What Capus does

Capus is a Norwegian professional services firm specializing in executive search, specialist and professional recruitment, board recruitment, and temporary placement of finance and accounting consultants. Founded in 1999 by Bjørn Gjølme (CEO since 2003), the company is headquartered in Oslo and operates five regional offices across Norway (Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Kristiansand), with cross-border capability through a sister company in Sweden (Capus AB) and memberships in the Talentor and Transearch international networks. Capus self-describes as Norway's largest recruitment company and serves a mix of public sector clients (Oslo Kommune, Sporveien, Bane Nor, Avinor, Helsedirektoratet) and private enterprises across energy, transportation, consulting, industry, and finance. The firm operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries including Capus Financials AS (finance/accounting consultants), Capus Midt AS, Capus Rogaland AS, and Capus Express AS.

The company delivers services primarily through a partner-led, senior-advisor-driven direct sales model with no published pricing — fees are bespoke and engagement-based, typical of the executive search industry. Capus maintains ISO 27001 (reportedly the only Norwegian recruiter so certified), ISO 9001:2015, Miljøfyrtårn environmental certification, and DNV-GL certified recruitment personnel standards, positioning it strongly for regulated and public-sector procurement. It leverages a proprietary Recman applicant tracking system, AON/Cut-e and Fairsight psychometric testing tools, and (since October 2023) the Xcruiter AI/ML-powered candidate sourcing and screening platform to supplement human-led executive search.

Capus has pursued a measured inorganic and partnership-led growth strategy: a strategic collaboration with Medvind for outplacement services (September 2024), a security/emergency-preparedry equity investment in Xecure Solutions (April 2025), and the formal establishment of Capus Rogaland AS as a regional entity under a new Managing Director. Recent product expansion includes an Employer Branding service line. The firm remains privately held under founder/management control with no disclosed external institutional investors or funding rounds.

Name

Capus

Legal name

Capus AS

Website

https://capus.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Capus is Norway's largest self-described recruitment firm, delivering executive search, specialist and board recruitment, and temporary finance consulting through five Norwegian offices, a Swedish sister company, and AI-enhanced candidate sourcing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search and Recruitment Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Executive Search (BPACAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI), Government & Public Sector Direct Hire (BPACAFAK)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Specialist recruitment
• Board recruitment
• Staffing solutions
• Employer branding

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Search & Specialist Recruitment: Fee-based recruitment services for executive, leadership, and specialist positions. Engagements are tailored to client needs and priced based on scope and complexity.
2. Temporary Staffing / Consultant Placement: Placement of finance, accounting, and payroll consultants on temporary or contract basis to private and public sector clients.
3. Management for Hire: Interim management and leadership placement services for organizations needing temporary executive solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Capus is a Norwegian recruitment firm offering full-cycle executive search, specialist and board recruitment, finance and accounting consulting/staffing, employer branding, and job posting marketing services to public sector entities and large private enterprises. The firm operates through five Norwegian offices and international networks, combining structured, DNV-certified screening methodologies with AI/ML-powered candidate sourcing (Xcruiter) and rigorous information security standards (ISO 27001).

Product overview

Capus is a Norwegian recruitment agency offering a comprehensive suite of recruitment and staffing services. Their core offerings include executive search and specialist recruitment, job posting and marketing, board recruitment (Styrerekruttering), economic consulting (Økonomikonsulent), and employer branding services. The company has developed Xcruiter, an AI-powered digital recruitment platform that complements their traditional services by providing automated candidate screening, landing pages, and intelligent candidate matching. The portfolio spans from high-level executive placement to specialist roles across multiple sectors including IT, finance, law, HR, procurement, and public sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rekruttering (Recruitment) Full-service recruitment for leaders, managers, and specialists including active search, candidate evaluation, interviewing, and seamless hiring process management.
• Stillingsmarkedsføring (Job Posting Marketing) Maximizes visibility of job postings in digital channels through targeted advertisements, content marketing, and strategic placement on social media and news platforms.
• Styrerekruttering (Board Recruitment) Specialized recruitment service for finding, evaluating, and placing board members and executives in leadership positions.
• Økonomikonsulent (Finance Consulting) Provides experienced finance consultants for controlling, accounting, and payroll needs, including temporary and permanent placements.
• Employer Branding Strengthens employer reputation and attractiveness through strategic communication, content creation, and employer value proposition development.
• Xcruiter AI-powered lead generation platform for digital recruitment that automates candidate screening, provides user-friendly landing pages with application forms, enables automated follow-up workflows, and uses machine learning for improved candidate matching over time.

Quantifiable outcome

• Full recruitment processes completed in approximately 6-8 weeks from start to signed contract (Sporveien CFO placement completed in ~6 weeks)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Xecure SolutionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2025Capus has taken an equity stake in Xecure Solutions, a security and preparedness advisory firm. The partnership combines Xecure Solutions' deep expertise in security advisory, psychological safety, and preparedness with Capus' long experience in recruiting leaders and specialists for socially critical roles. Together they aim to strengthen recruitment in security-sensitive areas including security management, crisis management, cybersecurity, risk management, and psychological safety.
• MedvindcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2024Medvind provides career counseling and outplacement services. The strategic collaboration combines Capus' executive and specialist recruitment expertise with Medvind's career advisory and outplacement services, offering a holistic solution for both businesses and individuals. The goal is to ensure rapid repositioning for employees and access to qualified workforce for businesses.
• XcruitercoreTechnology or Integration · 12 October 2023Xcruiter is a technology company providing AI and machine learning-powered recruitment solutions. Capus partnered with Xcruiter to offer a seamless digital recruitment platform that lowers the barrier for candidates to express interest in positions, automates early-stage screening, and improves candidate quality and volume. The partnership combines Xcruiter's technology with Capus' established recruitment processes.
• TalentorminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational executive search network with partners across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Capus participates in the network to offer cross-border recruitment services.
• TransearchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational executive search network covering Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Provides Capus with global reach for international recruitment mandates.
• Capus ABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company based in Sweden, enabling Capus to offer recruitment services across the entire Swedish market as well as cross-border Nordic recruitment.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ISCO Group: ISCO Group is a Norwegian executive search and leadership firm that competes with Capus in the same geographies and senior-level mandates. Beate Ottem Svanes, now a Capus senior advisor, previously led ISCO Group Norway, evidencing direct market overlap.
• Academic Work Norway: Academic Work is a Nordic specialist recruitment firm placing recent graduates and young professionals. It competes with Capus's specialist/professional placement offering, particularly in IT and finance roles, and is a source of cross-flow talent (e.g., Capus's Rebecca Vatnar previously worked at Academic Work).
• Headvisor: Headvisor is a Norwegian executive search and leadership consulting firm. Per Jorem, now Capus Bergen's MD, was previously at Headvisor, indicating direct overlap in mid-to-senior executive search and leadership advisory mandates in the Norwegian market.
• Dfind (Randstad Norway): Dfind is one of Norway's largest specialist and executive recruitment firms, now operating under the Randstad umbrella. It directly overlaps with Capus in specialist, finance/IT, and executive search, and several Capus advisors were previously employed at Dfind/Randstad, evidencing direct labor-market competition.
• Odgers Berndtson Norway: Odgers Berndtson is a global executive search firm with a Norwegian office, competing head-to-head with Capus on C-suite and board mandates. Capus's Arne H. Underdal-Loktu previously worked at Odgers Berndtson, confirming direct overlap in retained executive search.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Half: Robert Half is a global specialist staffing firm with a strong finance, accounting, and technology recruitment practice — directly comparable to Capus Financials. It operates in Norway and competes for the same contract and permanent finance/accounting placements.
• ManpowerGroup Norway: ManpowerGroup is a global staffing and workforce-solutions provider with a substantial Norwegian operation. It competes with Capus on temporary staffing, contract, and permanent placement mandates across most sectors, with broader geographic and segment reach.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm with a significant executive search practice operating in the Nordics. It competes with Capus on senior executive and board mandates, particularly for large-cap Norwegian and multinational clients, while also offering broader talent advisory services.
• Adecco Norway: Adecco is one of the world's largest staffing firms with a sizeable Norwegian business. It competes with Capus across permanent placement, temporary staffing, and specialist recruitment, particularly for enterprise and public-sector clients.
• Hays Norway: Hays is a global specialist recruitment firm with a Norwegian office focused on professional and skilled trade placements. It overlaps directly with Capus's specialist recruitment offering and is a credible alternative on enterprise and public-sector mandates.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CapusAS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capus

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Capus