Schulthess Zimmermann & Jauch

Name

Schulthess Zimmermann & Jauch

Legal name

SZ&J AG

Website

https://sz-j.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search & Board Advisory

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Board advisory services
• Succession planning
• Leadership recruitment
• Board governance consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Retainer-based and success-fee arrangements for identifying and placing executive talent including CEOs, CFOs, board members, and other C-suite positions. Comprehensive search processes include rigorous reference and background checks.
2. Board Advisory Services: Advisory engagements for board chairs and nomination committees covering governance guidelines development, succession planning, and board composition assessments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SZ&J is a boutique board advisory and executive search firm that advises Board Chairs and Heads of Nomination and Remuneration Committees on governance, succession planning, and CEO/board appointments, and recruits executive talent (CEOs, CFOs, CROs, COOs, CHROs, CTOs, General Counsels) for listed companies, private equity investors and portfolio companies, family-owned enterprises, not-for-profits, and public sector clients. The firm operates from Zurich, London, Munich, and New York, with engagements typically retained on a fee basis and led personally by partners.

Product overview

Schulthess Zimmermann & Jauch (SZ&J) is a Board Advisory and Executive Search firm offering a unified portfolio of services centered on governance advisory and leadership placement. The core offering comprises Board Advisory (including Board Development, Succession Planning, and CEO Search) and Executive Search (encompassing Executive Evaluation, Focus Areas by function, and Client Groups by sector). Supporting these is the Board Roundtable—a private discussion forum—and Thought Leadership content. The firm specializes in placing Non-Executive Directors, CEOs, and senior executives across sectors including Financial Services, Private Equity, Healthcare, Industrial, and Not-for-Profit organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Board Advisory Advisory services for Board Chairs and Heads of Nomination and Remuneration Committees covering Board Governance guidelines, strategic succession planning, and continuous board development, tailored to listed companies, private equity investors, family-owned enterprises, not-for-profits, and public sector clients.
• Executive Search Recruitment of executive talent aligned with organizational culture, strategic vision, and required expertise, including rigorous reference and background checks, covering CEOs, CFOs, CROs, COOs, CHROs, CTOs, General Counsels, and other C-suite positions across sectors.
• Board Development Governance development services that strengthen Board leadership, sharpen strategic alignment, and provide tools for Board Chairs to maximize effectiveness.
• Succession Planning Systematic succession planning ensuring seamless leadership transitions at strategic and operational levels, focused on sustainable organizational continuity.
• CEO Search Executive search services focused on identifying and placing CEOs who align with organizational strategy, culture, and stakeholder expectations.
• Executive Evaluation Assessment services for Boards, Owners, CEOs, and investors evaluating senior executives against leadership mandates, organizational context, and stakeholder environments.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Financial TimescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Since 2023, SZ&J has been the strategic Board Advisory and Executive Search Partner to the Financial Times Global Banking Summit. This partnership recognizes the firm's expertise across global financial services and provides access to senior decision-makers in banking. Matthias Schulthess serves as the key relationship contact and participates in panel discussions.
• HakluytcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHakluyt, a leading strategic intelligence firm, co-hosted exclusive dinners with SZ&J in Munich and Zurich for select clients to discuss China, economic and geopolitical challenges, and global relations. The partnership provides clients with intelligence insights from Hakluyt's experience in the US and Asia, featuring Richard Margolis (Senior Adviser in China) and Mark Hanson (Senior Partner and Tokyo Bureau Chief).
• HakluytcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSZ&J and Hakluyt co-hosted a virtual gathering exploring social and environmental impact from the boardroom, discussing the 'S' in ESG with perspectives from investors and corporations. Vanina Farber from IMD's elea Chair for Social Innovation participated as a featured speaker.
• Patrick DunneminorOthersPatrick Dunne, author of 'Boards – A practical perspective', has co-moderated SZ&J Board Roundtables, bringing expertise in board governance to roundtable discussions.
• Julia BinderminorOthersProfessor Julia Binder from IMD (Lausanne), specializing in sustainable innovation and business transformation, has co-moderated SZ&J Board Roundtables.
• Mario FehrminorOthersMario Fehr, President of the Government Council of Canton Zurich, has co-moderated SZ&J Board Roundtables, contributing political and public sector perspectives.
• Sunnie J. GroeneveldminorOthersSunnie J. Groeneveld, entrepreneur and multiple board member, has co-moderated SZ&J Board Roundtables, contributing entrepreneurial and governance experience.
• Vanina FarberminorOthersVanina Farber, elea Chair for Social Innovation at IMD, joined SZ&J and Hakluyt's ESG-focused roundtable as a speaker, sharing expertise on social innovation and sustainable finance.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Signium: Global boutique executive search firm with a strong financial services and family business practice across Europe and the Americas. Comparable to SZ&J in scale, partner-led model, and cross-border financial-services mandates.
• Egon Zehnder: Closely comparable boutique-style global executive search firm with a strong board advisory and CEO succession practice. Egon Zehnder's partner-led model and senior-engagement ethos mirror SZ&J's positioning, particularly in financial services and family-business sectors.
• SRI International (SRI Executive Search): European-headquartered boutique executive search firm specializing in financial services, insurance, and PE leadership mandates. Comparable to SZ&J in boutique positioning and senior financial-services specialization, with overlapping European geographic coverage.
• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with strong UK, European, and North American presence and a notable Financial Services and Private Equity practice. Closely comparable to SZ&J in geography, boutique scale, and senior-level financial-services mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Large global organizational consulting firm whose executive search practice competes directly with SZ&J for CEO and board placements, especially in financial services. Korn Ferry's broader portfolio includes talent assessment and organizational advisory beyond SZ&J's scope.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep Financial Services and Board Practices. Comparable to SZ&J as a direct competitor in senior-level search, though Heidrick operates at significantly larger scale across more geographies.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Major global executive search firm with a dedicated Financial Services practice and CEO/board succession capabilities. Directly competes with SZ&J for senior-level financial-services and PE mandates at larger enterprise scale.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the leading global executive search firms with a renowned Board Practice and strong Financial Services franchise. Directly competes with SZ&J for CEO, CFO, and board mandates, but operates with a much larger global partner network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/szj
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sz-j

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Schulthess Zimmermann & Jauch