BECKER + PARTNER

What BECKER + PARTNER does

BECKER + PARTNER is a German executive search and management consulting firm founded in 2002 and headquartered in Bensheim, Germany. The firm specializes in direct-approach headhunting (Direktansprache) and personnel consulting for the German Mittelstand, filling senior leadership and specialist positions (CEO, COO, CFO, CTO, departmental heads in technology, engineering, R&D, supply chain, sales, and finance) for mid-sized industrial and service-sector companies. Service offerings include Personalberatung (personnel consulting), Executive Search, Interim Management, Unternehmensnachfolge (business succession planning), Stellenanzeigen Marketing (job posting marketing), and Managementberatung (management consulting), supplemented by a digital Vakanzkosten-Rechner (vacancy cost calculator) tool.

The firm operates as a Partnerschaftsgesellschaft (PartG) under the legal name BECKER + PARTNER Personalberatung u. Managementberatung für den Mittelstand PartG, with managing partners Klaus Becker and Wolfgang Häfner. Its competitive positioning rests on consultant-side industry experience in automotive, mechanical engineering, plastics technology, and electrical engineering, enabling deep sector specialization that differentiates the firm from generalist agencies. The company maintains a regional consultant network across Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Münster, Hamburg, Dresden, and Berlin, and has been continuously recognized as Top Consultant and WirtschaftsWoche Best Mittelstandsdienstleister since 2019, with additional recognition from brand eins in 2026.

Revenue is generated through professional service fees structured as a percentage of placed candidate compensation, on a quote-based engagement model. The firm serves 200+ named client organizations, including ThyssenKrupp Bilstein, Hugo Boss, Caterpillar Energy Solutions, Birkenstock, Liebherr Components, Stiebel Eltron, KOSTAL, and the Max-Planck-Institut. Go-to-market is exclusively direct, with no intermediaries or self-service channels, and a supplementary digital and social media presence (LinkedIn, Xing, Instagram) supports candidate engagement and thought leadership.

Name

BECKER + PARTNER

Legal name

BECKER + PARTNER Personalberatung u. Managementberatung für den Mittelstand PartG

Website

https://personalberatung-mittelstand.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BECKER + PARTNER is a German executive search firm founded in 2002, specializing in headhunting and personnel consulting for mid-sized industrial and service-sector companies (Mittelstand) across Germany, with a regional consultant network serving 200+ clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search & Personnel Consulting

NAICS

Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Engineering Leadership Search (BPACAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Personnel consulting
• Headhunting services
• Interim management placement
• Management consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Bensheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Search / Headhunting Services: Contingency-based or retained search fees for identifying and placing senior executives and specialists in mid-sized industrial companies. The firm specializes in filling management positions including CEO, COO, CFO, CTO, and other C-level and senior leadership roles. Revenue is generated through professional service fees, typically a percentage of the placed candidate's annual compensation.
2. Interim Management Placement: Placement of interim managers for temporary leadership needs during transitions, organizational change, or project phases. The firm provides experienced managers who can step into leadership roles without competing with internal candidates.
3. Personnel Advertising / Job Posting Marketing: Marketing services for job postings and job advertisements, creating and optimizing job listings to generate quality applications for client positions.
4. Management Consulting: Advisory services related to organizational leadership, succession planning, and management assessment, often bundled with executive search mandates.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BECKER + PARTNER is a German executive search and personnel consulting firm that places senior executives, specialists, and management-level candidates into mid-sized industrial companies and international corporations. The firm provides direct approach headhunting, interim management placements, company succession planning, job posting marketing, and management consulting, leveraging a 20+ year network of regional consultants across all major German cities.

Product overview

BECKER + PARTNER is a personnel consulting firm specializing in executive search and recruitment services for German industrial SMEs. The company offers a portfolio of consulting services including Personalberatung (personnel consulting), Executive Search (headhunting), Interim Management, Unternehmensnachfolge (company succession planning), Stellenanzeigen Marketing (job posting marketing), and Managementberatung (management consulting). Additionally, the company provides a complementary digital tool called the Vakanzkosten-Rechner (Vacancy Cost Calculator), a value-based online calculator that helps companies estimate the true opportunity cost of unfilled positions. The services are delivered through a network of regional consultants across Germany, with advisors having direct industry experience in management positions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personalberatung (Personnel Consulting) End-to-end personnel consulting for industrial Mittelstand companies and international corporations, encompassing executive search, headhunting, personnel search and evaluation, and management consulting. Targets innovative SMEs and global corporates needing senior leadership talent.
• Executive Search Direct approach recruitment (headhunting) service that uses clear target definition, systematic personnel search methodology, and strong intuition for identifying top executives, managers, and specialists for client mandates.
• Unternehmensnachfolge (Company Succession Planning) Advisory and search support for business succession and generational transitions, leveraging experience across middle market and international corporate sectors to identify successors for retiring owners and founders.
• Interim Management Provision of experienced interim managers for different phases of company development, supplementing rather than competing with internal executives to cover leadership gaps during transitions, organizational change, or project phases.
• Stellenanzeigen Marketing (Job Posting Marketing) Professional job posting marketing service that implements job advertisements on behalf of client companies with optimized quality and reach to generate quality applications for client positions.
• Managementberatung (Management Consulting) Management consulting services backed by practical industry experience, with consultants having international and successful careers in industry sectors including automotive, mechanical engineering, plastics technology, and electrical engineering. Often bundled with executive search mandates.
• Vakanzkosten-Rechner (Vacancy Cost Calculator) A value-based online calculator that computes the opportunity cost of unfilled positions using a revenue-based methodology rather than salary-based calculations. Features role-specific value factors, team multiplier effects, and recruiting cost components to help companies estimate the true cost of vacant roles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top Consultant recognition for 8 consecutive years (2019-2026)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BVMW (Bundesverband der Deutschen Mittelstand)minorOthersMember of BVMW, the Federal Association of the German Mittelstand. BVMW serves as a business network offering resources, advocacy, and connections for mid-sized German companies. Membership provides access to a broader network of Mittelstand companies and potential clients.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Page Executive: Global executive search brand within PageGroup with dedicated German operations serving mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable in executive search offering and German Mittelstand penetration, though operating under a larger group structure.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with German operations. Directly comparable service offering (executive search, leadership consulting) but operates across all client segments rather than Mittelstand-focused.
• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with German offices serving mid-market and large-cap clients. Overlaps with BECKER + PARTNER in executive search methodology and industrial client base but with broader geographic and segment reach.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with operations in Germany. Comparable as a competing executive search provider but operates across all company sizes and geographies rather than specializing in the German Mittelstand niche.
• Robert Half Deutschland: Global staffing and talent solutions firm with a strong German presence in finance, accounting, and technology recruiting. Adjacent to BECKER + PARTNER in recruitment services but with a volume/staffing model rather than retained Mittelstand executive search.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a large executive search practice. Overlaps with BECKER + PARTNER in retained search but serves a much broader client base including large multinationals, with a significantly wider service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Dr. Heimeier & Partner: German executive search boutique serving medium-sized industrial and technology companies. Comparable to BECKER + PARTNER in Mittelstand positioning, sector specialization, and direct-approach (Direktansprache) methodology for senior executive mandates.
• HAPEKO Hanseatisches Personalkontor: German Mittelstand-focused executive search and personnel consulting firm operating nationwide. Directly comparable to BECKER + PARTNER in target customer (German mid-market industrial and service companies), service mix (executive search, management consulting, succession), and geographic focus on Germany.
• Mercuri Urval: International executive search and talent advisory firm with strong German presence serving industrial and mid-market clients. Comparable to BECKER + PARTNER in executive search methodology, industrial sector focus, and management consulting adjacency.
• Rochus Mummert Executive Consultants: Boutique German executive search firm specializing in mid-sized industrial and technology companies. Highly comparable to BECKER + PARTNER in Mittelstand focus, sector specialization (industrial/technology), and retained search model for C-level and specialist mandates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/permitt
• Instagraminstagram.com/becker.partner
• Xx.com/deutschlandjobs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 BECKER + PARTNER