction Specialties, operating via a sales-led model in which industry-specialised consultants proactively source and approach both active and passive executive candidates. The firm employs 11-50 staff across three offices in London, Southampton, and Hong Kong, and positions itself as a global consultancy despite its small absolute size.

The service portfolio comprises four core offerings: Search Solutions (delivered in Fast Track and 4-Week Premium variants), Market Intelligence (encompassing Diversity Mapping and Salary Benchmarking), Candidate Representation for executives in career transition, and Sustainability Recruitment for ESG leadership mandates. Revenue is generated primarily through success-based placement commissions — typically a percentage of the placed candidate's annual compensation — supplemented by fees for market intelligence engagements. The firm has no proprietary technology platform; its differentiation rests on consultant expertise, vertical specialisation, and a self-reported 85% average placement success rate versus a 70% industry benchmark. Marketing is driven by content (industry insights blog, downloadable whitepapers), email newsletter, client testimonials, and award publicity rather than paid acquisition.

The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no M&A activity. Management information is sparse — only a Delivery Manager (Maria Edwards) is publicly identified. SPS International received the People's Platform Award 2023 in the Recruitment & Executive Search category and publicises this as a workplace culture differentiator.

Name

SPS International

Legal name

SPS International

Website

https://sps-ich.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SPS International is a UK-based executive search consultancy placing C-level and senior executives into enterprise clients across Agribusiness, Nutrition & Health, Industrial, and Fashion & Retail sectors. Founded in 2003, it operates from London, Southampton, and Hong Kong.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Talent acquisition consulting
• Executive recruitment firm
• Market intelligence benchmarking
• Headhunting services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search & Placement Services: SPS International generates revenue by placing senior executives and C-level candidates into client organisations. The firm offers multiple engagement models including a fast-track search solution and a more in-depth 4-week premium search service. Fees are structured as success-based placement commissions, typically a percentage of the placed candidate's annual compensation. The firm also earns revenue through market intelligence services including market mapping and salary benchmarking provided to hiring clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SPS International is a global executive search consultancy that delivers search solutions and market intelligence services to place senior executives (C-level, VP-level, director-level) for client organisations. Its offerings include Search Solutions (with Fast Track and 4-Week Premium variants), Market Intelligence (covering Diversity Mapping and Salary Benchmarking), Candidate Representation, and Sustainability Recruitment, delivered across four industry verticals: Agribusiness, Nutrition & Health, Industrial, and Fashion & Retail.

Product overview

SPS International is a dedicated executive search consultancy offering a unified suite of services centered on executive recruitment and placement. The core offerings include Search Solutions (both Fast Track and 4-Week Premium variants), Market Intelligence (encompassing Diversity Mapping and Salary Benchmarking), Candidate Representation, and Sustainability Recruitment. These services are delivered across four specialized industry verticals: Agribusiness, Nutrition & Health, Industrial, and Fashion & Retail. The company operates three offices in London, Southampton, and Hong Kong, providing international executive search capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Search Solutions Rigorous executive search service using a structured approach to identify and attract game-changing senior executives (C-level, VP, director-level) for client businesses across Agribusiness, Nutrition & Health, Industrial, and Fashion & Retail sectors. Includes both a Fast Track variant for urgent fills and a more in-depth 4-Week Premium variant for comprehensive candidate evaluation.
• Market Intelligence Market intelligence service providing Diversity Mapping (assessing and visualising diversity within an organisation's workforce or talent pool to identify gaps) and Salary Benchmarking (comparing compensation packages against market data to ensure salary structures and benefits are competitive), helping clients understand the landscape for future hires or new business ventures.
• Candidate Representation Service helping candidates prepare themselves and map out the market to find their next career challenge, including interview coaching and guidance through the hiring process for senior executive candidates.
• Sustainability Recruitment Specialised executive recruitment service focused on sustainability roles and professionals who can help organisations embrace environmentally responsible practices, including building dedicated ESG teams.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% average placement success rate compared to 70% industry average

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Large global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice, listed on NYSE (KFY). Comparable because its Executive Search segment serves the same Fortune-level clients and offers overlapping services including talent intelligence and compensation benchmarking, mirroring SPS's Market Intelligence offering.
• Spencer Stuart: Privately-held global executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep sector practices across industrial, consumer, and life sciences. Highly comparable as a competitor for board-level and CEO mandates and operates with the global footprint SPS currently lacks.
• Hays plc: FTSE-listed UK-headquartered recruitment group with significant executive search capability alongside broader staffing. Comparable because it competes for senior industrial and consumer mandates in EMEA, though Hays's breadth extends well beyond executive search.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm listed on Nasdaq (HSII) with broad sector coverage and a much larger consultant base across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Directly comparable because it competes for the same C-suite and senior executive mandates SPS targets, particularly across industrial and consumer verticals.
• Robert Half International: Global staffing and consulting firm (NYSE: RHI) with an executive search practice. Comparable because it competes in the same senior-level hiring market and shares a vertical specialization approach, though it is much larger and broader in scope.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with deep sector specializations and offices across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Comparable as a competitor for senior executive mandates in industrial, consumer, and life sciences — many of the same sectors SPS serves.
• Egon Zehnder: Privately-held global executive search and leadership advisory firm operating across more than 40 countries. Direct competitor for senior executive placements with similar sector-led consultant teams and a strong reputation in industrial and consumer verticals.

Direct peers

• Stanton Chase: Global executive search firm with a similar mid-tier positioning, sector-specialized consultants, and presence across multiple regions. Direct comparable as a competing boutique-to-mid-market search firm serving senior executive mandates across industrial and consumer sectors.
• Page Executive (Michael Page Group): Executive search arm of PageGroup (listed on LSE), focused on senior leadership and C-level placements across multiple sectors globally. Comparable as a competitor for the same mid-to-senior executive mandates SPS targets, with a broader geographic footprint.
• Odgers Berndtson: UK-headquartered mid-market global executive search firm with offices in over 30 countries. Closely comparable to SPS as a mid-sized executive search competitor focused on senior leadership placements, with a similar UK base and comparable international footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SPSHeadHunters
• 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 SPS International