Qlm Search Limited

What Qlm Search Limited does

QLM Search Limited is a UK-headquartered executive search firm founded in 2022 by Seán Lydon and based in Milton Keynes. The firm operates exclusively across three industry verticals — food & beverage, packaging, and ingredients & flavours — providing executive search and broader talent solutions to a client base that ranges from startups and private-equity-backed businesses to large multinational corporations.

The firm's service offering comprises five interlocking lines: Personalized Search & Selection (its retained executive search core), Interim Management, Executive Assessment (incorporating Hogan psychometric tools), Talent Mapping & Succession Planning, and Board Expertise (Non-Executive Director and Chair placement). Engagements are delivered by a ~10-person partner-and-research team with deep prior operating experience inside major F&B enterprises, and placements have been completed across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific for clients including Tito's Handmade Vodka, Capri-Sun, Crown Holdings, McCormick, Ferrero, Associated British Foods (AB Mauri), MGP Ingredients, CHS Inc., and Tropicana Brands Group.

QLM Search earns revenue through professional services fees on retained executive search mandates and related talent solutions assignments; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market model is consultative, sales-led, and relationship-driven, supported by a website job-search portal, LinkedIn presence, content marketing via News & Insights, and published case studies. The firm is privately held, founder-controlled, with no disclosed parent company, institutional investor, or external funding.

Name

Qlm Search Limited

Legal name

QLM Search Limited

Website

https://qlmsearch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

QLM Search is a UK-based executive search firm founded in 2022 that places C-suite, VP, and board-level talent exclusively across the food & beverage, packaging, and ingredients & flavours sectors for corporate, private-equity-backed, and startup clients globally.

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

Consumer & Retail Leadership Search (BPACAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA), Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search (BPACAAAK), Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Talent recruitment
• Headhunting firm
• Leadership hiring
• Board advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milton Keynes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 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: QLM Search operates as an executive search partner providing talent solutions to organizations. As a retained executive search firm, they likely earn success fees or retainers for completed executive placements. The firm places candidates across senior leadership roles including C-suite, VP, Director, and other executive positions globally.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

QLM Search is an international executive search firm that recruits senior leadership talent — including C-suite, VP, Director, and Board-level candidates — exclusively for organizations in the food & beverage, packaging, and ingredients & flavours sectors. The firm delivers retained executive search mandates, interim management placements, psychometric assessment, talent mapping and succession planning, and board expertise services to clients ranging from start-ups and private-equity-backed businesses to large multinational corporations across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Product overview

QLM Search operates as a specialized executive search and talent solutions firm, not a technology product company. The company offers five interconnected service offerings: Personalized Search & Selection (core executive search), Interim Management (rapid executive placement), Executive Assessment (psychometric evaluation including Hogan assessments), Talent Mapping & Succession Planning, and Board Expertise services. All services are delivered exclusively across three industry verticals: food & beverage, packaging, and ingredients & flavours. The firm works with startups, private-equity-backed businesses, and larger corporations seeking senior leadership placements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personalized Search & Selection

Quantifiable outcome

• Speed to shortlist measured in weeks
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Northampton Saints FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQLM Search partnered with Northampton Saints Foundation as a Founder15 partner, supporting the foundation's mission to empower young people and create lasting impacts through community-driven initiatives. This corporate social responsibility partnership aligns with the firm's values around community engagement and youth development.
• Northampton Saints Rugby ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQLM Search sponsors three Northampton Saints players including Fin Smith, JJ van der Mescht, and Josh Kemeny. The sponsorship reflects support for the club and recognizes values of dedication and teamwork that rugby represents. The firm also sponsored half-time activation at Foundation Day events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Largest global executive search and organizational consulting firm with a dedicated Consumer/Retail practice covering food, beverage, and packaging. Represents incumbent competition for the largest retained mandates and preferred-vendor agreements.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm with a Consumer Markets practice serving branded food, beverage, and packaging clients. Incumbent that competes for Fortune 500 F&B mandates alongside QLM.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a substantial Consumer practice across food, beverage, and packaging. Represents incumbent competition, especially at board and CEO level within QLM's verticals.
• Spencer Stuart: Global executive search firm with a Consumer/Retail practice covering food, beverage, and related sectors. Serves as broader incumbent competition, particularly for board-level and CEO searches within QLM's verticals.

Direct peers

• Kincannon & Reed: Veteran executive search firm exclusively focused on the food, beverage, agriculture, and ingredients value chain. Direct head-to-head competitor to QLM Search in retained C-suite and functional leadership searches across the same F&B/ingredients verticals.
• Edison & Black: Boutique executive search firm specializing in consumer products, including food and beverage categories. Overlaps with QLM on senior leadership placements in branded food and CPG companies.
• Kinsley Partners: Boutique executive search firm focused on food, beverage, ingredients, flavors, and packaging — essentially the same three verticals QLM serves. Direct competitor for the same marquee branded-goods clients.
• Signer Group: Specialist executive search and leadership advisory focused on the consumer, food, and retail sectors. Comparable vertical specialization and senior-level placement focus to QLM Search.
• The Sheffield Group: Specialist executive search firm dedicated to the food and beverage industry, placing leaders in branded food, ingredients, and related CPG roles. Closely comparable in vertical-only positioning and senior-level mandate focus to QLM Search.
• McCool Search & Advisory: Specialist executive search firm serving the global food and beverage industry with a focus on senior commercial and operational leadership. Competes with QLM on retained mandates across F&B manufacturers and ingredient suppliers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qlm-search

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Qlm Search Limited