What Pender & Howe does

Pender & Howe is a Toronto-headquartered boutique executive search firm serving enterprise clients, growth-stage companies, and government organizations across Canada and the United States. The firm specializes in C-suite, board director, and senior leadership recruitment, with additional practices in middle-management professional recruitment, interim and fractional executive staffing, benefits and pension plan advisory, and talent advisory services including succession planning, leadership assessment, and compensation benchmarking. Named clients span automotive (Yamaha, Honda Canada), life sciences and healthcare (Aifred Health, NuChem Sciences, Public Health Agency of Canada, Gandeeva Therapeutics), consumer goods (Nutiva), financial services (Canaccord Genuity, BDC), professional services (MNP), and technology/logistics (Lalamove). The firm operates as the exclusive Canadian and US member of Kestria, the world's largest executive search alliance, which provides access to 40+ countries and 90+ cities for cross-border mandates.

Pender & Howe's service portfolio is delivered through a tech-enabled, data-driven platform architecture. The core offering includes retained executive and board search, professional recruitment for director-level and middle-management roles, and a digital talent marketplace enabling 72-hour shortlisting of pre-approved interim and fractional executives (CFOs, COOs, CTOs, CMOs). The platform connects clients to a consultant-maintained internal candidate bench across North America. A dedicated benefits and pension plan advisory practice was added through the 2026 acquisition of Step Benefits Group. The firm maintains seven offices — Toronto (headquarters, LEED v4.1 Platinum certified), Montreal (Sun Life Building, triple Platinum certified), Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Boston, and New York — supporting partner-led field engagement across North America.

The business model is professional services-based with quote-based, retained-fee engagements for executive search and a lower-cost pay-as-you-go model for interim/fractional placements (approximately 3x lower than traditional retained search per case study evidence). Pricing for benefits and pension plans is custom and annual. Go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, with managing partners and partners engaging directly with boards, C-suite executives, and HR leaders. Demand generation is content- and referral-driven: a weekly newsletter, sector-specific insights publications, case studies, Forbes and analyst recognition (Forbes 2026, HR Manager Canada Top 10, Hunt Scanlon Top 250 US), and 80% repeat business from existing clients supplemented by Kestria alliance cross-referrals. The firm reports 100% executive search completion rate, 90% candidate retention at three years, and 45% promotability of placed executives.

Name

Pender & Howe

Website

https://penderhowe.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pender & Howe is a Toronto-based boutique executive search firm specializing in C-suite, board, and director-level recruitment across North America. As the exclusive Kestria alliance member in Canada and USA, it offers retained search, interim/fractional placements, and benefits advisory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices7 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 & Board Search Retained Search: Retained executive search engagements for C-suite, board directors, and senior leadership roles. Clients engage the firm for exclusive, confidential searches typically on a retained-fee basis. The firm applies the same methodology to director-level and middle management professional recruitment mandates.
2. Interim & Fractional Executive Staffing: Temporary and fractional executive placements — including interim CFOs, COOs, CTOs, and other C-suite leaders — delivered via the firm's tech-enabled talent platform with rapid shortlisting (72-hour SLA). Revenue is earned through placement fees, typically lower cost than traditional retained search.
3. Benefits & Pension Plan Advisory: Advisory and brokerage services for group benefits, pension plans, and executive individual insurance solutions through the Step Benefits Group partnership, helping organizations attract and retain talent with tailored benefit programs.
4. Talent Advisory & Succession Planning: Market mapping, leadership assessments, compensation benchmarking, and succession planning services bundled with executive search engagements to ensure long-term leadership effectiveness.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pender & Howe is a boutique executive search firm that delivers retained executive and board director searches, professional recruitment for middle management roles, and interim/fractional executive placements via a tech-enabled digital talent platform. The firm also provides benefits and pension plan advisory through its embedded Step Benefits Group partnership and complementary talent advisory services including succession planning, market mapping, and compensation benchmarking. Backed by the Kestria global alliance, it serves enterprise clients across Canada and the USA with cross-border search capability.

Product overview

Pender & Howe is a boutique executive search firm offering a unified portfolio of talent acquisition and advisory services. The core offering comprises Executive & Board Search (C-suite and director-level recruitment), Professional Recruitment for middle management roles, and Fractional & Interim Recruitment Services backed by a proprietary digital talent platform. The firm also provides Benefits & Pension Plans and Talent Advisory Services including assessment, succession planning, and market intelligence. The portfolio operates as a service-based offering rather than a software platform, with the digital talent platform enabling rapid placement of interim and fractional executives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive & Board Search Retained executive search services connecting organizations with C-suite executives and board directors through tailored, data-driven search solutions aligned to strategic goals. For publicly traded companies, PE portfolio companies, and large private enterprises.
• Professional Recruitment (Middle Management) Specialized search practice for positions below director level including department heads, management positions, and critical individual contributors who drive operations and strategy. Faster turnaround than executive search with similar quality standards.
• Fractional & Interim Recruitment On-demand talent solutions providing fractional executives (part-time CFOs, CTOs, CMOs) and interim executives (full-time short-term leaders) with immediate availability through an innovative digital talent platform. Approximately 3x lower cost than traditional retained search.
• Benefits & Pension Plans Tailored group benefits and pension solutions including executive benefits, individual insurance, and retention plans designed to attract and retain top talent. Delivered through the Step Benefits Group partnership led by Bruce Frick.
• Talent Advisory Services Strategic advisory services including executive leadership assessment, succession planning, market intelligence, compensation benchmarking, and career transition support. Typically bundled with executive search engagements.
• Digital Talent Platform Tech-enabled platform for rapid interim and fractional executive placement, enabling swift access to pre-approved temporary leaders who can contribute immediately. Supports a 72-hour shortlisting SLA across North America.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% executive search completion rate
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kestria (formerly IRC Global Executive Search Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993Pender & Howe is the exclusive member of Kestria — the world's largest executive search alliance — in Canada and the USA. Kestria was founded in 1993 as IRC Global Executive Search Partners. The alliance spans 40+ countries, 90+ cities, and 50+ nationalities with 52% female-led businesses. Pender & Howe participates in the Kestria Institute (global think tank), cross-border search collaboration, and shared best practices. The partnership enables borderless executive search and cross-referral of international mandates.
• Women In Bio — Greater Montreal (ECBG Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPender & Howe supports the Excellence in Canadian Board Governance (ECBG) program created by Women In Bio — Greater Montreal, in partnership with the McGill Executive Institute and Rotman School of Management. The program accelerates board diversity by providing women in C-suite, senior executive, and founder positions within Canada's Life Science and Biotechnology sectors with board leadership opportunities and governance training.
• Executive Women In Bio (EWIB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPender & Howe's commitment to ESG aligns with the mission of WIB-Greater Montreal and EWIB in promoting, empowering, and elevating diversity and inclusion in biopharma and life sciences. Pender & Howe supports programs that develop female leaders for board roles.
• Step Benefits GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBruce Frick serves as Partner, Step Benefits Group, embedded within Pender & Howe to deliver group benefits, pension plans, and executive individual insurance solutions to Pender & Howe clients. This partnership extends the firm's talent advisory services into the compensation and benefits domain, supporting talent attraction and retention mandates.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Korn Ferry: Largest pure-play global executive search and talent management firm with thousands of consultants worldwide. Directly comparable as the dominant incumbent in C-suite and board search, competing for the same enterprise clients with broader RPO and advisory services.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Premier executive search firm specializing in CEO, board, and C-suite placements with a strong global practice. Comparable boutique-style model with global reach and similar focus on transformative leadership mandates.
• Egon Zehnder: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm known for values-driven, boutique-style service and strong board/CEO practice. Comparable as a premium competitor with similar non-assignment-based business model.
• Diversified Search: U.S.-based executive search firm with diversified industry practice and a strong track record serving mid-market enterprise clients. Comparable boutique-style model with multi-industry sector coverage.
• The Caldwell Partners International: Canadian-headquartered executive search firm with North American operations. Directly comparable as a domestic boutique competitor serving similar enterprise and growth-stage clients in Canada and the U.S.
• IQ Partners: Canadian boutique executive search firm specializing in technology, digital, and professional services leadership. Comparable as a domestic boutique competitor with similar mid-market enterprise focus.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a comprehensive service portfolio spanning executive search, leadership assessment, and culture consulting. Comparable as a similarly positioned international competitor serving enterprise C-suite and board mandates.
• Odgers Berndtson: International executive search firm with significant Canadian operations and global coverage across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Comparable as a direct competitor for cross-border C-suite and board mandates in the same North American markets.
• Spencer Stuart: Premier global executive search firm focused on board, CEO, and senior leadership recruiting with a boutique-style partner-led model. Closely comparable in service scope, premium positioning, and high-touch methodology.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Half International: Global staffing and recruitment firm with broad portfolios in finance/accounting, technology, and administrative staffing, plus an executive search division. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping leadership recruiting capabilities, but as part of a wider staffing portfolio rather than a search specialty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Pender & Howe