Hiring shouldn’t be the hardest part of growth

We make finding game-changing leaders structured, strategic, and refreshingly low-stress.

FIND YOUR NEXT LEADER

Success Rate

100%

  • We don’t stop until the right leader is hired.

  • Trusted by founders, boards, and private equity.

  • Quality over quantity. Always.

  • Precision search with zero compromise.

Global Presence

24 Countries

  • Local and cross-border search capability.

  • Access to passive ‘A’ Player talent in key global markets.

  • Culturally aware, globally connected.

  • Supporting our clients’ international growth.

Hire Longevity

3+ Years

  • We place for impact, not just fit.

  • Proven track record of long-term performance.

  • Cultural alignment built into every shortlist.

  • Saves you time, money, and future turnover.

Average Time to Hire

2.5 Months

  • Faster than industry average without sacrificing quality.

  • Streamlined, data-led process from brief to offer.

  • Delivers momentum to your leadership team.

  • Speeds up access to the A Players who raise the bar.

What we do

Smarter growth starts with the right leadership

You want a leader who lifts performance, energises your team, and drives real, lasting results. We help you find them.

Whether it’s your first leadership hire or finding your next leadership layer, every step of our process is tailored to your business needs.

Outcome Driven

Focused on delivering measurable impact for your organization.

People First

Building teams that align with your culture and values.

Customised To You

Tailored approach for your unique business needs.

Find your next leader. Without playing hiring roulette.

Our average time to hire is 2.5 months. Our average longevity of hire is 3+ years.

When the stakes are high, our process gives you confidence, alignment, and leaders who stay the course.

Where are you on your hiring journey?

Hiring for your first leadership role

Hiring for your first leadership role

Switching from founder-led to leadership-led is personal. We’ll guide you through every step, from defining the role to finding someone who’ll lead like they built the business themselves.

START YOUR FIRST SEARCH

  • Strategic role design to clarify responsibilities, reporting lines, and long-term value

  • Market benchmarking so your role is competitive and compelling to ‘A’ Player talent

  • Deep cultural alignment to ensure they protect and enhance what you’ve built, not disrupt it

  • Structured onboarding support so onboarding feels confident, not chaotic

  • Guidance from day one to help you delegate without losing direction

Expanding your senior leadership team

Expanding your senior leadership team

As your business grows, gaps in delivery, operations, and alignment start to surface. We help you find leaders who bring clarity, structure, and momentum, so you can grow without losing what makes your team and business great.

BUILD YOUR LEADERSHIP BENCH

  • High-impact search designed to attract experienced and outstanding leaders

  • Structured, two-round interviews to assess performance and cultural fit

  • Deep alignment with your growth plans, values, and team dynamict

  • Smart execution that protects your momentum and delivers long-term value

  • Strategic 90-day onboarding support Strategic 90-day onboarding support

Attracting outstanding talent to large organisations

Attracting outstanding talent to large organisations

In crowded markets, reach isn’t enough. We bring deep market insight and a proven process to help your recruitment team hire with precision and peace of mind.

PARTNER WITH US

  • Deep market mapping to surface top-tier candidates beyond your existing network.

  • Data-backed benchmarking to ensure role positioning and compensation are competitive.

  • Confidential and global search options for sensitive or hard-to-fill roles.

  • Flexible partnership model that fits alongside your internal team.

  • Insightful reporting and communication that supports internal decision-making.

How we work

High-stakes hiring needs a high-touch partner

Our approach isn’t plug-and-play. Every search is tailored to your needs, driven by insight, designed for alignment, and delivered by a senior team from start to finish.

Real Search. Not Recycled Shortlists.

We start every search from scratch, mapping the global market to find standout leaders. Not just those who are available, but those who are exceptional.

Aligned on Culture. Selected for Impact.

A-player leadership isn’t just about skills and experience. We go further to find leaders who align with your values, inspire your people, and drive business performance

Our process is your advantage

Every candidate is proven through two rounds of in-depth technical and cultural interviews. So you only meet A-players who fit, lead, and deliver

Small, Agile, and Built Around You

You will work with the same senior team throughout - adaptable, hands-on, and invested in your success.

We had struggled to find candidates who fit both our cultural and technical needs. Cobalt brought clarity and structure to the process. They filtered out the noise and only introduced people who were the right fit. They were quick, responsive, professional, and an absolute pleasure to work with.

Gordon hewston

Gordon Hewston

COO at Tourism Holdings Ltd

Meet the proven process that delivers the right leader, first time

Our search process doesn’t rely on luck. Every step is intentional, consultative, and built to find transformative leaders that accelerate your business. Here’s how we do it:

01

Align on your Vision

We begin by getting close to your world, diving into the goals, values, and dynamics that make your business what it is. From technical must-haves to cultural chemistry, we define what success looks like before we search for it.

02

Design your Search Blueprint

With your vision in focus, we shape a tailored strategy, refining your messaging, crafting candidate-facing collateral, and designing a custom assessment approach that filters for performance and potential.

03

Find your ‘A’ Players

We don’t search in circles. We search the market. From passive talent to competitor mapping and cross-sector outreach, we explore every channel to surface high-impact leaders who might not be looking - but should be.

04

Evaluate for Impact and Fit

This is where the shortlist starts taking shape. Every candidate is assessed for both capability and culture. We use our customised screening process to ensure they align with your values, style, and vision for the future

05

Deliver your Power Shortlist

You won’t just get resumes. You’ll get context. Each recommendation includes in-depth insights, assessment results, and our perspective on why they’re the right fit, for the role, the culture, and your long-term goals.

06

Meet your ‘A’ Players

We handle the logistics so you can focus on the conversations that count. From interview prep to post-interview feedback, we keep the process smooth, efficient, and centred on what matters most.

07

Secure and Support your Hire

When it’s time to hire, we stay close. We guide you through offer, negotiation, and onboarding. Then stay connected well into the first 90 days and beyond to ensure your new leader lands strong and delivers early impact.

FIND YOUR NEXT LEADER

Testimonials

Looking for results worth shouting about?

Most clients find us through someone they trust. We’re referred because we care, we deliver, and we don’t treat leadership search like a transaction.

K Avatar

Aline Frantzen

CEO US Bus Operations, Keolis North America

Cobalt has been extremely effective at delivering diverse candidates, adding huge value to Keolis in North America and to our culture. Cobalt finds us unicorns!

Aline Frantzen

CEO US Bus Operations, Keolis North America

Helen and Cobalt Search came highly recommended by Keith Cunningham and exceeded expectations. She invested time to understand our business, led a disciplined, transparent process, and found true A-players. Her guidance saved us time, avoided mis-hires, and resulted in an outstanding VP of Operations who’s already having measurable impact.

Josh Nelson

Josh Nelson, CFP

Founder & CEO Keystone Financial Services

Cobalt Search… the name does not do it justice. It should be Cobalt Found. I could not give Helen and her team a higher recommendation. For years, my organization struggled with mediocrity and a toxic culture. In 90 days, we transformed with high-performing A-players who are competent, kind and hard-working. My numbers and culture have dramatically improved. Thank you, Cobalt!

Dr. Jon Marashi

Dr. Jon Marashi, DDS, APDC

Cosmetic Dentist

Cobalt enabled me to transform Kokua’s leadership team with no disruption. Their well-vetted candidates integrated quickly and delivered positive change. We hired 4 senior leaders in 4 months after a year of no success. Cobalt handles everything—screening, interviews, onboarding support—and consistently delivers A players. They’ve been a great partner and I’m delighted to recommend them.

James Mayer

James Mayer

COO, Kokua Education

I’m thrilled to recommend Cobalt Search. As first-time users of a recruitment firm, we were guided expertly through the process. The COO candidates presented were exceptional - skilled, aligned with our culture, and exceeded expectations. The Cobalt team were professional, responsive, and insightful throughout. They are the gold standard in recruitment.

Robert Wojciak

Robert Wojciak

CEO, KD Market

START YOUR SEARCH

From Critical Hire to Contract-Winning Impact

Client Case Study: Keolis Commuter Services (Boston’s largest commuter rail operator)

The Challenge

Keolis needed a CFO who could lead transformation, bring fresh thinking from outside the sector, and support a critical contract renegotiation. At speed, with total discretion.

Cobalt’s Approach

Cobalt led a targeted, cross-sector search. Weekly progress reports, structured pre-screening, and deep alignment with Keolis’ business needs ensured that every shortlisted candidate was qualified, aligned, and prepared.

The Outcome

The placed CFO helped drive a successful 4-year contract extension with Boston’s public transport agency, after the state had previously signalled it would not renew. He has since transformed the finance function and reinforced the team’s strategic contribution and been promoted to Group CFO.

“Cobalt presented several highly credible and suitable candidates, all of whom would have been a great fit with the role and our organization. It was a challenge to settle on our eventual appointee because of the exceptional quality of the field, but, once we had made our choice, Cobalt provided excellent support to both ourselves and the candidate through the appointment process. I’m very pleased with the outcome of this process.”

David Scorey

David Scorey

Chief Executive Officer Keolis North America

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP SEARCH

We don’t just promise outcomes – we protect them

Every leadership hire has lasting impact. That’s why your success is built into every stage of our partnership.

Our commitment to you:

LET'S TALK

Never on your own

We guide you through the process from first conversation to final decision.

Full Refund Guarantee

If we can’t deliver a shortlist of qualified candidates, you get your money back.

90-Day Free Replacement

If your hire doesn’t work out, we’ll refine the brief, restart the search, and see it through – at no extra cost.

No Hidden Costs

No extra fees, no unnecessary hand-offs, no friction.

Outstanding leadership starts with one great decision.

Ready to make the call that changes everything?

FIND YOUR NEXT LEADER