Executive Search
Leaders for your vision
Our clients
Executive search for SME
Our team has been successfully placing leadership positions in the digital economy for over 10 years. Thus, i-potentials has a broad network of entrepreneurial candidates who trust our judgment.
Furthermore, a structured research is a standard feature in each search process, so the entire relevant market is thoroughly screened by our analysts.
Search methodology according to our excellence model
For each search mandate, we use our proprietary profile definition method, which has proven itself in placing top candidates in the digital context and for which we were awarded the German Excellence Prize in 2020 by the German Institute for Service Quality and the DUB Entrepreneur Magazine, among others.
Transparency in our search mandates
Transparent communication is the key to success in our search projects. That’s why we arrange weekly jour fixes with our clients, in which we jointly evaluate the status of the search based on current data from our project.
Our search process
1 Consulting & briefing (week 1-2)
- Detailed briefing on site and definition of criteria along the i-potentials methodology
- Profile analysis in regard to corporate strategy, organizational structure and market situation
2 Search setup (week 2-3)
- Creation of the search strategy
- Definition of the project plan for the search and creation of all relevant documents by our project team
- Creation of the target company list and the position description
3 Market analysis (week 3-4)
- Identification of all relevant candidates via target group-specific channels (research via Boolean search, network and multipliers)
- Creation of the long and short list of relevant candidates
4 Contacting candidates (week 3-4)
- Direct approach of relevant candidates by i-potentials with a focus on conversion
5 Candidate assessment by i-potentials (week 4-8)
- Initial interviews by i-potentials
- Personal second interviews by i-potentials to check the professional, personal and cultural fit
- Presentation of all relevant candidates with detailed dossiers
6 Interviews for clients (week 5-10)
- You get to know your top candidates in the personal interview rounds.
- If required, participation and support of the interview process by i-potentials, incl. support of the process by tool kits, cases, etc.
7 Selection & contract negotiation (week 8-12)
- Reference checks
- Negotiation & communication support
Awards
- German business magazine “WirtschaftsWoche” 2020: Top-graded Executive Search Consultancy
- German Excellence Award 2020
- Headhunter of the Year 2018 & 2019
- HR Excellence Award 2018
- German Magazine “Focus” 2020: Top Service Provider Executive Search
Companies that
work with us
Case projects
Transformation process in family business: Hörmann
- Position: Chief Human Resources Officer
- Branche: Building Components | Manufacturing
- Phase: Transformation
"i-potentials has shown a great deal of sensitivity for the specific culture of a traditional family business and, with a view to our heterogeneous, complex structure, understood which personality we were looking for as Chief HR Manager for the cultural change and further transformation process. Despite the difficult environment, we succeeded in finding an excellent candidate for this crucial key position and crystallized the optimal combination of professional experience, emotional competence and convincing personality. The i-potentials team provided us with excellent support throughout the entire process, as well as very open, flexible and transparent guidance."
Dr. Michael RadkeChief Executive Officer, Hörmann
Co-CEO succession: KitchenStories
- Position: Chief Operating Officer
- Industry: Media | Apps
- Phase: Scaling
- Investor: B/S/H
"For our portfolio company KitchenStories, i-potentials took over the executive search for the successor of the co-management when Verena Hubertz left the company as founder. Right from the start, we were impressed by the strategic approach with which the search was set up and mapped out. In the quality of the process and the candidates presented, it has once again been shown that i-potentials are the experts in the market for entrepreneurial & digital C-level profiles."
Mario PieperChief Digital Officer, B/S/H
Scaling & Growth: sevDesk
- Positions: Chief Human Resources Officer & VP Product
- Industry: Fintech | SaaS
- Phase: Scaling
"i-potentials optimally supported us as a founding team in a strong scaling and growth phase and filled two of our absolute key C-level positions. The transparent communication and intensive consulting along the entire staffing process was characterized by entrepreneurial expertise and a deep understanding of our business model and our growth phase."
Fabian SilbererCo-CEO & Founder, sevDesk
Transformation in omnichannel retail: Mister Spex
- Positions: Chief Financial Office & Chief Human Resource Officer
- Industry: Omnichannel Retail
- Phase: Later-Stage-Growth
"i-potentials has been with us as a strategic recruitment and leadership mentor since we founded the company. They understand the phases we go through as a company and leadership team and are able to comprehend our strategic considerations in an entrepreneurial way. As a result, they can help us implement our next steps like no other executive search consultancy. The retail rollout, for example, required a C-level adjustment. Together with i-potentials, we were able to gain a strong CHRO and CFO."
Dirk GraberCo-CEO & Founder, Mister Spex
Building digital: Sonova
- Position: Managing Director Digital
- Industry: E-Health | MedTech
- Phase: Building a digital business model
"i-potentials provided us with absolute top candidates for our Managing Director Digital search and we are very happy about the result. Furthermore, the stringent process, the reliable communication as well as the interesting market insights convinced me completely. Gladly again!"
Andreas SchmidlechnerManaging Director, Sonova
Scaling: A-Z Gartenhaus
- Position: CEO (succession)
- Industry: E-Commerce | Platform
- Phase: Scaling the business
- Investors: 3iGroup, Project A
"In preparation for the further growth and scaling of AZ Gartenhaus GmbH, we were looking for a CEO as part of a succession process. For the search, we as investors chose i-potentials because they not only showed their digital DNA, but also the necessary methodical know-how to be able to fill this important position professionally, personally and culturally with a lasting match."
Andreas RainerManaging Director, A-Z Gartenhaus
Glossary
Industries
Company phases
Boards
Boards exercise a control function in companies in various degrees. There is a difference between highly regulated supervisory board positions and the somewhat more informal advisory boards, with which organizations can bring additional expertise in-house. Non-executive boards are common in the Anglo-Saxon world.
CEO succession
The appointment of a CEO for a new phase of the company is a critical moment for the future readiness of an organization. We advise both mid-sized companies and founders on the appropriate succession in their digital context.
Finance Leadership (CFO)
Chief financial officers play a particularly critical role in digital constructs with investor participation. They ensure that controlling and accounting function properly and, as sparring partners for investors, prepare the groundwork for financing rounds – all the way to a successful exit.
Marketing Leadership (CMO)
In a digital world, chief marketing officers are the architects of the customer experience and the masterminds in the maze of ever new marketing channels, both online and offline. They are responsible for the brand experience and always have an eye on the optimal customer journey.
Operations Leadership (COO)
Chief Operating Officers build the crucial processes and structures that enable a company to grow. The role is therefore particularly challenging in (hyper)growth phases. It is usually strongly linked to the topic of supply chain management.
Sales Leadership (CSO)
Chief Sales Officers are a crucial appointment to leverage revenue growth, especially in B2B business models. The timing of the appointment is particularly important here, as the role is usually held by the CEO himself during the initial growth phase.
Technology Leadership (CTO)
Chief Technology Officers play a key role in the digital age, as they are responsible for the entire information technology infrastructure and the continuous development of the tech stack in an organization.