Chief People
Chief People is a privately held, Silicon Valley-based executive and technical recruitment firm founded in 1998, serving tech companies from startups to enterprises with end-to-end, project, contingency, and executive search services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSausalito, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Chief People does
Chief People is a privately held, Silicon Valley-based executive and technical recruitment firm founded in 1998 by Roger King, operating with 11-50 employees from Sausalito, California. The company provides end-to-end talent acquisition services exclusively to the technology sector, serving clients that range from early-stage startups to established enterprises across verticals including SaaS, FinTech, AI/ML, Digital Health, E-commerce, logistics, and travel technology. Named past and current clients include OpenTable, DHL, Lyft, Twitter, Tesla, GoPro, Photobucket, Mondee, Onriva, AngelRush, Gracenote, Mojo Mobility, Toybox, and FanCompass.
The firm's core offering is organized into four interconnected service lines: Full Life-Cycle Recruitment (end-to-end hiring for technical and go-to-market talent), Project Recruitment (scalable hiring for rapid-growth companies filling 2-25+ positions), Contingency Search (targeted individual contributor placement), and Executive Search (C-suite and strategic leadership placements, including CTO, CMO, COO, CFO). A complementary Marketing Talent Expertise module covers VP Marketing, digital marketing, SEO/SEM, content, social, and growth marketing roles. Chief People does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its service delivery relies on its curated network of over 500,000 qualified candidates, talent sourcing across 50+ countries, and founder-level relationships in the Bay Area tech ecosystem — including Roger King's parallel role as founder of Bay Angels, one of the largest angel groups in San Francisco.
Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis via quote-based pricing for placements, with a one-year replacement guarantee and flexible billing options. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven: senior partners Philip King and Roger King personally engage CEOs, founders, and hiring managers through direct outreach and LinkedIn-driven networking. The firm has completed over 1,000 placements since inception, with no disclosed external funding, M&A activity, or institutional ownership — ownership and control remain with the founding partners.
Chief People firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chief People
- Legal name
- Chief People
- Website
- https://chiefpeople.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chief People is a privately held, Silicon Valley-based executive and technical recruitment firm founded in 1998, serving tech companies from startups to enterprises with end-to-end, project, contingency, and executive search services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chief People industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Executive Search & Tech Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)
Keywords
Where Chief People is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sausalito
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Chief People business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Recruitment and Placement Fees: Contingency-based and project-based recruitment fees. The company offers Full Life-Cycle Recruitment, Project Recruitment (2-25+ positions), Contingency Search, and Executive Search services. Pricing includes competitive cost per hire, flexible billing options, and one-year replacement guarantee on placements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Full Life-Cycle Recruitment - End-to-end recruitment for technical and go-to-market talent |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project Recruitment - Scalable solutions for rapid growth companies (2-25+ positions) |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Contingency Search - Targeted staffing for individual contributor roles |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Executive Search - C-suite and strategic role placement |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Chief People product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chief People is a Silicon Valley–based executive recruitment agency that places technical, go-to-market, and C-suite talent for technology companies. It sells four professional service lines — Full Life-Cycle Recruitment, Project Recruitment (2–25+ hires), Contingency Search, and Executive Search — supplemented by a marketing-talent specialization module, all delivered through senior recruiters leveraging a network of 500,000+ candidates.
Product overview
Chief People is a recruitment and talent placement firm offering a unified suite of professional services for the tech and digital economy. The core offering consists of four interconnected service lines: Full Life-Cycle Recruitment provides comprehensive end-to-end hiring support; Project Recruitment offers scalable solutions for rapid-growth companies filling 2-25+ technical positions; Contingency Search targets key individual contributor roles; and Executive Search focuses on C-suite and strategic leadership placements. An additional Marketing Talent Expertise module extends specialized recruitment for marketing roles. All services leverage the firm's network of over 500,000 qualified candidates across various tech and digital roles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Full Life-Cycle Recruitment
- Project Recruitment
- Contingency Search
- Executive Search
Quantifiable outcome
- 1,000+ successful placements across tech industry
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Chief People
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Chief People technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chief People partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chief People competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a Technology & Communications Practice serving major tech enterprises and late-stage growth companies. Comparable to Chief People on executive search mandates, with deeper enterprise client base and global footprint.
- Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is the world's largest executive search and talent management firm with a dedicated Technology practice serving CIO, CTO, CHRO, and digital leadership searches. Comparable to Chief People on executive search but with a much broader portfolio including RPO, assessments, and consulting.
- Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search leader with a dedicated Global Technology & Services Practice serving CTO, CIO, CPO, and other tech leadership searches. Comparable to Chief People on tech executive search but operates at far greater scale across multiple industries and geographies.
- Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is a global executive search firm with a prominent Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice serving public and late-stage tech companies. Comparable to Chief People on C-suite tech mandates but competes as a broad incumbent rather than a tech-exclusive boutique.
- Robert Half: Robert Half is a publicly traded staffing and recruitment firm operating globally across finance, technology, legal, and administrative roles. Comparable to Chief People on permanent placement for tech roles, but with a vastly larger scale and more diversified service portfolio including temporary staffing and managed solutions.
- Russell Reynolds Associates: Russell Reynolds is a global executive search firm with a Technology, Media & Entertainment practice covering CTO, CIO, and CEO placements at tech companies. Comparable to Chief People on tech executive search, but with broader industry coverage and significantly larger scale.
Emerging players
- Goodwin Recruiting: Goodwin Recruiting is a US-based recruitment firm with a dedicated Technology division placing engineering, product, and go-to-market talent at tech companies. Comparable to Chief People on multi-vertical tech recruitment, though lighter on executive search and less focused on Bay Area venture ecosystem.
- Motion Recruitment Partners: Motion Recruitment is a tech-focused staffing and talent solutions firm (parent of CyberCoders and other tech brands) providing contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire tech talent. Comparable to Chief People on tech vertical and project/contingency recruitment, though more weighted toward individual contributor rather than C-suite.
Direct peers
- DHR International: DHR International is a global executive search firm with strong technology and venture-backed practice groups placing senior executives at growth-stage and enterprise tech firms. Comparable to Chief People on C-suite tech search methodology and VC/startup client base, with broader global coverage.
- Riviera Partners: Riviera Partners is a Silicon Valley-based executive search firm focused exclusively on technology, providing C-suite and senior leadership placement to VC-backed and growth-stage tech companies. It is the closest direct competitor to Chief People given shared tech vertical focus, Bay Area roots, and venture ecosystem connectivity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chief People social profiles
Digital presenceChief People financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chief People leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Chief People funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chief People M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chief People
What does Chief People do?
Chief People is a Silicon Valley–based executive recruitment agency that places technical, go-to-market, and C-suite talent for technology companies. It sells four professional service lines — Full Life-Cycle Recruitment, Project Recruitment (2–25+ hires), Contingency Search, and Executive Search — supplemented by a marketing-talent specialization module, all delivered through senior recruiters leveraging a network of 500,000+ candidates.
Is Chief People a public or private company?
Chief People is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chief People founded?
Chief People was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chief People based?
Chief People is headquartered in Sausalito, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chief People make money?
One revenue line is on record: recruitment and Placement Fees.
Who are Chief People's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Egon Zehnder, Korn Ferry, Heidrick & Struggles, Spencer Stuart, Robert Half and Russell Reynolds Associates. Emerging players are Goodwin Recruiting and Motion Recruitment Partners. Direct peers are DHR International and Riviera Partners.
Does Chief People have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chief People.
What industry is Chief People in?
Chief People's product category is Executive Search & Tech Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAC, Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO), with a secondary code of BPACAFAA, General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry). Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 7361.