Premier Financial Search

What Premier Financial Search does

Premier Financial Search (PFS), founded in 2001 by Allan Fisher and headquartered in Agoura Hills, California, is a privately held executive recruiting and staffing firm operating exclusively in the accounting and finance profession. The company places accounting and finance professionals — spanning tax, audit, advisory, fund accounting, and controllership roles — into public accounting firms, family offices, private equity, real estate, and business management organizations across more than 11 U.S. metros. Its stated client base includes 51 of the Inside Public Accounting Top 300 CPA firms, and it has operated a formal remote-placement capability since September 2020.

The firm is organized around six service verticals: Public Accounting Recruitment, Business Management Recruitment, Family Office Recruitment, Real Estate Recruitment, Private Equity Recruitment, and Firm Succession Planning (M&A advisory for CPA firm owners). There is no proprietary technology platform; PFS's stated core capability is its recruiters' industry expertise and multi-decade relationship network, supported by content marketing through its blog, a recurring CalCPA co-published salary survey, and a sales-led, consultative go-to-market model.

PFS generates revenue through contingency placement fees structured as a percentage of placed candidates' first-year compensation, consistent with U.S. executive search industry economics. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm is founder-led, has no institutional investment or parent company, and is privately held; it has not disclosed funding events or financial results. Marketing channels emphasize thought leadership, the CalCPA partnership, and direct engagement with CPA firm hiring managers, with the company website serving as the primary demand-generation platform for both candidates and clients.

Name

Premier Financial Search

Legal name

Premier Financial Search

Website

https://pfssearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Premier Financial Search is a privately held, California-based executive recruiting firm founded in 2001 that places accounting and finance professionals into CPA firms, family offices, private equity, real estate, and business management organizations across 11+ U.S. metros.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting Executive Search & Staffing

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search (BPACAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Services Leadership Search (Banking/Insurance/PE/Asset Mgmt) (BPACAAAF), C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Accounting recruitment
• Executive search
• Staffing services
• Talent placement
• CPA firm hiring

Headquarters

HQ city

Agoura Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Recruitment and Placement Fees: As an executive recruiting and staffing firm focused on the accounting industry, Premier Financial Search generates revenue by placing accounting and finance professionals with client firms. The firm acts as an intermediary between job-seeking accounting professionals and accounting firms seeking talent.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Premier Financial Search is a national executive recruiting and staffing services firm that places accounting and finance professionals with public accounting firms, family offices, private equity, real estate, and business management organizations. The firm offers six specialized recruitment practices plus advisory support for CPA firm sales, mergers, and succession transitions.

Product overview

Premier Financial Search is a national executive recruiting and staffing services firm focused exclusively on the accounting industry. The company operates as a unified service offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core recruitment services span six specializations: Public Accounting Recruitment (tax and audit roles), Business Management Recruitment, Family Office Recruitment, Real Estate Recruitment, Private Equity Recruitment, and Firm Succession Planning consulting services. The company connects accounting professionals with CPA firms across the United States, working with clients in various geographies including Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, and Washington DC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Accounting Recruitment Recruitment services placing tax and audit professionals with public accounting firms that support development and long-term growth.
• Business Management Recruitment Placement of client service accounting professionals for high net-worth client service roles requiring discretion, precision, and responsiveness.
• Family Office Recruitment Confidential placement of accounting professionals in family office roles supporting private wealth, complex entities, and long-range planning.
• Real Estate Recruitment Placement of fund and investment accounting professionals in real estate investment firms, REITs, and property management companies.
• Private Equity Recruitment Placement services for accountants and finance leaders specializing in capital calls, valuations, and portfolio reporting for private equity firms.
• Firm Succession Planning Advisory support for CPA firm sales, mergers, and succession transitions, including buyer/seller matchmaking, M&A guidance, and transition strategy for firms ranging from $500,000 to $15,000,000 in revenue.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully placed candidates in 51 of the Top 300 CPA firms with exceptional retention rates

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• California Society of CPAs (CalCPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2021Premier Financial Search partnered with CalCPA to launch and publish an annual comprehensive compensation survey evaluating salaries at all firm levels within California. More than 35 firms participate in the survey, ranging from $2mm to $75mm in revenue. This partnership provides valuable market intelligence and establishes PFS as an industry thought leader.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Kforce Inc. Public staffing firm with a dedicated Finance & Accounting practice serving CPA firms and corporate accounting departments. Larger and more diversified than PFS but competes for the same accounting talent and CPA firm clients.
• Robert Half International: The dominant publicly traded staffing firm with a large finance & accounting division placing accountants at all levels. Operates as a broad incumbent across multiple skill verticals, but its accounting practice overlaps directly with PFS's core public accounting recruitment.
• Lucas Group: National executive search firm (now part of Korn Ferry) with a dedicated accounting and finance practice. Larger and broader in scope, but its accounting/finance search practice directly overlaps PFS's offerings.

Direct peers

• The Execu|Search Group: Specialized staffing and executive search firm with a strong accounting/finance practice serving CPA firms, family offices, and corporate finance teams. Closely comparable niche focus and customer segments to PFS.
• The Birmingham Group: Boutique executive search firm specializing in accounting, finance, and tax recruitment. Closely comparable in size and specialization, with a similar focus on CPA firm and corporate accounting placements.
• Accounting Principals: Specialist accounting and finance staffing brand (now part of Adecco) focused on placing accounting and finance talent. Direct competitor in accounting recruitment with comparable candidate pool and customer base to PFS.
• Parker + Lynch: Specialized accounting and finance staffing firm (an Adecco brand) placing professionals in direct-hire, contract, and executive roles. Direct competitor in accounting/finance talent placement.
• Abacus Group: Specialized staffing provider for accounting, finance, and tax professionals. Direct peer in serving accounting and finance talent needs across CPA firms and corporate environments.
• Addison Group: National staffing firm with a dedicated Finance & Accounting division serving corporate accounting, public accounting, and finance organizations. Comparable accounting/finance focus and mid-market customer base.
• Sterling Search Group: Executive search firm specializing in finance, accounting, and tax leadership placements. Comparable niche focus on accounting professionals with overlap in CPA firm and corporate finance clientele.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pfssearch
• Facebookfacebook.com/Premier-Financial-Search-147324533536

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Premier Financial Search