Dr. Bjorn Johansson Associates

What Dr. Bjorn Johansson Associates does

Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates is a Zurich-based, founder-led executive search boutique founded in 1993 that places C-suite executives and board members for multinational corporations, family businesses, private equity portfolio companies, NGOs, and high-growth startups. The firm concentrates exclusively on top-management mandates — CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CHRO, Legal & Compliance, and Executive/Non-Executive Board positions — operating under a fixed flat-fee retained model with minimums of USD 120,000 for board searches and USD 180,000 for C-suite searches, billed in equal installments over three to four months. It deliberately accepts only a limited number of mandates to preserve service quality and founder involvement.

The firm's core technology is a proprietary candidate database built over more than 40 years of retained search work, refreshed per mandate with primary research and supplemented by external research firms specialized by industry, geography, or function. The go-to-market is entirely direct and founder-led: Dr. Bjørn Johansson personally oversees each engagement, with demand generated by reputation, press visibility as opinion leaders in Swiss and EMEA board advisory, the GBA alliance (a founding-membership network of owner-led board-level boutiques across Australia, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Brazil), and a partnership with Chair Mentors International (CMi) for ongoing CEO and board mentoring. The team comprises 9-10 professionals in Zurich (Founder/CEO, CFO, Personal Assistant, 2 Consultants, 2 Partners, and 3 Project Assistants), with placements spanning 40+ countries since founding and 17 nationalities across 4 continents in the most recent two years.

On June 10, 2026 the firm announced an agreement to integrate into Spencer Stuart, a leading global advisory firm, with Johansson and the team joining Spencer Stuart and integration overseen by Dr. Sigrid Artho. The transaction effectively ends the firm's run as an independent boutique and folds the Switzerland franchise, founder, and accumulated relationships into a global platform.

Name

Dr. Bjorn Johansson Associates

Legal name

Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates AG

Website

https://johansson.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates is a Zurich-based executive search boutique founded in 1993, placing C-suite executives and board members for multinationals, family businesses, PE firms, and NGOs globally via a fixed-fee retained model, integrating into Spencer Stuart from June 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search & Board Advisory

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Board advisory consulting
• C-suite recruitment
• Retained executive search
• Board placement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search – C-Suite Placements: Fixed flat-fee retained search engagements for CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CHRO, and Legal & Compliance officer searches. Fee based on complexity of the mandate and expected compensation of the executive. Billing spread over three or four months in equal installments. Minimum fee of USD 180,000 for top-management level searches.
2. Retained Executive Search – Board-Level Placements: Fixed flat-fee retained search for Non-Executive and Executive Board positions (Presidents and Board members). Minimum fee of USD 120,000 for board-level searches. Same billing structure as C-suite placements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates is a globally operating Board Advisory Firm based in Zurich that provides retained executive search and board placement services exclusively at the Non-Executive and Executive Board level. Its core offerings include C-suite executive search (CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CHRO, Legal & Compliance), Non-Executive and Executive Board placement (Presidents and Board/Supervisory Board members), and Board Advisory consulting. All mandates are handled on a fixed flat-fee basis (minimum USD 180,000 for top management and USD 120,000 for board searches), billed in equal installments over three or four months.

Product overview

Dr. Bjorn Johansson Associates is a Board Advisory Firm offering a unified portfolio of executive talent services. The core offering consists of Executive Search Services for C-suite placements (CEO, CFO, and executive leadership), Non-Executive Board Placement for Presidents and Board/Supervisory Board members, and Board Advisory consulting services. All services operate at the Non-Executive and Executive Board level exclusively, using a retained search model with fixed fee pricing. The firm does not accept mandates below top management level. Their minimum fee for top management searches is USD 180,000 and USD 120,000 for board positions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Services (C-Suite)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50% of placements in the last two years were women
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Board Advisors (GBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of this exclusive alliance of the world's most reputable Executive Search Boutiques. All member firms are owner-led and exclusively operate at Non-Executive and Executive Board level. Members share same values, client focus, and quality of delivery. The alliance enables cross-referrals and global reach for clients seeking multi-jurisdiction searches.
• Maritana PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.
• Crist Kolder AssociatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in Chicago, IL, USA.
• Chelsea PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
• NB Lemercier & AssociésminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in Paris, France.
• Board Consultants InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, and Stuttgart, Germany.
• Lygon GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in London, UK.
• Board Advisors Japan Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in Tokyo, Japan.
• INWI ConsultingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner firm of Global Board Advisors, based in São Paulo, Brazil.
• Chair Mentors International Ltd (CMi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Bjørn Johansson is a Partner at CMi, the world's leading mentoring partner for CEOs, CEO succession candidates, CFOs, Chairs, and Non-Executive Directors. This extends the firm's service offering into ongoing leadership mentoring alongside executive search.
• Spencer StuartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn June 10, 2026, Spencer Stuart announced an agreement to integrate Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates into Spencer Stuart. The firm will strengthen Spencer Stuart's competitive position and deepen its relevance in Switzerland. Dr. Sigrid Artho will oversee the integration. Dr. Bjørn Johansson will join Spencer Stuart along with his team. This represents a significant strategic partnership/integration with one of the largest global executive search firms.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm operating at the board and CEO level, with a strong private equity and family business practice closely mirroring the subject's focus areas.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global leadership advisory firm focused on executive search across C-suite and board mandates, with deep coverage in financial services, industrial, and consumer verticals relevant to the subject's client base.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the world's largest executive search and leadership advisory firms, and the firm integrating Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates as of June 2026. Directly comparable at the C-suite and board search level with global infrastructure.
• Korn Ferry: Largest global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice operating at the C-suite and board level across industries.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with a board and CEO practice that competes directly for the senior-level mandates Dr. Bjørn Johansson Associates specializes in, particularly in EMEA.

Direct peers

• Pedersen & Partners: Boutique executive search firm operating across EMEA and emerging markets, comparable in boutique scale and senior-level search focus.
• Odgers Berndtson: Boutique-led international executive search firm with strong EMEA presence, comparable as an owner-led practice focused on board and CEO-level placements.
• Board Advisors International: German-based board advisory boutique and Global Board Advisors partner, comparable as a fellow GBA member firm focused on Non-Executive and Executive Board placements.
• Eric Salmon & Partners: European boutique executive search firm specializing in board-level and CEO mandates, directly comparable in boutique positioning and C-suite focus.
• Lygon Group: London-based board advisory boutique and Global Board Advisors partner, comparable in founder-led model and exclusive focus on board-level mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dr.-bj-rn-johansson-associates-ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Dr. Bjorn Johansson Associates