Best executive search firms in Italy.
Top global firms and Italian boutiques for CEO, Dirigenti and board searches. With guidance on who fits which company, and where a direct interim engagement makes more sense.
Direct answer
For large-cap and PE-backed CEO searches in Italy, Spencer Stuart, Egon Zehnder, Korn Ferry, Heidrick & Struggles and Russell Reynolds dominate. For mid-market and family business, Amrop Italia, Eric Salmon & Partners and Praxi are strong. Judge on the individual partner running your search, not the brand on the door. Big firms do not guarantee big firm attention.
Firms
Firms that matter in Italy.
Spencer Stuart
Global top-tier. Milan office. Strong on board and CEO searches for large cap and PE. Expensive.
Egon Zehnder
Global. Milan and Rome. Deep in industrial, luxury and financial services. Consensus-driven process.
Korn Ferry
Global, broad. Milan office. Strong on assessment and leadership consulting alongside search.
Heidrick & Struggles
Global. Milan. Strong on financial services, technology and CEO succession.
Russell Reynolds
Global. Milan. Board and C-suite focus, sector-led practice.
Amrop Italia
Global network, local Italian firm. Milan. Mid-market and family-business friendly.
Eric Salmon & Partners
European boutique headquartered in Milan. Strong on family businesses and consumer.
Praxi
Italian firm. Turin and Milan. Broad C-suite and Dirigenti coverage across Italian mid-market.
Non-exhaustive. Ordered by scale, not preference. No commercial relationship with any firm listed.
FAQ
Choosing a firm. Common questions.
Which is the best executive search firm in Italy?
There is no single best. Spencer Stuart, Egon Zehnder, Korn Ferry, Heidrick & Struggles and Russell Reynolds cover most top-tier CEO and board work in Italy. For mid-market and family businesses, Amrop Italia, Eric Salmon & Partners and Praxi are strong local choices. Match the firm to your revenue scale, sector and reporting line. Big firm names do not guarantee big firm attention.
How do I choose between two executive search firms?
Judge on the individual partner, not the brand. Ask who runs your search personally (not associates), how many active mandates they have in your sector this quarter, and for three off-list references from placements 12-18 months old. If the partner cannot name three people they placed at your level in your industry, keep looking.
Do executive search firms charge more in Milan than elsewhere in Italy?
Fees are structured as a percentage of the hire's first-year compensation, so a Milan-based hire mechanically costs more in fees than a Naples-based hire at equivalent seniority. Milan is where most large-cap and PE-backed searches happen, so the market rate settles there.
Related: executive search in Milan, head hunter cost, and alternatives to head hunters. Back to Hire Interim CEO.
Next step
A search takes months. The seat is empty now.
If the calendar cannot wait for a retained search, an interim CEO fills the seat while the search runs. Two-week start.