F1 Recruitment

What F1 Recruitment does

F1 Recruitment Limited is a London-based specialist executive search and recruitment consultancy founded in 2004 by Amanda Fone, focused on placing senior leadership talent (CMO, CCO, Communications Director, Sports Marketing Director and Board-level roles) across marketing, public relations, corporate affairs and sports marketing. The firm operates with 11-50 employees, serving enterprise clients in sectors including Consumer Brands, Financial Services and FinTech, Sport and Entertainment, Energy and Renewables, Technology/Telco, and communications consultancies, with named customers that include Samsung, Sony, RedBull, Whitbread, Virgin, Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's, Chelsea FC, the RFU and Moneysupermarket.com. Its product portfolio is structured around the f1 Search executive division for C-suite mandates, a broader Talent Solutions service for mid-to-senior placements across agency and client-side, a 13-year Back2Businessship returner bootcamp, and EDI/Inclusion advisory services delivered under a B-Corp certified framework, which the firm states is unique among UK marketing and PR recruitment companies. Revenue is generated through professional-services retainers and placement fees on permanent and contract/freelance mandates, with a hybrid consultative GTM concentrated on senior decision-makers via direct executive search. The firm joined the PartnerWise Collective in June 2024 to extend SMT and Board-level global reach and is scheduled to rebrand as PartnerWise Talent Solutions (PWT) effective 1 December 2025, operating thereafter within that collective's broader talent-solutions structure.

Name

F1 Recruitment

Legal name

f1 Recruitment Limited

Website

https://f1recruitment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

F1 Recruitment is a London-based executive search firm placing senior marketing, communications and sports marketing leaders (CMO, CCO, Board level) for enterprise clients. It operates the f1 Search sub-brand, Back2Businessship returner programme, and EDI/Inclusion services under B-Corp certification.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search & Recruitment Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Media, Entertainment & Sports Leadership Search (BPACAAAH)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Marketing recruitment
• Communications recruitment
• Sports marketing recruitment
• Leadership talent placement

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Recruitment Services: Permanent and contract/freelance placement services for senior marketing, communications and sports marketing roles from entry-level to board level CMO appointments

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

F1 Recruitment is a specialist executive search and recruitment consultancy placing senior leadership talent in Marketing, Communications, Corporate Affairs, Sponsorship, and Sports Marketing roles. Operating since 2004, the firm serves both agency-side and client-side appointments at SMT and Board level, working with leading global businesses across consumer brands, financial services, sport and entertainment, energy and renewables, technology, and strategic communications consultancies.

Product overview

F1 Recruitment operates as a specialist recruitment consultancy offering a portfolio of talent solutions. The core offering consists of f1 Search for executive-level chief marketing and communications roles, alongside the main Talent Solutions service for mid-to-senior level positions in Marketing, Communications, Corporate Affairs, Sponsorship, and Sports Marketing. The portfolio includes specialized programs such as Back2Businessship (career returner bootcamp) and EDI/Inclusion services, all delivered through the PartnerWise Collective framework following their June 2024 partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• f1 Search: Executive search division focused on finding world class Chief Marketing Officers and Chief Communications Directors for leading businesses

Products and services

• f1 Search

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HavascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Headline sponsor of the Back2Business 2025 programme, hosting events at Havas Kings Cross venue. Havas Media Network UK CEO Paddy Affleck provided welcome speech at Day 4 event.
• VCCPminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in the Back2Business 2025 bootcamp programme supporting career returners in marketing and communications.
• SSEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in the Back2Business 2025 programme supporting career returners in marketing and communications.
• RDGminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in the Back2Business 2025 programme supporting career returners in marketing and communications.
• CIPRminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in the Back2Business 2025 programme. The Chartered Institute of Public Relations supports returner talent initiatives.
• PartnerWise CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024In June 2024, f1 Recruitment joined the PartnerWise Collective to further increase global reach at SMT and Board level. From December 1, 2025, f1 recruitment will become PartnerWise Talent Solutions (PWT).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EMR Recruitment: London-based specialist marketing, digital, and communications recruitment firm. Highly comparable to f1 Recruitment in vertical focus, candidate seniority, and London-centric customer base.
• Salt Recruitment: UK-headquartered specialist recruiter in marketing, digital, creative, and technology roles. Closely comparable to f1 in domain, customer type (agency and client-side), and consultancy-style executive search.
• The Work Crowd: UK platform and consultancy placing marketing, communications, and content professionals. Comparable to f1 in target roles, freelance/contract capability, and senior-level search focus.
• Aspire: Specialist UK recruitment consultancy covering marketing, digital, communications, and sales roles. Comparable to f1 in vertical specialization, UK base, and mid-to-senior placement focus.
• Reuben Sinclair: London-based recruitment firm focused on PR, communications, marketing, and digital roles. Directly comparable to f1's communications and marketing leadership mandate.
• Carter Murray: UK executive search firm within the Robertson Sumner group placing senior marketing, communications, and sales talent. Comparable to f1 in senior-level marketing and communications focus.
• Leighton Taylor: London specialist recruiter in PR, communications, and marketing roles. Directly comparable to f1 in vertical and seniority focus, particularly within agency and in-house communications leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Michael Page: Global publicly listed recruitment group with established marketing, communications, and digital practices. Competes with f1 on senior marketing and communications mandates from a much broader, multi-vertical platform.
• Robert Walters: Global recruitment group with a dedicated marketing, communications, and digital practice. Overlaps with f1 on senior marketing and communications searches across multiple sectors.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a dedicated marketing, sales, and communications officer practice. Competes with f1 at the very senior (CMO/CCO) end of the same search mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/f1recruitment
• Facebookfacebook.com/f1recruitmentltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/f1-recruitment
• Instagraminstagram.com/f1recruitmentltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 F1 Recruitment