BigWig Headhunters

What BigWig Headhunters does

BigWig Headhunters, operating as Big Wig Limited (Malta registration C 94049), is a boutique executive recruitment and headhunting firm headquartered in Birkirkara, Malta, founded in 2019 with a nine-person team. The company provides partner-led executive search services for C-suite, senior management, and product owner roles across five core verticals: Financial Services, Information Technology/Software, iGaming, Crypto & Web3, and Hospitality. Its value proposition centers on "educated instinct," culture and character fit assessment beyond skills and experience, and access to a comprehensive proprietary candidate database of passive talent not visible on the open job market.

The firm operates a success-fee business model, charging tiered placement fees of 12% to 20% of the candidate's first-year total estimated annual compensation (including bonus, commission, overtime, and incentives), billed upon offer acceptance with a 30-day replacement guarantee and a one-year fee clawback clause. Client engagements are conducted on a direct, partner-led basis targeting enterprise brands; the homepage references past or current engagements with Deutsche Bank, UBS, JP Morgan, and Credit Suisse as illustrations of the firm's blue-chip credentials. The company distributes thought-leadership content through its blog and maintains a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for top-of-funnel awareness.

BigWig also operates WigWam, an affiliated sub-brand under the BigWig Group, which serves non-executive candidates seeking career changes or progression, creating a two-tier product surface covering senior executive placements and mid-market career moves. The firm is GDPR compliant under EU and Maltese data protection laws, processes data solely for legitimate service delivery, and is privately held with no external funding disclosed. Geographic footprint spans Malta (HQ), UK, Switzerland, Germany, and the USA, with global delivery claimed despite the small team.

Name

BigWig Headhunters

Legal name

Big Wig Limited

Website

https://bigwig.mt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BigWig Headhunters is a Malta-based boutique executive search firm with nine staff, conducting partner-led C-suite and senior management placements on a success-fee basis (12-20% of first-year compensation) across Financial Services, IT, iGaming, Crypto/Web3, and Hospitality for global enterprise clients.

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)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Services Leadership Search (Banking/Insurance/PE/Asset Mgmt) (BPACAAAF), Technology & Product Leadership Search (CIO/CTO/CDO/CPO) (BPACAAAC), Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search (BPACAAAK)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Headhunting firm
• Senior leadership placement
• Executive recruitment
• Talent acquisition

Headquarters

HQ city

Birkirkara

HQ country

Malta

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Executive Search/Headhunting Fees: Success-based placement fees calculated as a percentage of total estimated first year annual compensation. Fee tiers range from 12% to 20% based on salary band. Fees billed when offer is made and accepted, due upon placement confirmation. 30-day replacement guarantee included.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BigWig Headhunters is a Malta-based executive search and headhunting firm that proactively identifies, assesses, and places senior-level candidates for enterprise clients across C-Suite, executive, and senior management roles. The firm operates a dedicated partner-led search process with a focus on cultural and character fit, and serves clients in Financial Services, IT, Software, iGaming, and Hospitality sectors.

Product overview

BigWig Headhunters is a Malta-based executive recruitment and headhunting agency with 50+ years of collective experience. The company offers a unified executive search service centered on executive search and headhunting, with sector-specific specializations in Financial Services, Information Technology, Software, iGaming, and Hospitality. Their approach emphasizes comprehensive research, cultural fit assessment, and personal candidate matching rather than CV forwarding. The company also operates a sub-brand called WigWam, which focuses on job seekers looking to change or progress their careers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search & Headhunting Services Core executive recruitment service involving proactive identification and placement of senior-level candidates for clients. The service includes comprehensive research, candidate assessment, and cultural fit matching, delivered through a dedicated BigWig partner throughout the engagement.
• Sector-Specific Recruitment Specialized recruitment services across five core sectors: Financial Services, Information Technology, Software, iGaming, and Hospitality, delivered with vertical-specific domain expertise.
• Level-Agnostic Executive Placement Recruitment services covering all organizational levels from C-Suite executives to Senior Managers and Product Owners, enabling clients to hire across the senior leadership band through a single engagement.
• WigWam (Sub-brand Career Placement) WigWam is a related brand within the BigWig Group specializing in connecting candidates seeking career changes or progression with new opportunities, complementing BigWig's executive search with non-executive placements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-day replacement guarantee if candidate doesn't start or resigns within guarantee period
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• WigWamcoreOthersWigWam is an affiliated brand within the BigWig Group specializing in finding candidates seeking career changes or advancement opportunities. Data may be shared between affiliated entities under the same privacy framework. WigWam is positioned as a complementary service for non-executive placements.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Heidrick & Struggles: One of the world's largest pure-play executive search firms serving C-suite and board-level mandates across financial services, technology, and other sectors. Directly comparable to BigWig on service model, fee structure, and target buyer (enterprise leadership).
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Boutique global executive search firm with deep Financial Services practice and strong presence in Europe, comparable to BigWig's FS-heavy client base and C-suite search focus.
• Spencer Stuart: Global boutique executive search firm focused on board, CEO, and senior leadership placements. Closely mirrors BigWig's senior-level focus and relationship-driven, partner-led delivery model across multiple industries.
• Boyden: Mid-sized global executive search firm with strong financial services and technology practices. Similar boutique positioning to BigWig with comparable partner-led engagement model and senior mandate focus.
• Egon Zehnder: Privately held global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Comparable to BigWig on senior executive mandates, partner-led delivery, and emphasis on culture and character fit beyond skills.

Broad incumbents

• Hays: Global recruitment specialist with strong Financial Services and Technology practices in EMEA. Comparable on vertical specialization but operates at much larger scale across permanent and contract staffing.
• PageGroup (Michael Page): Global recruitment group operating Michael Page and Page Executive brands. Page Executive directly overlaps with BigWig on senior appointments, while the broader group spans mid-market and permanent placement.
• Robert Half: Large global staffing and recruitment firm with executive search arm (Protiviti and Robert Half Executive Search). Comparable on the recruitment services axis but with broader portfolio including temporary staffing and consulting.
• Korn Ferry: Largest pure-play executive search and organizational consulting firm with proprietary talent intelligence platforms. Overlaps with BigWig on senior-level search but operates at vastly greater scale across adjacent services.
• Robert Walters: International recruitment firm specializing in professional and executive hiring across financial services, technology, and other sectors. Comparable target buyer profile and senior mandate focus to BigWig.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bigwig-headhunters

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 BigWig Headhunters