What 1805 does

1805 Ltd is a London-based executive search and leadership advisory firm founded in 2016, operating from Greenwich and registered in the UK as Company No. 10177517. The firm works primarily with private equity portfolio companies, FTSE 250 corporates and challenger businesses — typically at inflection points such as Series C growth, pre-IPO readiness, restructuring or international expansion — placing board, CEO and C-suite leaders (Commercial, Sustainability, Digital, Finance, plus functional leaders including FDs, CROs, COOs and Data & Analytics heads). Its delivery model is partner-led, quasi in-house, on a retained fixed-fee basis, with multi-year relationships described as having grown consistently over the last four years.

The core technology underpinning every engagement is Saigan, 1805's proprietary intelligence platform built and refined in-house since 2024. Saigan comprises four integrated components: a Cultivation Database that serves as structured memory of every conversation the firm has had, continuously enriched from primary sources; an AI Workforce of 40+ specialised agents running continuous enrichment, normalisation, classification and scoring; a Brief Matcher that scores candidates across five dimensions (functional fit, industry, company calibre, leadership scale, cultural fit); and a Reporting Engine that produces client-designed dashboards in development and deployment-decision modes. The firm states the platform compresses research timelines from months to weeks while producing a transparent evidence trail, including rejected names alongside those presented.

Commercially, 1805 operates four service lines beyond executive search: Market & Organisation Insight (competitor reviews, growth culture, organisation development, pre-deal team evaluation); International Growth (new region/country team builds across UK, Australia, Singapore and the Middle East); and Leadership & Talent Advisory (organisation design, level shifting, assessment, mentoring). Geographic delivery is supported by associate partners in the UK, Australia, the USA and the Middle East, with a strategic UK/Australia partnership with Mason Wilhelm established in 2024.

Name

1805

Legal name

1805 Ltd

Website

https://1805.uk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

1805 is a London-based executive search and leadership advisory firm serving PE portfolio companies, FTSE 250, and challenger businesses at growth inflection points, using its proprietary Saigan AI platform to deliver retained, partner-led C-suite and board placements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Search & Leadership Advisory: Retained, fixed-fee model for executive search assignments, leadership assessment, and talent advisory services. Clients are long-term relationships that have continued to grow over 4+ years.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

1805 is an executive search and leadership advisory firm that helps boards, investors, and CEOs of PE portfolio companies, FTSE 250 businesses, and challenger/growth-stage firms recruit, assess, and develop senior leadership. Engagements are delivered on a retained, fixed-fee basis by senior partners and supported by Saigan, the firm's proprietary AI-augmented platform for talent mapping and executive assessment.

Product overview

1805 is a data-driven leadership advisory partner offering executive search and talent advisory services through four core service areas: Executive Search, Market & Organisation Insight, International Growth, and Leadership & Talent Advisory. These services are powered by the proprietary Saigan technology platform, which integrates a Cultivation Database, AI Workforce with 40+ specialized agents, a Brief Matcher scoring engine, and a Reporting Engine to compress traditional months-long research into weeks while maintaining evidence quality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search Retained executive search service delivered by senior partners to boards, investors, and CEOs of PE portfolio companies, FTSE 250 corporates, and challenger businesses. Focuses on senior leadership and board-level appointments across the UK, Europe, Middle East, USA, and Asia-Pacific.
• Market & Organisation Insight Advisory service providing market, sector, and organisational insight to inform leadership decisions, talent strategy, and organisational design for clients.
• International Growth Advisory service supporting clients expanding internationally, including cross-border executive search, market entry leadership, and regional talent strategy.
• Leadership & Talent Advisory Ongoing advisory service covering executive development, team effectiveness, board effectiveness, succession planning, and broader talent strategy for senior leadership cohorts.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mason WilhelmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Distinctive UK & Australian executive search and Board advisory capability partnership. Combines 1805's London-based operations with Mason Wilhelm's Australian presence for cross-border executive search services.
• 10x BankingcoreOthers · 1 January 20201805 has been the executive search partner to 10x Banking over 4 years, supporting their leadership build-out as they scaled operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• True Search: Executive search firm focused heavily on private equity-backed portfolio companies and growth-stage businesses. Closely comparable to 1805's PE portfolio and challenger business segment, with overlapping go-to-market around transformative growth and PE-led mandates.
• Stanton Chase: Global executive search firm with strong mid-market and PE portfolio company practice, plus offices across the same international geographies as 1805 (UK, Australia, Middle East, Asia). Direct competitor for the same PE-backed challenger business mandates.
• Signium: International executive search firm with offices across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, focused on board, CEO and senior leadership appointments. Comparable to 1805 in international coverage and senior leadership focus, with a partner-led boutique-style delivery model.
• Odgers Berndtson: UK-headquartered international executive search firm with strong board and CEO practices. Closest direct peer to 1805 in terms of UK base, partner-led model, board and senior officer focus, and FTSE/mid-market client segments.

Broad incumbents

• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm focused on board, CEO and functional officer appointments across financial services, technology and other sectors. Directly comparable client segments (PE portfolio, FTSE-equivalent boards) to 1805, but at incumbent scale.
• Spencer Stuart: One of the largest global executive search firms, serving boards, CEOs and investors across industries with deep sector practices. Closely comparable service offering to 1805 (board, CEO and functional officer appointments, leadership advisory), but at significantly larger scale.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a broad portfolio including executive search, leadership assessment and talent advisory. Comparable to 1805 in service mix, but with hundreds of consultants globally and far greater brand recognition among FTSE/Russell boards.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm known for CEO succession, board work and leadership assessment. Comparable to 1805 in targeting boards and senior officers, with an analogous partner-led model but a much larger international footprint.
• Korn Ferry: Global organizational consulting firm combining executive search with leadership development, talent assessment and RPO. Overlaps with 1805's leadership and talent advisory practice, and serves many of the same FTSE/Russell clients.

Emerging players

• Chalfront Group: Specialist executive search and leadership advisory firm focused on financial services and fintech leadership appointments. Comparable to 1805's fintech/banking client base (10x Banking, Allica Bank, Trussle) and similar partner-led boutique model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1805ltd

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 1805