What Oxeon does

Oxeon is a privately held, healthcare-exclusive executive search and investment firm founded in 2011 by Trevor Price and headquartered in New York, with additional offices in Seattle and Nashville. The firm operates two interrelated business lines: Oxeon Search, a retained executive search practice placing C-suite, board, and senior leadership talent across healthcare companies at every stage from VC-backed startups to large institutions, and a Venture Studio / strategic investment arm that deploys early-stage capital into healthcare companies, often alongside executive placement. The firm reports placing 750+ executives over the last 5 years with a 91% one-year retention rate and a 92+ client NPS score, and cites 11 portfolio companies that achieved unicorn status and $110+ MM in cumulative investment returns distributed to employees without any outside capital. Oxeon also operates the Bridge program (evolved from the 2016 Break Into the Boardroom initiative, co-launched with Deerfield Management and WCAS), which has built an alumni network of 400+ female healthcare executives and filled 80+ board seats.

Oxeon's underlying technology is essentially a service-based delivery model rather than a proprietary platform; the firm describes its approach as "data-driven insights" and "keen pattern recognition" applied to executive matching, supported by a dedicated Knowledge Management function. There is no evidence of proprietary software products, AI/ML models, patents, or APIs — the firm's competitive differentiation rests on its network and human capital rather than technology infrastructure. Distribution is exclusively through direct, consultative enterprise engagement, with the firm conducting approximately 30,000 annual conversations with healthcare stakeholders and adding roughly 800 new leader relationships per month.

The firm makes money through two primary streams: (1) retained executive search fees for placing C-suite, board, and senior executives, with a 1-year placement guarantee and 78% of searches coming from repeat clients (client mix: 40% PE-backed, 30% VC-backed, 30% large institutions); and (2) early-stage equity investments in healthcare companies, with returns generated through portfolio company exits and value creation tied to executive placements — the firm reports 56.6x average valuation growth on engagements where it invests AND places 5+ executives. Sonia Millsom has served as CEO since 2022, with founder Trevor Price as Chairman. The firm holds Great Place to Work certification and currently employs approximately 71 people across its three offices.

Name

Oxeon

Legal name

Oxeon

Website

https://oxeon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oxeon is a privately held, healthcare-exclusive executive search and investment firm placing C-suite, board, and senior leaders across PE-backed, VC-backed, and large healthcare institutions, while making early-stage equity investments that have produced 11 unicorns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Executive Search & Investment

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare IT & Health Informatics Staffing (BPACADAK)

Keywords

• Healthcare executive search
• Retained executive recruitment
• Healthcare venture investing
• Board placement services
• Leadership advisory firm

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Executive Search Services: Retained executive search fees for placing C-suite, board, and senior executive talent in healthcare companies. The firm offers a 1-year guarantee on all placements.
2. Strategic Healthcare Investment: Early-stage equity investments in healthcare companies, with returns generated through portfolio company exits and value creation from executive placements. The firm has achieved 56.6x average growth in valuation when investing AND placing 5+ executives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oxeon is a healthcare-specialized executive search firm that places C-suite, board, and senior executive talent for healthcare companies across all stages, from VC-backed startups to large institutions. The firm also operates a strategic healthcare investment arm (the Venture Studio) that makes early-stage equity investments, often alongside its executive placements. Together, these form a search-and-investment flywheel that has produced 11 unicorn investments and 56.6x average valuation growth when the firm places 5 or more executives within a portfolio company.

Product overview

Oxeon is a healthcare-focused executive search and investment firm offering three interconnected service lines: Oxeon Search (executive recruitment for C-suite, board, and senior leadership roles), the Venture Studio (early-stage investment and company-building for healthcare transformation), and Bridge (board placement program for female executives, evolved from the Break Into the Boardroom initiative). The firm also publishes research through Oxeon Insights and produces the Leadership Rounds Podcast. Founded in 2011, Oxeon operates from offices in New York, Nashville, and Seattle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridge: An evolution of Break Into the Boardroom, representing a strategic catalyst for creating continuous pathways of influence, connection, and opportunity for female executives in healthcare governance.
• Break Into the Boardroom (BiB)

Products and services

• Oxeon Search Retained executive search service placing C-suite, board, and senior executive talent in healthcare companies at all stages, from VC-backed startups to large institutions. Includes a 1-year placement guarantee.
• Venture Studio Strategic healthcare investment arm that provides early-stage capital and company-building expertise to transform healthcare companies, managing direct investments and venture studio companies. Has produced 11 unicorn investments and 56.6x average valuation growth when investing alongside 5+ executive placements.
• Break Into the Boardroom (BiB) Program co-launched in 2016 with Deerfield Management and WCAS to promote greater representation of female healthcare executives and funders on boards. Has filled 80+ board seats with an alumni network of 400+ women.
• Bridge Board placement and development program building continuous pathways for female executives into healthcare board roles; evolved from the Break Into the Boardroom program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of placements remain after 1 year (over last 5 years)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bass, Berry & SimsminorOthers · 1 January 2016Law firm co-sponsor of Bridge program, providing legal guidance and support for the initiative promoting female board representation in healthcare.
• Break Into the Boardroom (BiB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Co-founded in 2016 by Oxeon with Deerfield Management and WCAS to promote greater representation of female healthcare executives and funders on boards. Has filled 80+ board seats with alumni network of 400+ women.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Russell Reynolds Associates: Russell Reynolds is a top-tier global executive search firm with a dedicated Healthcare practice serving payers, providers, and life sciences. While broader than Oxeon, it directly competes for healthcare C-suite and board mandates.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm with a large Executive Search practice and a dedicated Healthcare sector. It competes with Oxeon for healthcare executive searches and offers broader talent consulting services.
• Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart is one of the leading global executive search and board advisory firms, with a deep Healthcare practice. Like Oxeon, it emphasizes board-level placements and healthcare leadership, but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a Healthcare practice. It is comparable to Oxeon in the board-level and C-suite healthcare appointments space, though it serves a broader set of industries.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a publicly traded global executive search firm with a strong Healthcare & Life Sciences practice. It competes directly with Oxeon for healthcare executive placements and board mandates.

Direct peers

• JM Search: JM Search is a premier executive search firm dedicated to healthcare, life sciences, and consumer services. It is comparable to Oxeon given its healthcare specialization and similar emphasis on PE-backed and growth-stage clients.
• WittKieffer: WittKieffer is one of the largest healthcare-specialized executive search firms in the US, placing leaders across health systems, payers, providers, and life sciences. It is the most directly comparable peer to Oxeon given the healthcare-only focus and similar mid-market segment focus.
• Diversified Search Group: Diversified Search Group is a mid-sized executive search firm with a strong healthcare and life sciences practice. It is comparable to Oxeon given similar size, healthcare specialization, and PE-backed client base.

Others

• Schneider Downs Executive Search: Schneider Downs provides executive search services through its healthcare and private equity practices. It is comparable to Oxeon as a smaller, healthcare-focused search provider, though it operates as a division of a larger accounting firm.

Emerging players

• Wellington Partners Executive Search: Wellington Partners is a specialized executive search firm focused on healthcare, life sciences, and technology. It is comparable to Oxeon in healthcare vertical focus but typically serves a different segment of mid-market clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oxeon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Oxeon