CEO Search
The most important leadership appointment a board will make.
Appointing a Chief Executive is fundamentally different from hiring any other executive. We help boards identify, assess, and appoint leaders who can guide an organisation through its next phase with confidence.
What we do
CEO Search sits apart from traditional executive search in its stakes, complexity, and impact.
The Chief Executive shapes strategy, culture, performance, and stakeholder confidence, making their appointment one of the most consequential decisions a board will make. The right appointment can accelerate growth, strengthen organisational performance, and create long-term value. The wrong appointment can have far-reaching consequences.
We run board-led, highly confidential CEO search processes that identify and assess leadership talent across the full market. Our role is not simply to find capable candidates, but to help boards appoint the leader best equipped to deliver what the organisation needs next.
Working across New Zealand, Australia, and international markets where appropriate, we help boards make critical leadership appointments with confidence.
88%
Placement Rate
CEO’s placed into the
right organisations
Who we work with
We partner with boards and chairs appointing or replacing a CEO.
The need for a CEO search may arise from a planned retirement, an unexpected departure, a significant strategic shift, organisational growth, changing market conditions, or a recognition that different leadership is required for the next stage of the business.
Our clients include listed companies, private and family-owned businesses, Crown entities, and not-for-profit organisations.
While every situation is different, the common thread is the importance of the decision. CEO appointments require careful judgement, rigorous assessment, and often a high degree of confidentiality.
Our track-record in the New Zealand & Australian market is unrivalled.
Kerridge & Partners has appointed scores of CEO and executive positions in NZX50 companies, including some of the nation’s most iconic and cherished brands.
Our approach to CEO Search
A CEO search begins with the board, not the job description.
Understand and define
We work closely with the chair and directors to understand the organisation's strategy, operating environment, leadership challenges, and future ambitions. This allows us to define the capabilities, experience, and leadership qualities genuinely required for success in the role.
Market mapping here and across the globe
From there, we undertake a comprehensive market mapping process across New Zealand, Australia, and internationally where the brief warrants it. We identify and engage candidates discreetly, including individuals who are not actively seeking new opportunities.
Evaluate and assess
Our assessment process goes well beyond track record. We evaluate leadership capability, judgement, stakeholder management, values alignment, and the qualities most likely to determine success in the specific context of the organisation.
Board receives recommendations
The board receives a carefully considered shortlist supported by our independent assessment and recommendations. We remain actively involved through final interviews, appointment, offer negotiation, and transition into the role.
Common questions about CEO Search
How do you make sure you’re finding people who aren’t on the open market?
Most of the best candidates for any senior role aren’t actively looking. Our value is in knowing the market well enough to identify who the right people are, and having the relationships and credibility to engage them meaningfully. We approach every search as a targeted talent identification exercise, not a database search.
-
Confidentiality is built into how we run the process, not added afterwards. The most sensitive searches, including those where an incumbent is still in the role, are led by senior partners with tightly controlled information and discreet candidate engagement. We are experienced at running searches the market does not know are happening until the appointment is made.
-
Often, yes. A credible CEO search frequently includes internal candidates assessed against the same benchmark as the external market. This gives the board genuine confidence in its decision, whichever way it goes, and ensures internal candidates are treated fairly and rigorously. We are practised at managing the sensitivities this involves.
-
While many executive search principles apply, CEO search involves a different level of board engagement, stakeholder scrutiny, confidentiality, and organisational impact.
The appointment of a chief executive influences strategy, culture, investor confidence, and long-term performance. As a result, the process requires a more rigorous and board-led approach than most executive appointments.
Discuss your CEO Search
Appointing a chief executive is one of the most important decisions a board will make.
Whether you are planning a leadership transition, replacing an incumbent, or considering future leadership requirements, we welcome a confidential conversation
⬥ Discuss a CEO Search