Terms of Use

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the website at gladwininternational.com, The Apex Council executive portal, and all services provided by Gladwin International Leadership Advisors (“Gladwin International”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). By accessing or using our website or services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please discontinue use immediately.

1. Definitions

• “Website” refers to all web pages, applications, and digital content hosted at gladwininternational.com and its subdomains.
• “Portal” refers to The Apex Council, our executive self-serve platform available to registered users.
• “Services” refers to executive search, leadership advisory, talent intelligence, compensation benchmarking, succession planning, board transformation, interim leadership, and all other professional services offered by Gladwin International.
• “User” or “you” refers to any individual or entity accessing or using the Website, Portal, or Services.
• “Content” refers to all text, images, data, research, reports, analysis, tools, assessments, frameworks, and other materials available through the Website, Portal, or Services.

2. Eligibility and Account Registration

2.1 Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age and capable of entering into legally binding contracts to use our Website and Services. By using our Services, you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements.

2.2 Portal Accounts

Access to The Apex Council executive portal requires registration and approval. When you create an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your login credentials.
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account.
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, contain inaccurate information, or remain inactive for more than 12 months.

3. Permitted Use

You may use our Website and Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

• Use the Website or Services for any purpose that is unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful, or in connection with any unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful activity.
• Scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to extract data from our Website or Portal without our prior written consent.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Website, Portal, or Services, or to any systems or networks connected to our infrastructure.
• Reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, or exploit any Content without our express written permission.
• Use information obtained through our Services (including candidate profiles, compensation data, and talent intelligence) for purposes other than those agreed in your engagement with us.
• Misrepresent your identity, professional qualifications, or relationship with any person or entity.
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Website, Portal, or Services.

4. Intellectual Property

4.1 Ownership

All Content on the Website and Portal — including but not limited to research publications, leadership intelligence reports, assessment frameworks, proprietary methodologies, logos, brand elements, software code, user interface designs, and database compilations — is the exclusive property of Gladwin International Leadership Advisors or its licensors and is protected by Indian and international copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.

4.2 Limited Licence

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the Website and Services for your personal or internal business purposes, subject to these Terms. This licence does not include the right to:

• Resell, sublicence, or commercially exploit any Content.
• Download, copy, or store Content for redistribution (except for reasonable personal reference).
• Use our brand name, trademarks, or logos without prior written consent.

4.3 Research and Insights

Our blog posts, research publications, and leadership intelligence articles may be shared via direct link with proper attribution to “Gladwin International”. Reproduction of full articles, excerpts exceeding 200 words, or data tables requires prior written approval.

5. Executive Search and Advisory Services

5.1 Service Engagement

All executive search and advisory engagements are governed by separate engagement letters or master service agreements executed between Gladwin International and the client organisation. These Terms supplement but do not replace the terms of any such agreements. In the event of conflict, the terms of the signed engagement letter shall prevail.

5.2 Confidentiality

We treat all engagement-related information with the highest level of confidentiality. Candidate identities, client specifications, compensation discussions, and strategic context shared during engagements are protected by strict confidentiality protocols. Our team members are bound by individual confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements.

5.3 Off-Limits Policy

Gladwin International maintains a formal off-limits policy. Employees of active client organisations are not recruited for competing mandates during the engagement period and for a defined period thereafter, as specified in the engagement agreement.

5.4 No Guarantee of Outcome

While we apply rigorous methodology and professional diligence to every engagement, we do not guarantee specific outcomes such as the acceptance of an offer by a candidate, the long-term performance of a placed executive, or a specific timeline for search completion. Placement guarantees, where offered, are defined in the individual engagement letter.

6. The Apex Council Executive Portal

6.1 Portal Services

The Apex Council provides registered executives with access to self-assessment tools, career navigation modules, compensation benchmarking, the Whisper silent search agent, and other leadership development resources. Access to specific modules may be tiered based on registration level and eligibility.

6.2 Data You Submit

Information you submit through the Portal — including self-assessment responses, résumés, career preferences, and compensation data — is processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy. You retain ownership of the underlying factual information but grant us a non-exclusive licence to use this data to provide and improve our Services.

6.3 Accuracy of Portal Content

Portal tools (including assessments, benchmarking, and career pathway recommendations) are designed to provide directional intelligence based on proprietary data and analytical models. They do not constitute professional career advice, legal advice, or financial advice. You should exercise independent judgment and, where appropriate, seek professional counsel before making career or compensation decisions.

7. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE WEBSITE, PORTAL, AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR ACCURACY.

We do not warrant that:

• The Website or Portal will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
• Content will be accurate, complete, current, or reliable.
• Results obtained from the use of the Website, Portal, or Services will meet your expectations.

8. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, Gladwin International Leadership Advisors AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, OR GOODWILL, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE, PORTAL, OR SERVICES.

Our total aggregate liability for all claims arising from or related to these Terms or your use of the Website shall not exceed the fees paid by you (if any) to Gladwin International during the 12 months preceding the claim.

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Gladwin International Leadership Advisors and its directors, officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your use of the Website, Portal, or Services.
• Any content or information you submit through our platforms.
• Your infringement of any third-party rights.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, and services. These links are provided for convenience only. We do not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites. Access to linked sites is at your own risk.

11. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Website, Portal, or Services at any time, with or without cause and with or without notice, including but not limited to cases where we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms. Upon termination:

• Your right to access the Portal and any restricted Content ceases immediately.
• Provisions relating to intellectual property, limitation of liability, indemnification, and governing law shall survive termination.
• We may retain your data as described in our Privacy Policy and as required by law.

12. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this page. Your continued use of the Website or Services after the posting of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes. We will notify registered Portal users of material changes via email.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. Any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Website or Services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

14. Dispute Resolution

Before initiating any formal legal proceedings, the parties agree to attempt to resolve disputes through good-faith negotiation. If a dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation within 30 days, either party may refer the dispute to arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (as amended). The arbitration shall be conducted by a sole arbitrator appointed by mutual consent, with the seat of arbitration in Bengaluru, India. The language of arbitration shall be English.

15. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, or if modification is not possible, it shall be severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

16. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any applicable engagement letters, constitute the entire agreement between you and Gladwin International Leadership Advisors regarding your use of the Website, Portal, and Services, and supersede all prior or contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings.

17. Contact Information