People Connect Placements Pvt Ltd

What People Connect Placements Pvt Ltd does

People Connect Placements Pvt Ltd is a privately-held executive search firm headquartered in New Delhi, India, founded in 2003 by Sarjeev Sethi (IIFT, New Delhi). The firm provides partner-led recruitment solutions for senior and middle-management leadership roles, serving global multinationals with India operations and Indian conglomerates, listed companies, PE-backed scale-ups, family enterprises, and multilateral bodies across 40 industry sectors. Service delivery is organized around a fixed six-stage methodology (Brief & Immerse, Map the Market, Approach & Engage, Assess & Calibrate, Shortlist & Decide, Close & Onboard) executed by named partners rather than delegated to junior researchers.

The firm's revenue model is built on professional services fees across five streams: retained executive search (the primary stream, with exclusive mandates for CEO, C-suite, and direct-report roles); contingency search for volume and time-sensitive mandates; board-level searches for independent directors and committee leads; selection consulting (assessment and referencing against client shortlists); recruitment systems and processes design (org design, scorecards, interview rubrics); and panel interviewing for board-critical hires. Pricing is per-engagement and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is entirely partner-led enterprise field sales — there is no self-serve, marketplace, or channel model — with new mandates sourced through direct outreach, referrals, and thought-leadership content. Operational metrics disclosed on the company site include a median close time of 11 weeks for retained mandates, a target of 100% closure within 14 weeks, and an active Q3 2026 mandate ledger of 7 open engagements.

Underlying technology is minimal. The firm operates no proprietary software platform, no AI-driven matching tools, no APIs, and no data assets. Its core 'technology' is a codified human-judgment methodology and 23 years of accumulated partner relationships. The company has no disclosed funding, no institutional investors, no M&A activity, no subsidiaries, and no patents. Headcount is in the 11-50 band. The publicly named representative client roster includes Accenture, Microsoft, GE, Whirlpool, Rio Tinto, Mercer, Heinz, Yum! Restaurants, SAP, Britannia, United Breweries, SABMiller India, ITC Foods, Agro Tech Foods (Conagra), CA Technologies, and ITC Infotech, though the firm notes that most engagements remain confidential by mandate.

Name

People Connect Placements Pvt Ltd

Legal name

People Connect Consultants

Website

https://people-connect.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

People Connect Placements is an India-based executive search firm founded in 2003, providing partner-led retained search, contingency search, board mandates, and selection consulting for senior and middle-management leadership across 40 industry sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312)

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

• Executive search services
• Retained search firm
• Senior leadership recruiting
• Board level search
• Recruitment consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search: Partner-led, exclusive mandates for CEO, C-suite, and direct-report roles. Clients pay retained fees for dedicated partner attention and rigorous methodology. This is the primary revenue stream, with engagements accepted on a retained basis.
2. Contingency Search: Senior and middle-management placements on success-fee terms. The same methodology as retained search, scaled for volume mandates and time-sensitive roles. Fees are contingent upon successful placement.
3. Selection Consulting: Structured assessment, referencing, and recommendation against shortlist — independent of who sourced the candidate. Standalone consulting engagement.
4. Recruitment Systems & Processes: Design and stand-up of in-house talent functions including org design, scorecards, interview rubrics, and operating cadence. Professional services engagement.
5. Panel Interviewing: Founder and senior partners available to chair or sit on final-round panels for board-critical hires. Advisory service.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

People Connect Placements Pvt Ltd is a New Delhi-based executive search firm founded in 2003 that places senior and middle-management leadership, including CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, CTOs, COOs, managing directors, board members, and independent directors, for global multinationals and Indian enterprises across 40 industries. The firm runs a partner-led, six-stage methodology covering brief and immersion, market mapping, partner-led discreet outreach, structured assessment, shortlisting, and close-and-onboard with 100-day post-join check-ins.

Product overview

People Connect is a premier executive search firm established in 2003, offering a unified service portfolio of six core disciplines: Retained Executive Search, Contingency Search, Board Level Searches, Selection Consulting, Recruitment Systems & Processes, and Panel Interviewing. All engagements are partner-led, bespoke, and run to a fixed six-stage methodology cadence from brief through close and onboard.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retained Executive Search
• Contingency Search
• Board Level Searches
• Selection Consulting
• Recruitment Systems & Processes
• Panel Interviewing

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 weeks median close time for retained mandates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Michael Page India: Global recruitment firm with deep India operations across professional and senior roles. Comparable on the middle-to-senior management permanent placement side of People Connect's portfolio.
• Korn Ferry: Largest global executive search and talent consulting firm. Overlaps with People Connect on retained search but also offers broad talent management, RPO, and consulting services at far greater scale.
• Hays India: Global recruitment firm spanning mid-to-senior management and specialist hiring. Overlaps with People Connect on senior and middle-management placements but operates at much broader scale and across more levels.

Direct peers

• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm. Comparable to People Connect on partner-led, methodology-driven senior and board placements, with a global rather than India-centric footprint.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm placing C-suite and board-level executives across industries. Closest large-scale comparable to People Connect's CXO and board mandate work, though with global partner bench and resources.
• Spencer Stuart: Premier global executive search and board advisory firm. Directly comparable on CEO, board director, and senior leadership placements across sectors including consumer, industrial, and technology.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Global executive search firm focused on CEO, board, and senior leadership succession. Comparable on partner-led retained search methodology and cross-sector coverage.
• Stanton Chase: Global executive search firm with strong presence in emerging markets including India. Comparable on CXO, board, and senior leadership search across multiple industry verticals.

Regional players

• EMA Partners India: India-focused executive search and board advisory firm. Directly comparable as a regional Indian peer competing for the same CXO and independent director mandates.
• Amrop India: Global executive search partnership with strong India presence. Comparable on senior and board-level search mandates served to Indian and multinational clients in the country.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/people-connect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about People Connect Placements Pvt Ltd