Executive Search and Selection
The calibre of your next leader defines the next decade of your company.
Gladwin International runs retained, partner-led executive search for the roles that matter most — where a single hire changes strategy, culture, and performance. We map the full market, engage passive talent with discretion, and stand behind every placement with a twelve-month guarantee.
45–60
Typical days from kickoff to accepted offer
12 mo
Replacement guarantee on every placement
Retained
Exclusive mandate — full research depth
50K+
Executive relationships across sectors
Perspective
Why retained search — and why it still matters at the top
At C-suite and board level, recruitment is not a volume exercise. The best leaders are rarely active applicants; they are persuaded through trust, timing, and a credible narrative about your mandate. Retained search aligns incentives: we are engaged to find the right person for the role and the culture — not the fastest available CV.
Our consultants bring operating and sector experience, not just sourcing scripts. That depth shows up in how we test judgment under pressure, stakeholder management, and fit with your board — long before a shortlist reaches your calendar.
Method
How we run the mandate
Every search is bespoke, but the discipline is consistent: clarity on success, exhaustive market coverage, and evidence-backed recommendations.
- 1
Discovery & success profile
We align with the chair, CEO, and key stakeholders on outcomes, constraints, and the leadership DNA required. The position success profile becomes the scorecard for the rest of the process.
- 2
Market mapping & longlist build
We construct the relevant universe — incumbents, challengers, adjacent talent, and returnees — and prioritise where the highest-probability leaders sit, including those not visible on any database.
- 3
Approach, qualification & assessment
Discreet outreach, structured interviews, and our proprietary assessment lens separate exceptional operators from polished interviewers. References are triangulated with in-network intelligence where appropriate.
- 4
Client review & interview design
Shortlists are presented with evidence: track record, fit rationale, risk flags, and compensation expectations. We help design interview arcs and board conversations so decisions are comparative, not cosmetic.
- 5
Closure, onboarding & guarantee
We support reference design, offer structure, and start-date planning. After join, we stay close through the critical first months — backed by our twelve-month replacement commitment.
Scope
What you can expect from the engagement
- Written position success profile and search strategy
- Market map with sector and talent-pool commentary
- Curated longlist and evidence-based shortlist
- Interview guides and scorecards tailored to your panel
- Structured referencing and background verification coordination
- Offer benchmarking context and negotiation advisory
- Onboarding touchpoints through early tenure
Where this service delivers the most value
- CEO, CFO, CHRO, CTO, CMO, COO, CRO and other C-suite appointments
- Board-facing functional leaders and country / regional GMs
- Confidential replacements and succession-linked searches
- First-time functional heads where stakes and learning curves are high
- India and cross-border mandates requiring cultural translation
Our commitment
We do not optimise for speed at the expense of quality — but we run with urgency. Our twelve-month guarantee and guaranteed-placement philosophy mean the file stays open until the right leader is in seat, with partner attention throughout.
Related programmes
Other ways we support boards and leadership teams
Leadership Succession Planning
We help boards and CEOs turn succession from a periodic worry into a disciplined, evidence-led programme: clear criteria, honest readiness views, development pathways, and external benchmarks so you are never forced into a rushed search when a transition arrives.
Interim Leadership Deployment
Some situations demand an experienced operator in the building this quarter — not next year. Our interim practice supplies senior leaders who have done the job before: stabilise, fix, scale, or bridge while you run a proper permanent process or complete a transaction.
Board Transformation
We help nominating committees refresh board composition with rigour: skills matrices that match strategy, independence and governance requirements, and candidates who bring judgment — not just résumés. Our work spans listed entities, large private companies, and subsidiaries of global groups operating in India.