Executive Search & Headhunting
The right hire.
First time.
Holbeck Executive partners with SME hiring managers and leadership teams to find, attract and secure senior talent — with the rigour of a global search firm and the responsiveness of a dedicated partner.
30+
Years in executive recruitment
C-suite
Through to senior management
SME
Specialists — faster decisions
20%
Transparent, fixed fee structure
Why Holbeck Executive
We've sat in your chair.
We know what the process actually costs.
Most agencies treat hiring managers as a source of job specs. We treat them as partners — because our founder has spent three decades on both sides of the table: placing talent into organisations and running executive recruitment from within them. That experience changes everything about how we work.
01
Built-in insider knowledge
Having led executive recruitment inside a major technology firm, Charlotte Williams understands exactly what procurement teams, HR gatekeepers, and hiring managers need — and what frustrates them. We cut through the friction that slows most searches down.
02
Employer brand advocacy
We don't just present candidates with your job description. We sell your organisation. We work with you to develop a compelling Employee Value Proposition that attracts senior talent who would otherwise never consider moving.
03
Communication you can count on
Silence from your recruiter is one of the most common complaints we hear. At Holbeck Executive, every stage has a clear update cadence — for you and your candidates. No chasing. No guesswork.
04
True headhunting — not just advertising
The best candidates aren't on job boards. We identify, approach, and engage the people who aren't looking — but who are exactly right for your role and your culture.
05
SME-focused agility
Working with SMEs means shorter decision chains, faster searches, and a relationship with the person actually doing the work — not a junior account manager handing off your brief.
06
Sectors spanning technology to professional services
Our network spans technology, professional services, financial services, manufacturing and beyond — with a growing focus on AI and emerging tech where the race for senior talent is most competitive.
Struggling to attract
the right senior talent?
The problem is rarely your package. It's usually your story. We help hiring managers articulate what makes their organisation genuinely worth joining — then we take that message directly to the people you need.
See our services
- We develop your Employee Value Proposition alongside the search
- We brief candidates properly — preparing them, not just processing them
- We handle the parts of the process hiring managers find most time-consuming
- We give you clear, honest feedback from the market — even when it's uncomfortable
- We represent your organisation with the same care you would
About Holbeck Executive
Thirty years of
hard-won experience.
Founded by Charlotte Williams — one of the most experienced executive recruiters in the UK, with a career spanning in-house leadership, global headhunting and building businesses from scratch.
Charlotte Williams
Founder & Managing Director
Charlotte Williams — Founder
Holbeck Executive was founded on a simple belief: that hiring managers deserve better than the standard agency experience. Charlotte Williams has spent thirty years working in and around executive recruitment — and has seen, first-hand, exactly where the process breaks down.
Her career has taken her from building global teams for a sailing enterprise, to leading executive recruitment for Europe and international projects at a major technology firm, to launching and running headhunting agencies. She understands what it means to grow a business and to be responsible for the quality of every hire within it.
That dual perspective — agency rigour combined with genuine in-house empathy — is what makes Holbeck Executive different. Charlotte has sat in the hiring manager's chair. She knows what it costs, in time and morale, when a senior hire goes wrong. And she has built her entire approach around making sure it doesn't.
Holbeck Executive operates as a trusted extension of your team — not a third party processing your requirement. For hiring managers, that means a partner who communicates clearly, represents your organisation with integrity, and delivers shortlists you can genuinely act on.
Holbeck Executive
is not a volume business.
We take a limited number of assignments at any one time. Every search receives the full attention of our founder — not a resourcer, not a junior consultant. If we accept your brief, we are committed to it.
- Shortlists built from genuine headhunting — not CV databases
- Candidates fully briefed on your organisation and the opportunity
- Direct, honest communication at every stage
- A recruiter who has worked inside organisations like yours
- A relationship designed to last beyond the first placement
Services
Search. Attract.
Appoint with confidence.
Every assignment is handled personally. Our services are built around what hiring managers actually need — not what looks impressive on an agency brochure.
What we offer
Senior and executive
search for SMEs
We work on roles up to £80,000 base salary across all sectors. Our fee is a straightforward 20% of base salary — no hidden charges, no ambiguity. We work on retained and contingency arrangements depending on the assignment.
Core service
Executive Search & Headhunting
The cornerstone of everything we do. We identify, approach and engage senior candidates who are not actively in the market — the people who won't respond to a job advert but who are exactly right for your role.
- Full brief-taking and market mapping
- Proactive direct approach to target candidates
- Thorough competency-based assessment
- Fully prepared, quality shortlist — typically 4–6 candidates
- Interview coordination and candidate management
- Offer management and onboarding support
Added value
Employee Value Proposition Development
The strongest candidate in your market is probably not looking. To attract them, your organisation needs a compelling, credible story. We work with you to build one — and we use it throughout the search.
- EVP audit — what you currently offer vs what talent wants
- Messaging development for senior candidate audiences
- Interview and offer stage positioning support
- Guidance on selling your organisation authentically
Procurement-ready
Retained Search
For business-critical or confidential appointments where you need guaranteed commitment and a structured, time-bound process. Staged fee payments. Dedicated capacity. Full exclusivity.
- Structured three-stage fee arrangement
- Dedicated to your assignment throughout
- Full market research and competitor mapping
- Progress reporting at agreed milestones
Flexible
Contingency Search
For organisations who prefer to work on a no-placement, no-fee basis. We apply the same headhunting methodology — proactive, not passive. Fee payable on successful appointment only.
- No upfront commitment required
- Full headhunting approach — not job board advertising
- Suitable for roles where timescales are more flexible
- 20% of base salary on placement
Emerging focus
AI & Technology Talent
One of the fastest-growing and most competitive talent markets. We are building dedicated capability in AI leadership and senior technology appointments, where the demand for exceptional people far outstrips supply.
- AI leadership: CPO, CTO, Head of AI and equivalents
- Senior data, engineering and product appointments
- Access to a growing network of AI-native executives
All fees are exclusive of VAT. A detailed terms of business document is provided prior to commencing any assignment.
How it works
A process built around
your time, not ours.
We handle the complexity so you don't have to. Here is exactly what happens from first conversation to successful appointment.
The search process
Six stages.
No surprises.
01
Initial conversation
We start with a no-obligation call to understand your requirement, your organisation, and what success looks like. We'll tell you honestly whether we are the right partner for this search — and if we are, we move quickly.
02
Brief and mandate
We meet — in person where possible — to take a full brief. This covers the role, the culture, the team, the challenges, and critically, what makes your organisation worth joining. This is where we build your EVP.
03
Market mapping
We identify the target universe of candidates — people currently in equivalent roles who have the experience, values and ambition to succeed in yours. We approach them directly and confidentially.
04
Assessment and shortlist
We conduct thorough interviews and assessment. Only candidates who genuinely meet your brief are presented — with detailed written profiles that give you real insight, not a formatted CV.
05
Interview and selection
We coordinate the interview process, brief both parties at every stage, gather feedback, and manage expectations on both sides. The aim is a smooth process that reflects well on your organisation.
06
Offer and close
We manage the offer and resignation process — the stage where most placements unravel. Our experience means we anticipate the complications before they become problems.
What makes us different
You will always know
exactly where things stand.
The most consistent complaint hiring managers make about recruiters is the silence. You submit a brief and hear nothing for two weeks, then receive a batch of CVs with no context. That is not how we work.
We agree a communication schedule at the outset and we keep to it. You will hear from us weekly at minimum — whether there is news or not. And your candidates will be kept equally informed, because how you treat people during the process is part of your employer brand.
"Having worked inside organisations as Director of Executive Recruitment, I know precisely what frustrates hiring managers. I built Holbeck Executive to solve those frustrations."
Charlotte Williams — Founder
Begin a conversation ↗
Contact
Tell us about
your requirement.
Every engagement begins with a conversation. No forms, no automated responses — Charlotte will respond personally within one working day.
Insights
Straight talk on
executive hiring.
Practical insight from thirty years inside recruitment — for hiring managers, senior candidates, and anyone navigating the executive talent market.
Coming soon
Charlotte will be sharing regular insight on executive hiring, employer branding, and what it really takes to attract senior talent in a competitive market. Check back soon — or get in touch directly if you have a question you'd like her to address.
Get in touch
Legal
Privacy Policy
How Holbeck Executive Ltd collects, uses and protects your personal data.
Last updated: June 2026
1. Who we are
Holbeck Executive Ltd is an executive search and recruitment business registered in England and Wales. Company number: 17226456. Registered office: 128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX. We are the data controller for the personal data we collect through this website and in the course of our recruitment services. You can contact us at enquiries@holbeckexecutive.com.
2. What personal data we collect
We may collect the following categories of personal data:
- Identity data — your name, job title and the organisation you represent
- Contact data — email address and telephone number
- Professional data — career history, skills, qualifications and remuneration details, where you provide these to us as a candidate
- Communications data — records of correspondence between us
- Technical data — IP address and browser information collected automatically when you visit this website
3. How we collect your data
We collect personal data directly from you when you complete our contact form, email us, telephone us, or connect with us via LinkedIn. We may also receive your details from third parties such as LinkedIn or referrals from mutual contacts, in the course of our executive search work.
4. Why we use your data and our legal basis
We process your personal data for the following purposes:
- To respond to your enquiry and provide our recruitment services — legitimate interests / performance of a contract
- To introduce you as a candidate to potential employers, or to present candidates to you as a hiring manager — legitimate interests / performance of a contract
- To maintain records of our business relationships — legitimate interests
- To comply with our legal obligations — legal obligation
5. How long we keep your data
We retain personal data for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this policy. For active candidates and clients, we review data every two years and will contact you to confirm you are happy for us to retain it. Where a placement has been made, we retain relevant records for six years in line with standard contractual limitation periods. You may request deletion of your data at any time — see section 7 below.
6. Who we share your data with
We do not sell your personal data. We will only share your data with third parties in the following circumstances: with potential employers, where you have given your express consent as a candidate; with our IT and service providers who process data on our behalf under a data processing agreement; or where required to do so by law. We do not transfer your data outside the UK or European Economic Area.
7. Your rights
Under UK GDPR you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request erasure of your data
- Object to or restrict our processing of your data
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at enquiries@holbeckexecutive.com. We will respond within one calendar month.
8. Cookies
This website uses only essential technical cookies necessary for it to function. We do not use advertising, tracking or analytics cookies. No cookie consent banner is therefore required at this time. Should this change, we will update this policy and add a consent mechanism accordingly.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version will always be available on this page with the date it was last updated.