Interim Executive Search Firms: Fees, Speed, Alternatives (2026)
Interim executive search firms maintain a bench of available executives and place them on margin, typically 25 to 40 percent above the executive's day rate. They are worth it for scale, compliance, and bench depth. They are worth skipping when you already know the operator you want.
What the firm actually provides
- A pre-qualified bench, so a shortlist arrives in days
- Reference and compliance checking done before you see the profile
- Contracting, invoicing, and insurance handled centrally
- A substitution guarantee if the placement fails early
- Cover across multiple countries and functions at once
What you pay for it
The margin sits on every invoiced day for the whole mandate. On a twelve month full time mandate at 1,800 euro per day, a 30 percent margin adds roughly 118,000 euro over the year. That is rational for a first-time buyer who needs certainty, and expensive for a board that already has the right name.
When to go direct
- You already know the executive or have a credible referral
- The mandate is single country and single role
- Speed matters more than process, and you can reference check yourself
- The budget is fixed and the margin would cut the days you can afford
How to run a direct engagement well
Write the same one page mandate a firm would write, take two references from people who reported to the executive, agree the rate and the notice in writing, and set a ninety day review. That reproduces most of what the margin buys.
https://niklaslindahl.com/guides/interim-executive-search-firms