What ETHIKA does

ETHIKA is a Lyon-based executive recruitment and evaluation consultancy founded in 1990 by Elisabeth Bailly-Salins. The firm specializes in direct approach ("approche directe") executive search and behavioral evaluation for cadres (senior managers), dirigeants (executives), and experts, serving large enterprises, mid-sized ETIs, and SMEs across France and internationally. Its core services are organized around two interconnected offerings — Recrutement (executive search using a maintained decision-maker network, digital hunting, business school relationships, personality testing, and candidate synthesis) and Évaluation (independent assessment of internal or external candidates with behavioral tests, in-depth interviews, and detailed synthesis reports) — supplemented by Management de Transition delivered through a long-standing partnership with Alternative Managers.

The firm is closely held, operating as ETHIKA S.A. with a share capital of €40,000, and is led by three named partners: Bertrand Gaucher-Piola (Managing Director, acquired the firm in 2013), Etienne Pezzoli (Associate and Operational Director), and Aymeric de Brosses (Associate Director, joined 2023). The team size is small (1-10 employees), and the model emphasizes senior-led, personalized engagement rather than scaled desk operations. ETHIKA's go-to-market is consultant-led direct enterprise sales targeting mandates in automotive, aerospace, medtech, pharma, real estate, construction, chemical, food, distribution, and higher education.

Commercially, ETHIKA operates on professional services fees defined in written offers specifying mission content and modalities; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm maintains offices in Lyon (headquarters), Paris, and Marseille, with stated regional coverage across Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Île-de-France, PACA/Languedoc, and international mandates. Distribution is exclusively direct — no self-service, marketplace, or channel model — supplemented by brand presence via LinkedIn, Syntec Conseil en Recrutement membership, and educational partnerships with EM Lyon, ECAM Lyon, Université Grenoble Alpes, and Sciences Po. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

ETHIKA

Legal name

ETHIKA S.A.

Website

https://ethika.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ETHIKA is a Lyon-based executive recruitment and evaluation consultancy, founded in 1990, providing direct approach executive search and behavioral assessment services for large enterprises, ETIs, and SMEs across France and select international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Recruitment Consulting: Direct approach executive search services for cadres, dirigeants (executives), and experts. Services include needs definition, candidate sourcing through direct approach, digital hunting, and comprehensive evaluation.
2. Candidate Evaluation Services: Evaluation services for internal or external candidates to secure recruitment decisions. Includes behavioral testing, in-depth interviews, and comprehensive synthesis reports with integration recommendations.
3. Trial Period and Career Follow-up: Systematic follow-up during trial periods and ongoing career advice services for placed candidates

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ETHIKA is an executive search and evaluation consultancy providing direct-approach recruitment (Recrutement) for cadres, dirigeants (executives), and experts, alongside candidate evaluation (Évaluation) services including personality testing, in-depth interviews, and synthesis reports. Services cover the full lifecycle from needs definition and candidate sourcing through integration advice and trial-period follow-up, supplemented by Management de Transition delivered through the Alternative Managers partnership.

Product overview

ETHIKA is a service-based executive recruitment and evaluation consulting firm founded in 1990. The company operates as a single unified offering with two interconnected core services: Recruitment (executive search via direct approach with personality testing and integration support) and Évaluation (candidate assessment using behavioral tests and in-depth interviews). Through its partnership with Alternative Managers, ETHIKA also offers Management de Transition services for urgent executive staffing needs. The portfolio is organized as consulting services rather than a software product or platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Recrutement (Executive Search / Direct Approach Recruitment) Executive recruitment consulting service for cadres, dirigeants, and experts, using direct approach methodology supported by a maintained decision-maker network, digital sourcing, and top business school relationships. Includes needs definition, candidate sourcing, personality testing, in-depth interviews, candidate synthesis, integration advice, and systematic trial-period follow-up. Targeted at large enterprises, ETIs, and SMEs in France and internationally.
• Évaluation (Candidate Evaluation) Candidate evaluation service to secure recruitment decisions for internal or external candidates. Includes analysis of context and role, prior telephone briefing, behavioral tests with assessment partners, in-depth interviews, and detailed synthesis dossier with integration recommendations. Targeted at companies needing an objective external perspective on identified candidates.
• Management de Transition (delivered via Alternative Managers partnership) Interim management service provided through the long-standing Alternative Managers partner, offering rapid deployment of experienced executives for urgent and temporary executive staffing needs during growth, transformation, or transition phases.

Quantifiable outcome

• Systematic trial period follow-up and ongoing career support for placed candidates

Named customers12 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alternative ManagerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Long-standing strategic partnership since 2007 providing complementary management of transition services. Alternative Managers addresses urgent and temporary needs for experienced executives through rapid and targeted deployment of interim managers.
• RE&ELminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with RE&EL cabinet bringing differentiated offerings in managerial and organizational transformation, complementing ETHIKA's core recruitment and evaluation services.
• Syntec Conseil en RecrutementminorOthersLong-standing membership in Syntec Conseil en Recrutement, the leading professional association for recruitment consulting firms in France, demonstrating adherence to industry standards and professional ethics.
• EM Lyon Business SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational partnership providing access to graduate talent pool and network relationships for executive recruitment services.
• ECAM LyonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational partnership including collaborative relationship where Associate Etienne Pezzoli previously led partnership relations and recruitment for the school from 2015-2017.
• Université Grenoble AlpesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity partnership providing access to graduate talent network and institutional relationships for executive search services.
• Invest in LyonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional economic development partnership supporting Lyon area business attraction and investment initiatives.
• Sciences PominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership through Sciences Po Careers service where ETHIKA posts executive positions, serving as a talent source for recruitment services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Robert Walters: International recruitment firm with established French operations across permanent and interim placements. Comparable to ETHIKA in mid-to-senior management recruitment for enterprises and ETIs.
• Spencer Stuart: Boutique global executive search firm specializing in board-level and C-suite placements. Comparable to ETHIKA in methodology (deep evaluation, direct approach) and senior-level positioning, though larger and more international.
• Boyden: Global executive search firm operating through partner-led practices. Closely comparable to ETHIKA in boutique, partner-driven senior search model with industry-specialized verticals.
• Egon Zehnder: Privately held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Closely comparable to ETHIKA on direct-approach methodology, senior-level focus, and partner-led model; differs mainly on geographic breadth.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm focused on board, CEO, and senior leadership placement. Directly comparable to ETHIKA's executive search offering for large enterprises, though at materially larger scale.
• Michael Page: Global executive and professional recruitment firm with a significant French presence. Highly comparable to ETHIKA because both serve mid-to-senior management searches for enterprises and ETIs, and ETHIKA's own team (Aymeric de Brosses) was recruited from Michael Page.
• Transearch: International executive search firm with operations across Europe. Comparable to ETHIKA on direct-approach methodology and senior executive placement for mid-market and enterprise clients.
• Hays: Global recruitment and workforce solutions firm with substantial French operations. Comparable to ETHIKA in middle-to-senior management recruitment across multiple industry verticals.
• Odgers Berndtson: Global executive search firm focused on senior leadership and board appointments. Comparable to ETHIKA on direct-approach methodology, mid-to-top management segment, and partner-led engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Large global organizational consulting firm with a major executive search practice. Overlaps with ETHIKA in senior executive search but operates at vastly greater scale and broader portfolio of HR consulting services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ethika-recrutement
• Facebookfacebook.com/Cabinet-Ethika-426188194197922

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 ETHIKA