Meister Executive Search

What Meister Executive Search does

Meister Executive Search AG is a Swiss owner-managed executive search firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Bern, with additional offices in Zurich and Lausanne. The company specializes exclusively in direct-approach headhunting for C-level executives and board members, working on sole/exclusive mandates with corporate clients and public institutions across Switzerland. Its core offering is structured as a six-step process (mandate briefing, market analysis, direct approach, preselection, candidate presentation, and sparring/support), supported by an in-house Research Center that conducts proprietary market mapping and candidate sourcing.

The firm operates on a three-part fee structure: a basic fee at mandate start, a milestone fee when the client invites first candidates for interview, and a success fee upon employment contract signing, with a fixed-fee model determined by estimated effort and a double guarantee covering search continuity and free replacement. Revenue is derived entirely from professional services fees on executive search mandates. The company serves a diversified set of large enterprises and public-sector clients across healthcare (Swiss university hospitals, cantonal and rehabilitation hospitals), industrial/manufacturing (machine engineering, EMS, precision tools), financial services (Swiss banks, insurers, payment institutions), consumer goods, technology, energy, and Swiss federal/cantonal administrations.

Meister Executive Search differentiates through exclusive focus on executive search (no adjacent HR services), an in-house research capability enabling end-to-end process control, three Swiss offices providing multilingual coverage of German, French, and Italian-speaking Switzerland, and long-standing membership in the CFR Global Executive Search Network, which extends international reach to 30+ countries. The firm is privately held and founder/owner-managed, with Lukas Kühne as Managing Partner since January 2020 and Giorgio Albisetti as Chairman of the Board since January 2020; the partner group has expanded through 2023–2024 with the addition of Laura De Paolis (Partner, Meister Networks lead) and Raphael Matt (Partner, Zurich).

Name

Meister Executive Search

Legal name

Meister Executive Search AG

Website

https://meister-executive.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB), Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC), Industrial & Engineering Leadership Search (BPACAAAD), Public Sector, Education & Nonprofit Leadership Search (BPACAAAI)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Headhunting services
• Board member recruitment
• Direct approach recruiting
• Executive coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Mandates: Three-part fee structure: (1) Basic fee at mandate start covering market mapping, preselection and initial interviews; (2) Milestone fee due when client invites first qualified candidates; (3) Success fee upon signing of employment contract. Fixed fee model based on estimated effort and complexity. Double guarantee offered: continued search until ideal candidate found plus free replacement if needed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Meister Executive Search AG provides executive search (headhunting) services for top management and board-level positions, primarily for Swiss corporations, public institutions, and international clients. The firm operates through an in-house Research Center, conducting market analysis, direct candidate approach, preselection, interview, and placement via a six-step process. It also offers executive coaching for individuals and board of directors recruitment as specialized services.

Product overview

Meister Executive Search offers a unified executive search service platform centered on headhunting for top management and board positions. The core offering is Executive Search, supplemented by specialized modules for Board of Directors Recruitment and Individual Coaching services. The company operates its own in-house Research Center that conducts market analysis and candidate identification, enabling end-to-end recruitment management from briefing to placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Meister Networks: An operational division of Meister Executive Search AG, managed by Partner Laura De Paolis since 2022, focusing on expanded executive search services.

Products and services

• Executive Search The core executive search service providing targeted search, direct approach, and selection of C-level management (CEO, CFO, COO, Managing Director, Business Unit Heads) and board members for companies and public institutions. The methodology centers on direct approach to candidates, with over 80 percent of suitable candidates not actively seeking new opportunities.
• Board of Directors Recruitment Specialized recruitment service for identifying and placing qualified board members, including analysis of existing board composition, development of customized search strategies, and support through onboarding for the highest supervisory bodies of companies and public institutions.
• Individual Coaching Personalized coaching service for professionals seeking career development support, provided by a senior consultant with over 20 years of executive management experience in industry.
• M&A Support Support service related to mergers and acquisitions, offered alongside the firm's executive search mandate as referenced in the company tagline and core offerings for corporate clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 80% of interesting candidates are not actively looking for new professional challenges, demonstrating the effectiveness of direct approach methodology
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CFR Global Executive Search NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Meister Executive Search AG has been a member of the CFR Global Executive Search Network since 1998. This partnership provides access to an excellent network in over 30 countries and enables the company to guarantee quality standards for international recruiting mandates. The network serves as a key differentiator for cross-border executive search assignments, complementing the company's primary Swiss market focus.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Spencer Stuart: Global retained executive search firm specializing in board, CEO, and senior executive placements across industries. Comparable to Meister on mandate focus, exclusivity, and senior-level client base.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm with deep C-suite, board, and functional leadership practice. Direct peer given shared focus on retained mandates at the senior-most levels of large organizations.
• Amrop: Global executive search partnership with strong European footprint serving board and senior executive mandates. Comparable to Meister as a partner-led retained search firm with cross-border reach via network membership.
• Boyden: Global executive search firm with strong presence in Europe and a partner-led model focused on C-suite and board mandates. Comparable to Meister on direct-approach methodology and senior-level exclusive mandates.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search firm with strong C-suite and board practice, serving large enterprises and public institutions worldwide. Closest direct peer to Meister given its exclusive-mandate, C-suite/board-only model and premium positioning.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm focused on board and C-suite placements. Directly comparable on mandate type, industry breadth, and direct-approach methodology.
• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with strong DACH and Swiss presence, operating on exclusive mandates for C-suite and board roles. Comparable to Meister on geographic proximity in the Swiss market and exclusive-mandate model.

Broad incumbents

• PageGroup (Michael Page): Global recruitment group operating Michael Page and Page Executive brands, with executive search capabilities alongside broader professional staffing. Comparable on senior hiring services but with a much broader service portfolio and lower specialization depth.
• Hays Executive: Global recruitment group with an executive search practice focused on senior leadership appointments. Comparable to Meister on senior-level mandates, though operates within a much larger generalist staffing business.
• Korn Ferry: Largest global organizational consulting firm with a substantial executive search practice alongside broader talent, consulting, and RPO services. Comparable on senior-level search, but operates at much larger scale and across a wider portfolio of services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meister-executive-search-ag
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Meister Executive Search