For CEOs, boards, owners and CHROs
Questions before a senior mandate begins
Retained senior search works best when the mandate, decision authority and risk are clear before the market is approached.
This FAQ explains how we work, when it makes sense to engage us and what should be clarified before a search begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our model
Senior-led, end-to-end.
Retained search. Senior-partner led.
We work on retained CEO, Board and C-level mandates where the decision affects performance, continuity, ownership confidence or market credibility.
Q: What makes Menity different from traditional executive search firms?
We work exclusively on retained senior mandates. Each search is partner-led from the first conversation to the final decision.
There is no handover to a junior delivery team. No parallel volume search. No candidate list built for activity.
We focus on the decision the client needs to make — not only on names in the market.
Q: How is your approach different from success-fee recruitment?
We do not operate on a success-fee model.
Success-fee recruitment often rewards speed and volume. Our retained model is built for situations where decision quality, discretion and stakeholder alignment matter more than speed alone.
We take fewer mandates and stay accountable until the outcome is secured.
Before the market is approached
Search process
Most of the value is created before candidates are contacted.
Q: What does your executive search process look like?
Each mandate starts with context, not a job description.
Before we approach the market, we clarify:
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what the role must solve
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who needs to support the decision
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where the risk sits
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what kind of leader the business can absorb
Only then do we approach selected leaders discreetly.
Q: How many candidates do you usually present?
Shortlists are intentionally selective.
In most senior mandates, we present a small number of credible candidates who have been assessed against the real business context, not only the role profile.
The goal is not to show volume. The goal is to support a decision that can hold.
Q: When is retained search not the right solution?
Retained search may not be the right fit when:
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the role is mid-management or operational
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speed matters more than decision quality
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the mandate is not clearly defined
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decision authority is not aligned
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the organization is not ready for a senior hire
In such cases, another recruitment approach may be more suitable.
Confidentiality is not optional
Confidentiality
Many senior mandates involve succession, replacement, ownership change or sensitive leadership movement.
Confidentiality is built into how we work.
Q: How do you handle confidentiality?
We operate under NDA where needed and apply strict access controls.
Candidate profiles are shared only with client approval and on a need-to-know basis.
Candidate data is handled strictly and is not reused for unrelated mandates.
Confidentiality is non-negotiable.
Q: Do you share candidate profiles without discussion?
No.
We do not circulate candidate profiles without explicit discussion and consent.
Senior leaders are approached discreetly and directly.
This is part of how we protect both the client and the candidate.
Q: Do you work with the public sector?
Selectively.
We engage only where governance, decision authority and confidentiality requirements are clearly defined.
Our primary focus remains private, multinational, investor-backed and regulated environments where leadership decisions carry measurable consequences.
CEE at the core
Where we work
We are grounded in CEE, with selected cross-border mandates into DACH and the UK when the mandate requires it.
Q: What roles and leadership levels do you specialize in?
We focus on senior roles where judgement, credibility and execution matter most:
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CEO and general management
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Board and non-executive roles
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CFO, CHRO, CTO and other C-level appointments
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transformation-critical leadership roles
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manufacturing, operations, legal, risk and compliance leaders
We do not work across every level. Our focus is senior leadership.
Q: Where do you operate geographically?
Our core market is CEE.
We also support selected cross-border searches into DACH and the UK when ownership, market or leadership context requires it.
We do not sell global coverage. We work where the mandate requires real access.
Q: Do you work with listed, scale-up or PE-backed companies?
Yes, when the mandate is senior and the decision has business consequences.
We often work with multinational, investor-backed, regulated or fast-scaling companies where leadership appointments affect performance, ownership confidence or execution.
A senior conversation first
How collaboration typically starts
A first conversation does not need a finished brief. It needs a real situation worth clarifying.
Q: What is the first step if we want to work with you?
Every collaboration begins with a senior-level conversation.
We clarify the situation, decision authority, scope and expectations before any formal engagement.
If there is a clear case to proceed, we confirm the retained structure and start.
Q: What happens if a placed candidate does not work out?
Such cases are rare, but we plan for integration risk early.
We stay close during early integration to support alignment and reduce avoidable surprises.
If issues appear, we address them early and directly.
Q: Can we speak before the mandate is visible?
Yes.
Many senior mandates begin before the role is public or fully defined.
We can help clarify whether the market should be approached, what kind of leader is realistic and where the risk may sit.