BiermannNeff

What BiermannNeff does

BiermannNeff is a boutique executive search firm founded in Zurich in 2009 by Klaus Biermann and Jonas Neff, with a second office in Frankfurt. The firm operates exclusively within the Financial Services vertical, covering mandates across Asset Managers, Private Banks, Private Markets, Asset Owners, FinTechs, ESG/Digital Finance, and Board placements. Its positioning is built on 20+ years of practitioner experience per founder, long-term client relationships, and a deliberately small, specialist team following a 2016 restructuring that reduced headcount from approximately 30 to a leaner core.

The business model is a professional services fee structure typical of retained and contingency executive search, monetizing senior-level mandates for Financial Services clients across the DACH region. There are no technology products, no proprietary AI/ML systems, and no disclosed funding rounds; the firm is privately held and founder-owned. Content assets such as Recruitment Radar Reports and BEA Tests function as thought-leadership and lead-generation tools rather than scalable product lines. Revenue and client data are not disclosed, and operational scale remains constrained to the small boutique team operating from two DACH offices.

Name

BiermannNeff

Legal name

BiermannNeff AG / BiermannNeff Headhunters GmbH

Website

https://biermann-neff.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BiermannNeff is a Zurich- and Frankfurt-based boutique executive search firm, founded in 2009 by Klaus Biermann and Jonas Neff, exclusively serving Financial Services clients across the DACH region with senior and board-level mandates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPACAAAF

Financial Services Leadership Search (Banking/Insurance/PE/Asset Mgmt)

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Executive Search & Headhunting

SECONDARYBPACAAAA

C-Suite & Board Search

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/Executive Search & Headhunting

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Financial services recruitment
• Asset management recruiting
• Wealth management headhunting
• Private markets staffing

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Retained and contingency executive search fees charged to client companies seeking to fill senior-level and C-level positions in Financial Services. Revenue generated exclusively from clients, not from candidates.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

BiermannNeff is a Swiss executive search boutique that places specialists, managers, and C-level executives within the financial services industry. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Zurich with an additional office in Frankfurt am Main, the firm conducts executive search mandates across asset management, private banking, private markets, capital markets, digital finance, ESG, and board practice, complemented by market intelligence publications and career advisory for candidates.

Product overview

BiermannNeff is an executive search and talent selection boutique specializing exclusively in the Financial Services sector. The company operates as a focused consulting firm providing strategic talent acquisition and career development services, rather than a software or technology product company. Their core service is executive search and placement for specialists, managers, and C-level executives across Asset Management, Private Banking, Private Markets & Alternatives, Capital Markets, Digital Finance, ESG, and Board Practice areas. They also offer supplementary services including market surveys (Recruitment Radar, Year End Survey) and behavioral assessment tools (BEA™ tests). The company maintains offices in Zurich and Frankfurt, and has operated since 2009.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Services End-to-end retained executive search mandates covering asset management, private banking, private markets, capital markets, digital finance, ESG, and board practice. Targets financial services firms across Switzerland, Germany, and broader Europe.
• Recruitment Radar / Market Intelligence Reports Periodic market intelligence publications, including the 'Recruitment Radar' and 'Year-End Survey', providing insights into compensation, hiring trends, and talent flows within European financial services.
• BEA Behavioral Assessment Behavioral assessment testing integrated into executive search mandates to evaluate candidates' leadership and personality traits against role requirements.
• Career Advisory for Candidates Career planning and advisory service for senior financial services professionals, including CV guidance, interview preparation, and confidential career consultations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 50% of placed candidates were female in markets where female representation is typically 20-30%

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Amrop: Global executive search partnership with a strong Financial Services practice and notable presence in Switzerland and Germany. Comparable as a partnership-style, relationship-led search firm competing for similar senior FS mandates in DACH.

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with deep Financial Services coverage including Asset Management, Investment Banking, Private Equity and Board services. Highly comparable as it competes head-to-head for C-level and senior FS mandates in Switzerland, Germany and across Europe.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with one of the largest dedicated Financial Services practices globally. Comparable because it competes for senior FS, Asset Management and Private Banking mandates across European hubs including Zurich and Frankfurt.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with one of the strongest Financial Services practices in the world, including dedicated Asset Management, Private Banking and Board practices. Directly comparable because it competes for the same senior FS mandates that BiermannNeff serves across DACH.
• Robert Walters: International professional recruitment firm with strong Financial Services coverage in Switzerland and Germany. Comparable as it serves similar FS clients in DACH, though across a broader range of seniority levels than a pure executive boutique.
• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with a strong Financial Services practice covering Asset Management, Private Banking and FinTech. Comparable as it competes for senior mandates across DACH and broader European markets in similar FS verticals.
• Egon Zehnder: Swiss-headquartered global executive search firm with very strong Financial Services and Board practices. Closely comparable given the shared Swiss roots, strong DACH presence, and emphasis on long-term, quality-driven client relationships.
• Hays: Global specialist recruitment firm with dedicated Banking & Financial Services coverage across DACH. Comparable for mid-to-senior professional and managerial FS hires though at a broader scale and lower seniority ceiling than BiermannNeff.
• Michael Page: Global professional recruitment brand with dedicated Financial Services and Asset Management practices across Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Comparable given overlapping FS client base in DACH, although it operates at broader scale and more mid-market positioning.

Regional players

• MR Hunziker: Swiss boutique executive search firm focused on Financial Services in the Swiss market. Comparable as a similarly-sized, FS-specialized boutique competing for senior FS mandates in Switzerland, though with a more Swiss-only geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biermannpartners-ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/biermann.neff

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 BiermannNeff