Chaberton Partners
Chaberton Partners is a privately held European executive search and leadership advisory firm, founded in 2017 in Lugano and operating from 14 offices across Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, and Spain, serving multinationals, private equity firms, and corporate boards with retained C-level search and assessment services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMilano, Italy
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chaberton Partners does
Chaberton Partners S.A. is a privately held, partner-owned executive search and leadership advisory firm headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, founded in 2017 by Christian Vasino, the former Group Chief HR Officer of Adecco and Chief HR Officer at Pirelli. It operates three commercial brands: Chaberton Partners for board and C-level executive search, Chaberton Professionals for middle and senior management recruitment, and Novelia for assessment-centre and leadership-advisory services. Services are delivered by approximately 270 consultants (the firm's 'Human Explorers'), of whom over 65% are women, working across 14 offices in Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, and Spain, with candidate coverage in 10+ languages for cross-border mandates.
The firm targets multinational corporates, private equity firms, family offices, boards of directors, and senior HR leaders, with sector expertise spanning financial services, life sciences, consumer goods and luxury, industrial and automotive, technology, and professional services. Its core technical asset is the Novelia assessment platform, which combines behavioural analysis, competency mapping, and potential evaluation in predictive assessment centres for selection, development, and group assessments. Thought leadership is produced through the annual CHRO Report (100+ HR-leader interviews across six European countries), Leadership Talks research collaborations with Chiomenti and ANDAF, the Connecting the Dots podcast, and the Women No Limits platform.
The business model is professional services: retained executive search mandates and per-engagement advisory fees, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The firm sells exclusively through direct partner-led engagement, supported by content marketing, research publications, and country-specific multilingual digital portals. The Ganci Partners majority investment completed on 12 November 2024 doubled the firm's European executive-search capacity and added the Novelia assessment centre, positioning the combined group among the top three executive search firms in Switzerland and the leading player in French-speaking Switzerland.
Chaberton Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chaberton Partners
- Legal name
- Chaberton Partners S.A.
- Website
- https://chabertonpartners.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chaberton Partners is a privately held European executive search and leadership advisory firm, founded in 2017 in Lugano and operating from 14 offices across Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, and Spain, serving multinationals, private equity firms, and corporate boards with retained C-level search and assessment services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chaberton Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search Services
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Customer, Marketing & Sales Consulting (BPAHACAG)
Keywords
Where Chaberton Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milano
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices15 records
Markets served
Chaberton Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Board & Executive Search: Retained executive search mandates for C-Level, board, and senior leadership positions. Combines international reach with boutique-level personalised service.
- Management Search (Chaberton Professionals): Middle and senior management recruitment combining executive search methodologies with dedicated specialist recruitment. Covers all market sectors and cross-border mandates.
- Advisory Services (Novelia): Assessment centres and leadership advisory services delivered through Novelia, the Human Capital Advisory division. Includes team optimisation, change leadership, career advisory, and coaching & development.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Chaberton Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chaberton Partners is a European executive search and leadership advisory firm that identifies and places transformative C-level leaders and board members, recruits middle and senior management professionals, and delivers predictive assessment and leadership advisory services. Operating through three brands (Chaberton Partners for board & executive search, Chaberton Professionals for management search, and Novelia for assessment and leadership advisory), the firm serves large enterprises, multinationals, and private equity clients across 14 offices in 6 European countries.
Product overview
Chaberton Partners is a unified portfolio of three distinct but complementary service brands operating under one executive search and leadership advisory umbrella. Chaberton Partners (Board & Executive Search) handles C-level and board-level talent acquisition and advisory; Chaberton Professionals delivers middle and senior management search; and Novelia provides assessment centre and leadership advisory services. The three brands share a common infrastructure, leadership team, and geographic footprint across 14 offices in Europe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chaberton Professionals: Middle and senior management search division offering a unique consultative approach, combining executive search methodologies with dedication to excellence in managerial and specialist recruitment.
- Novelia
Products and services
- Board & Executive Search C-level and board-level executive search and advisory service for large enterprises and multinationals. Identifies and places transformative leaders, builds C-level teams, and provides board advisory and composition optimization.
- Chaberton Professionals (Management Search) Middle and senior management recruitment service combining executive search methodologies with dedicated specialist recruitment. Covers all market sectors and cross-border mandates across Europe.
- Novelia Assessment & Leadership Advisory Human Capital Advisory division offering predictive assessment centres, leadership advisory, team optimization, change leadership, career advisory, and coaching & development services that combine human expertise with predictive methodology.
Quantifiable outcome
- Top 3 executive search firm in Switzerland following Ganci Partners investment (November 2024)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Chaberton Partners
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Chaberton Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Chaberton Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ganci PartnerscoreChaberton Partners invested a majority stake in Ganci Partners, a leading board, executive search and assessment firm based in Lausanne, Bern and Geneva. The combination creates one of the top 3 executive search firms in Switzerland and strengthens market leadership in French-speaking Switzerland. Ganci Partners brings 18 consultants in 3 offices plus Novelia assessment centre with 5 executive assessers. The combined entity operates from 12+ offices across Europe and doubles the firm's size in executive search in Europe.
- NoveliacoreNovelia is a leading Swiss assessment centre and leadership advisory firm acquired as part of the Ganci Partners ecosystem. Novelia operates as the Human-Capital-Advisory division of Chaberton Partners with a team of 12 expert consultants and 5 executive assessers. Offers predictive assessment centres and leadership advisory services.
- Vincenzo GancicoreFounder of Ganci Partners who continues as Co-CEO of Ganci Partners and joins the leadership team of Chaberton Partners. Brings deep expertise in board and executive search across Switzerland.
- Claire BrizzicoreCo-CEO of Ganci Partners, previously Managing Partner at Chaberton Partners (Consumer & Retail, Luxury & Fashion). Continues in leadership role following the combination, now joining the expanded leadership team.
- AlkemycoreCo-promoted 'Digital Ready for Board' initiative with Alkemy to identify profiles ready to join boards of directors and guide companies through digital transformation. Addresses the finding that 42% of 192 boards listed on the Italian Stock Exchange have no members with digital competencies. Selects candidates matching 5 identified requirements and engages them in a community of peers.
- CHIOMENTIminorCollaboration with leading Italian law firm CHIOMENTI for the 'Leadership Talks – CHRO: The Architect of Transformation' report. Draws insights from interviews with over 70 CHROs on how they are driving transformation, building culture, and developing competencies.
- ANDAF (Associazione Nazionale Direttori Amministrativi e Finanziari)minorPartnership with ANDAF for the 'Leadership Talks – CFO Transformation Beyond Finance' report. ANDAF is the National Association of Administrative and Financial Directors in Italy. The collaboration produced a research report analysing the evolution of the CFO role in contemporary business contexts.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chaberton Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Korn Ferry: Global executive search and organizational consulting leader with deep C-suite and board practice. Directly comparable to Chaberton's executive search core offering but at significantly larger scale and global reach; Chaberton competes for the same enterprise mandates at the European mid-market level.
- PageGroup: Global recruitment group operating Michael Page and Page Executive brands. Overlaps with Chaberton Professionals' middle and senior management search offering; broader mid-market focus and larger scale than Chaberton's executive search business.
- Hays plc: Global recruitment and workforce solutions firm with significant European footprint. Comparable to Chaberton's middle management and specialist recruitment business (Chaberton Professionals), though at larger scale and with broader staffing services.
Direct peers
- Spencer Stuart: Leading global executive search and leadership advisory firm with strong board practice. Competes head-to-head with Chaberton for board and CEO mandates across European multinationals; similar boutique-style positioning with global reach Chaberton lacks.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Premier global executive search firm specializing in board, CEO, and C-suite placements. Directly comparable to Chaberton's executive search and board advisory core; Russell Reynolds has established presence across Europe and overlapping sector practices (consumer, financial services, industrial).
- Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with strong presence across Europe and emerging digital/talent platforms. Directly comparable to Chaberton's full-stack search and advisory offering; larger scale and broader service portfolio including culture and diversity advisory.
- Egon Zehnder: Privately held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Direct competitor in the board and CEO placement space with strong European roots and partner-led model similar to Chaberton's structure; comparable firm size and culture to Chaberton's top-of-market positioning.
- Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with strong European presence and C-suite/board practice. Closely comparable mid-to-large boutique peer competing for the same European multinational CEO and board mandates that Chaberton targets.
- Transearch International: Global executive search firm with European presence and similar board/executive practice structure. Direct peer at comparable scale; one of Chaberton's Senior Partners previously held a Partner role at Transearch.
- Signium International: Global executive search firm with strong European presence and board practice. Comparable mid-sized peer competing for similar European multinational mandates; one of Chaberton's Senior Partners previously held a Partner role at Signium.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chaberton Partners social profiles
Digital presenceChaberton Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chaberton Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Chaberton Partners subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Chaberton Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chaberton Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chaberton Partners
What does Chaberton Partners do?
Chaberton Partners is a European executive search and leadership advisory firm that identifies and places transformative C-level leaders and board members, recruits middle and senior management professionals, and delivers predictive assessment and leadership advisory services. Operating through three brands (Chaberton Partners for board & executive search, Chaberton Professionals for management search, and Novelia for assessment and leadership advisory), the firm serves large enterprises, multinationals, and private equity clients across 14 offices in 6 European countries.
Is Chaberton Partners a public or private company?
Chaberton Partners is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Chaberton Partners founded?
Chaberton Partners was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chaberton Partners based?
Chaberton Partners is headquartered in Milano, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Chaberton Partners make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Board & Executive Search is the primary driver. The others are management Search (Chaberton Professionals) and advisory Services (Novelia).
Who are Chaberton Partners's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Korn Ferry, PageGroup and Hays plc. Direct peers are Spencer Stuart, Russell Reynolds Associates, Heidrick & Struggles, Egon Zehnder, Odgers Berndtson, Transearch International and Signium International.
Does Chaberton Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chaberton Partners.
What industry is Chaberton Partners in?
Chaberton Partners's product category is Executive Search Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAG, Customer, Marketing & Sales Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.