Cadr'Avenir

What Cadr'Avenir does

Cadr'Avenir SAS is a privately held, Nantes-based recruitment consulting firm founded in 2003 by Gilles Foëx, specializing in executive search and middle management recruitment for PME, ETI, and large groups. The firm operates a multi-specialist model with two core service lines — Executive Search for C-suite and senior management positions (CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CDO) and Middle Management recruitment for managers, specialists, and technical experts — complemented by sector-specific expertise across industry, supply chain & logistics, fashion/textile/luxury, building & modular construction, services, and information systems & digital. Methodology centers on direct approach headhunting, a proprietary 4-step process (Diagnosis, Recommendation, Selection, Support), third-party behavioral assessments (Echo PerformanSe), systematic reference checks, and a GDPR-compliant candidate database. The firm reports over 270 companies served since founding, approximately 800 candidates met annually, and 100+ placements per year, with a team of 6 consultants as of 2022–2023.

The business is a professional services firm generating revenue exclusively through project-based recruitment fees, with no subscription, SaaS, or platform monetization. Pricing is quote-based, varies by assignment scope and seniority, and is not publicly disclosed. Geographic reach is anchored in the Grand Ouest region (Loire-Atlantique, Vendée, Choletais, Mayenne) with national French coverage and occasional international interventions, supported by a Nantes headquarters at 1 rue d'Argentré and a Paris satellite office at 14 rue Delambre. Distribution is direct client engagement only, supplemented by referral-based acquisition and earned media via Les Echos/Statista rankings (7 consecutive years of 5-star ratings in Executive Search and Managers & Specialists categories as of 2026) and Capital Magazine coverage. The firm crossed €1M in revenue for the first time in 2022 (+25% YoY) and maintained that level in 2023, with industry representing 50% of revenue, services growing, and textile/luxury stable at 22%.

Underlying technology is modest: a custom WordPress-based corporate website, an online candidate portal (recrutement.cadravenir.fr) for profile creation, single-click applications, and email job alerts, plus standard CRM/database tooling. There is no proprietary AI/ML, no platform product, and no API or SDK offering. Customer concentration is low, with a long tail of 270+ enterprise clients spread across industrial manufacturing, agri-food, medical, transport/logistics, packaging, construction, and cooperative sectors. The company is founder/partner-led with no external institutional capital, no subsidiaries, and no M&A history.

Name

Cadr'Avenir

Legal name

Cadr'Avenir SAS

Website

https://cadravenir.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cadr'Avenir is a Nantes-based executive search and middle management recruitment firm founded in 2003, serving PME, ETI, and large groups across France with sector specializations in industry, supply chain, fashion/textile/luxury, construction, and IT/digital.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Recruitment consulting and executive search fees: Cadr'Avenir generates revenue through professional services fees for recruitment consulting and executive search assignments. The firm charges for identifying, evaluating, and placing candidates in executive, middle management, and specialist positions for client companies. Revenue is generated through project-based assignments rather than subscription models.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cadr'Avenir is a multi-specialist recruitment consulting firm and executive search (headhunting) company offering two core service lines: Executive Search for C-suite and top management positions (CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CDO), and Middle Management recruitment for managers and specialists. These core services are complemented by six specialized sector verticals — Industry & Engineering, Supply Chain & Logistics, Fashion/Textile/Luxury, Building & Modular Construction, Services, and IT/Digital — serving PME, ETI, and large groups primarily in the Grand Ouest region of France with a national and occasional international reach.

Product overview

Cadr'Avenir operates as a multi-specialist recruitment consulting firm and executive search (headhunting) company, offering two core service lines: Executive Search for C-suite and top management positions, and Middle Management recruitment for managers and specialists. These core services are complemented by specialized sector expertise spanning Industry & Engineering, Supply Chain & Logistics, Fashion & Luxury, Building & Modular, Services, and Information Systems & Digital. The firm also provides a digital candidate portal platform for managing applications. The portfolio is organized around specialized recruitment services supported by proprietary methodology tools including candidate databases, behavioral assessments (Echo PerformanSe), and systematic reference checks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Specialized headhunting service for identifying and attracting top-level executives and C-suite leaders (CEO, CFO, COO, CTO, CDO, HRD, etc.) through direct approach methodology, targeting candidates for strategic positions within PME, ETI, and large group organizations.
• Middle Management Recruitment Recruitment service focused on managers, specialists, and technical experts for mid-level leadership positions across functions (HR, Commercial, Finance, Marketing, Purchasing, Production, R&D, Export, IT), optimizing organizational performance for client companies.
• Supply Chain & Logistics Recruitment Specialized recruitment services for logistics, supply chain, and transportation functions including supply chain directors, warehouse managers, demand planners, and operations directors for industrial companies and distributors.
• SI & Digital Recruitment Recruitment services for information systems and digital transformation roles including IT management (DSI), ERP consulting, cybersecurity, data science, and digital leadership positions for companies undergoing transformation.
• Industry & Engineering Recruitment Recruitment expertise for industrial and engineering sectors covering production management, quality assurance, continuous improvement, and technical leadership roles in agri-food, mechanical industry, and related manufacturing sectors.
• Fashion, Textile & Luxury Recruitment Specialized recruitment for fashion, ready-to-wear, footwear, and luxury sectors including retail, style, sourcing, and international manufacturing roles.
• Building & Modular Recruitment Recruitment services for construction, real estate development, and modular building sectors including project management, technical, commercial, and project leadership roles.
• Services Sector Recruitment Recruitment services for service sector organizations including local authorities, associations, trade, and transport companies covering various support and operational functions.
• Candidate Portal (Espace Candidat) Online candidate management platform enabling job seekers to create profiles, apply to positions with single-click functionality, receive targeted job alerts by email, and confidentially manage their candidacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800 candidates met annually; 100+ placements per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments8 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.

• Corsaires de Nantes (Ice Hockey Club)minorOthersCadr'Avenir is a partner of the Corsaires de Nantes ice hockey team. The partnership involves sponsorship and visibility opportunities. An interview with club representative Maxime Gerfaud was conducted as part of the partnership activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Volney Global Executive Search: French-origin boutique executive search firm serving mid-cap and family-owned groups in Europe, with a multi-specialist vertical approach similar to Cadr'Avenir's industry, supply chain, and luxury practices.
• Robert Walters France: International recruitment consultancy with French offices focused on middle management and specialist hires in similar functions (finance, IT, supply chain, engineering), competing for the same mid-market mandates.
• Hays France: Global specialist recruitment firm with a strong French regional presence, particularly active in construction, property, manufacturing, and supply chain — directly overlapping Cadr'Avenir's core verticals.
• Michael Page France: Global recruitment firm with a substantial French operation covering middle management and specialist roles across the same verticals Cadr'Avenir addresses; provides the most direct head-to-head competitive comparison for mandates in the French regions.
• Alexander Hughes: Paris-headquartered executive search boutique specializing in C-suite and senior management recruitment for mid-market and large groups across multiple verticals — closely comparable in service model and target client profile to Cadr'Avenir.
• Fed Group: French multi-specialist recruitment group covering IT, finance, engineering, supply chain, and HR functions, with regional offices across France — directly comparable in service mix and target SME/ETI client base.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice covering the same functional and sectoral areas (supply chain, industrial, consumer/luxury); serves as a benchmark for what scaled executive search looks like.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search leader operating across C-suite and board-level mandates in industry, consumer, and technology — represents the larger-scale incumbent operating in adjacent rather than overlapping mid-market territory.
• Egon Zehnder: Global leadership advisory and executive search firm with strong presence across European mid-cap and large-cap CEO and functional leadership appointments — comparable in executive search craft but at meaningfully larger scale.

Emerging players

• Approach People Recruitment: International recruitment firm with French operations focused on supply chain, logistics, and industrial functions — overlaps with Cadr'Avenir's specialized verticals but with a more international candidate sourcing model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CadrAvenir
• Facebookfacebook.com/cadravenir
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cadr'avenir

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 Cadr'Avenir