Keynote Search
Keynote Search is a private Ottawa-based executive search firm founded in 2015 that provides retained C-suite, VP, and Director-level recruiting across 12+ Canadian verticals, differentiated by a proprietary 90-120 day post-placement Integrate program and Hogan-certified predictive psychometrics.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersOttawa, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Keynote Search does
Keynote Search is a private, Ottawa-headquartered executive search and recruitment firm founded in 2015 by James Baker and Donna Baker, who relocated from London, England. The firm provides retained executive search services for C-suite, VP, and Director-level roles, with a defined three-phase methodology branded as Find, Fit, and Perform. Its core products are C-Suite Executive Search, VP & Director Executive Search, and a proprietary post-placement Integrate Program consisting of nine structured sessions over a 90-120 day period, backed by a 12-month success-based replacement guarantee. Adjacent offerings include Keynote Coaching (Executive Coaching, Facilitation, 360 Reviews) and Keynote Onboarding & Integration (KCI), with tiered standalone coaching packages priced at $5,000 (3-month, 10 sessions) and $8,000 (6-month, 20 sessions). Technology is described as data-driven and technology-enhanced, but the underlying stack is built on Hogan Assessment-certified predictive psychometrics, DISC profiling, and modern candidate research tools rather than proprietary AI systems.
The firm's customer base spans 12+ verticals including aerospace/defence, manufacturing, technology, real estate, non-profit, healthcare, construction, public sector, professional services, hospitality, and retail, with named clients including Airbus, Babcock, Raytheon, Deloitte, FTSE Russell, Four Seasons, Calian, and the City of Ottawa, alongside numerous Canadian non-profits. Revenue is generated primarily through professional services fees on retained search engagements plus coaching/integration packages, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct consultant engagement, supplemented by an inbound content marketing engine (blog, hiring guides, YouTube webinars, Mailchimp newsletter) and active SEO across dedicated vertical pages. The firm operates from offices in Ottawa (HQ at 135 Rideau Street) and Toronto, and has been recognized on the Globe and Mail's 2022 Top Growing Companies list (#158) and Ottawa's Fastest Growing Companies list 2022. There is no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no evidence of private equity or venture capital backing.
Keynote Search firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Keynote Search
- Legal name
- Keynote Search
- Website
- https://keynotesearch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Keynote Search is a private Ottawa-based executive search firm founded in 2015 that provides retained C-suite, VP, and Director-level recruiting across 12+ Canadian verticals, differentiated by a proprietary 90-120 day post-placement Integrate program and Hogan-certified predictive psychometrics.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Keynote Search industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search (BPACAAAK), Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB)
Keywords
Where Keynote Search is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ottawa
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Keynote Search business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Retained Executive Search: The primary revenue stream is retained executive search and recruitment services for C-suite, VP, Director, and management-level roles. The firm charges fees for full-cycle executive search engagements spanning identification, assessment, placement, and integration support. All placements are backed by a 12-month success-based replacement guarantee.
- Coaching & Integration Services: Integration coaching programs sold as standalone services (for clients who did not use the search service) or as part of the retained search engagement. Executive package: $5,000 for a 3-month program with 10 structured sessions. Extended package: $8,000 for a 6-month program with 20 structured sessions.
- Onboarding & Integration: Structured onboarding and integration programs for newly hired executives, delivered as part of the Integrate program or as standalone engagements for organizations that did not use the search service.
- Facilitation Services: Professional facilitation services for strategic planning sessions, AGMs, corporate retreats, advisory board meetings, conferences, and Mission/Vision/Values exercises, available as standalone engagements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Executive Integration Package - 3-month program at $5,000 |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Extended Integration Package - 6-month program at $8,000 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
Keynote Search product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Keynote Search is a Canadian retained executive search firm that identifies, assesses, and places C-suite, VP, and Director-level executives for organizations across multiple industries. Its core offering combines full-cycle executive search with a proprietary post-placement Integrate program covering the first 90-120 days, supported by Hogan Assessment-certified psychometrics, DISC profiling, and 360 Reviews. All placements include a 12-month success-based replacement guarantee.
Product overview
Keynote Search is an Ottawa-based executive search and recruitment firm offering a comprehensive suite of services centered on human-driven executive talent acquisition. The core offering consists of C-Suite Executive Search and VP & Director Executive Search services, complemented by proprietary post-placement support through the Integrate Program. The company extends its value through Keynote Coaching services (Integration Coaching, Executive Coaching, Facilitation, and Assessments including Hogan Assessments, DISC Profiling, and 360 Reviews) and Keynote Onboarding & Integration (KCI) with tiered Executive ($5,000) and Extended ($8,000) packages. Industry-specific expertise spans Aerospace/Defence, Real Estate, Manufacturing, Non-Profit, Technology, Public Sector, Construction, Engineering, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Retail sectors. All placements include a 12-month success-based guarantee and post-placement integration support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- C-Suite Executive Search Retained executive search service for C-suite roles (CEO, CFO, CIO, CTO, CHRO, CMO and VP-level positions) including position profile creation, candidate sourcing, rigorous screening, exhaustive interviewing, cultural fit assessment, compensation negotiation, onboarding support, and a 12-month success-based replacement guarantee. Targeted at organizations seeking senior executive hires.
- VP & Director Executive Search
- Industry-Specific Executive Search
- Integrate Program
- Keynote Coaching
- Keynote Onboarding & Integration (KCI)
- Facilitation Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 50% of new leaders fail within the first 2 years; Keynote's Integrate program targets this failure rate through structured 90-day post-placement support.
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Keynote Search
Customer profileNamed customers47 records
Segments12 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Keynote Search technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Keynote Search partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Keynote Search competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boyden: Global executive search firm with strong sector practices including aerospace/defence, industrial, technology, healthcare, and non-profit. Directly comparable in retained executive search model with sector specialization and mid-market focus, though with broader international network.
- The Caldwell Partners: Canadian-headquartered publicly traded executive search firm specializing in C-suite and senior leadership placements across multiple sectors. Most direct Canadian comparable to Keynote, competing for similar mid-market and enterprise mandates in the same geographic territory.
- DHR International: Global executive search firm focused on senior-level placements across multiple industries with strong sector practices. Directly comparable in retained search methodology and mid-to-large enterprise client base, with greater international reach than Keynote.
Broad incumbents
- Robert Half: Global staffing and talent solutions firm offering executive search through its Protiviti and Robert Half Executive Search divisions. Broad incumbent with deeper pockets and technology-enabled talent platforms, partially overlapping in senior-level placement services.
- Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm focused on board-level and senior executive placements with strong sector practices including industrial, technology, and healthcare. Comparable in the holistic assessment-led approach and senior search focus, with much larger international footprint.
- Heidrick & Struggles: International executive search and leadership advisory firm serving clients across multiple sectors including aerospace/defence, technology, healthcare, and financial services. Directly comparable in retained C-suite and VP search, with deeper international bench and on-demand consulting.
- Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with strong mid-market and senior leadership practices across multiple industries. Directly comparable in retained C-suite and VP search methodology, with stronger international reach including Canadian offices.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm specializing in C-suite, board, and senior executive recruiting across multiple industries. Directly comparable for high-stakes retained searches with sector specialization (aerospace/defence, technology, healthcare), but at much larger global scale.
- Korn Ferry: Global publicly traded executive search and organizational consulting firm with a broad portfolio spanning executive search, talent consulting, and RPO. Directly comparable as a retained executive search competitor, especially for enterprise C-suite mandates, but operates at much larger scale and offers wider services.
- Spencer Stuart: Privately held global executive search firm with deep expertise in board, CEO, and senior-level recruiting across industries including aerospace/defence, healthcare, technology, and financial services. Directly comparable for senior-level retained searches with a similar relationship-driven model, but with global reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Keynote Search social profiles
Digital presenceKeynote Search compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Keynote Search financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Keynote Search leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Keynote Search funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Keynote Search M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Keynote Search
What does Keynote Search do?
Keynote Search is a Canadian retained executive search firm that identifies, assesses, and places C-suite, VP, and Director-level executives for organizations across multiple industries. Its core offering combines full-cycle executive search with a proprietary post-placement Integrate program covering the first 90-120 days, supported by Hogan Assessment-certified psychometrics, DISC profiling, and 360 Reviews. All placements include a 12-month success-based replacement guarantee.
Is Keynote Search a public or private company?
Keynote Search is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Keynote Search founded?
Keynote Search was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Keynote Search based?
Keynote Search is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Keynote Search make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retained Executive Search is the primary driver. The others are coaching & Integration Services, onboarding & Integration and facilitation Services.
Who are Keynote Search's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boyden, The Caldwell Partners and DHR International. Broad incumbents are Robert Half, Egon Zehnder, Heidrick & Struggles, Odgers Berndtson, Russell Reynolds Associates, Korn Ferry and Spencer Stuart.
Does Keynote Search have an API?
No public API is recorded for Keynote Search.
What industry is Keynote Search in?
Keynote Search's product category is Executive Search Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAA, C-Suite & Board Search, with a secondary code of BPACAAAK, Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search. Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 8742.