US executive search and retained recruitment specialists.
Mon-Fri 8am-7pm ETNationwide US · PE portfolio
US Executive Search · Retained · Confidential

Executive search, done discreetly.

Peak Recruiting Inc is a US executive search and retained recruitment firm. C-suite, VP and director-level placements across SaaS, fintech, healthtech, manufacturing, professional services and private equity portfolio companies. Retained search, confidential by default, with a shortlist of three to five candidates inside ninety days, every time.

  • Retained model, capped 3-month timeline
  • Confidential approaches, NDA on day one
  • Engagement letters written by partners
  • PE portfolio operating-team experience
90d
Shortlist commitmentA vetted shortlist of three to five candidates inside ninety days, contractually committed.
1:1
One partner per searchThe partner who wins the engagement runs the engagement, no associate-handoff games.
NDA
Day one confidentialEvery candidate signs an NDA at first conversation. Every client decides the disclosure window.
PE
Portfolio fluentRetained search across PE portfolio companies, with operating-partner-fluent reporting.
90d
Shortlist commitment
Retained
Search model
Confidential
By default
US
+ PE portfolio
Practice areas

Executive practices we retain on.

The C-suite, VP and director roles US boards and PE portfolio operating partners retain us on. Retained model, confidential by default, ninety-day shortlist commitment.

Chief Executive Officer

New-CEO searches for founder-led, PE-backed and public companies. Hands-on operator, scale-up CEO and turnaround CEO profiles.

Chief Financial Officer

CFO searches for Series B through public-company scale, PE-portfolio CFOs and turnaround CFOs.

Chief Revenue Officer

Sales-led growth CROs, founder-led-to-PE-portfolio transitions, $50M to $500M run-rate cohorts.

Chief Operating Officer

COO searches for scale-up, hyper-growth and turnaround contexts. Industrial, SaaS and services backgrounds.

Chief Technology Officer

CTOs for SaaS scale-ups, fintech, healthtech and software-enabled services. Build-vs-buy strategists.

Chief People Officer

CHRO and CPO searches for scale-up, PE portfolio and Series-A-to-IPO cohorts.

VP Engineering

Heads of engineering and VPs of engineering for Series B through public-company scale-up.

VP Product

VPs of product, heads of product and chief product officers across B2B SaaS, consumer and fintech.

VP Sales

VPs of sales, heads of new-business and heads of customer success for scale-up SaaS, fintech and services.

VP Marketing

VPs of marketing, demand-gen leaders and brand-marketing heads for B2B SaaS, healthtech and fintech.

Board Director

Independent directors, audit-committee chairs and PE-backed board appointments.

Other C-Suite

Chief medical officer, chief data officer, chief compliance officer, chief risk officer for regulated industries.

Why boards retain us

The retained search firm that does the work.

Most search firms run a contingent desk, sell on relationships and outsource the long-list to associates. We run a retained-only model, partner-staffed and contractually committed.

Retained model only

We do not run contingent search. Every engagement is retained, with a written engagement letter, agreed fee structure and a contractually committed timeline.

Confidential by default

Every candidate signs an NDA at first conversation. We never name a client until you give express permission. Approaches to candidates currently employed by competitors are coordinated with you upfront.

Partner runs the search

The partner who wins the engagement runs the engagement. No associate handoff after kickoff, no junior recruiter sourcing the shortlist while the partner moves to a new pitch.

Ninety-day commitment

A vetted shortlist of three to five candidates inside ninety days, contractually committed. If we miss, the engagement fee reduces on a published schedule.

PE portfolio fluent

We work directly with operating partners on PE portfolio searches. Operating-team-fluent reporting, written progress updates fortnightly, and clean compensation benchmarking.

Off-cycle replacement

Standard twelve-month replacement on every retained search. If the executive leaves or the placement does not stick, we re-run the search at no additional fee.

How an engagement runs

From kickoff to signed, properly run.

A clear three-step process built for the niche we serve, not generic recruitment.

01

Engagement and scope

A 90-minute working session with the hiring stakeholders. We capture the role, the business stage, the operating-cadence expectations, the comp band and equity scope, and the success metrics. Engagement letter and scope document follow.

02

Long-list, calibration, shortlist

We approach 40-80 long-list candidates over 4-6 weeks, calibrate the shortlist with the hiring stakeholders at 30 days, and present three to five shortlist candidates by day 90.

03

Final stages and offer

Reference and back-channel checks, final-stage interview management, offer structuring including base / bonus / equity / vesting / acceleration / change-of-control negotiation, and onboarding support through day 90.

Where we work

Coverage across the key markets.

Nationwide US · PE portfolio and the cities our clients hire from most often.

San Francisco Bay
New York City
Boston
Washington DC
Chicago
Los Angeles
Seattle
Austin
Dallas
Houston
Atlanta
Charlotte
Miami
Denver
Minneapolis
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Detroit
St. Louis
Nashville
Raleigh-Durham
Salt Lake City
PE portfolio nationwide
Remote-flexible
Common questions

Questions buyers ask before engaging.

Are you a contingent or retained recruiter?
Retained only. Every engagement is retained, with a written engagement letter, agreed fee structure and a contractually committed timeline.
How long does a typical search take?
Ninety days from engagement to shortlist of three to five candidates, contractually committed. Most placements close at 4-5 months end-to-end. Off-cycle replacement window is twelve months.
What levels do you place?
C-suite, VP and director level only. CEO, CFO, COO, CRO, CTO, CMO, CPO, CHRO plus VPs of engineering, product, sales, marketing, and independent board directors.
Which industries do you cover?
Software (SaaS, fintech, healthtech), professional services, manufacturing, regulated industries (insurance, financial services) and private equity portfolio companies across sectors.
How do you handle confidentiality?
NDA at first conversation with every candidate. Client identity withheld until you give express permission. Approaches to competitors are coordinated with you on the engagement call.
How do you charge?
Three-instalment retainer aligned to milestones: engagement / shortlist / placement. Standard total fee is a percentage of first-year cash compensation, with the percentage scaled to seniority.
What if a placement doesn’t stick?
Standard twelve-month off-cycle replacement on every retained search. If the executive leaves or the placement does not stick within the window, we re-run the search at no additional fee.
What information do you need to start a search?
A role description (or rough notes), the business stage and reporting line, the comp band and equity scope, the location and remote-flex expectations, and the success metrics for the first twelve months.

Need an executive search desk that delivers?

Tell us the role, the business stage and the timeline. We will reply within one business day with a scoped engagement letter and a clear three-instalment fee structure.

Engage a Search