FAQ

1) Ready-made product + job specific interview: A unique e-platform underpinned by advanced data management metrics enables a long-list against any instruction to be identified at speed from the worldwide roster of 24,251 vetted applicants in 183 countries. Such fast and rigorous selection of candidates is only possible because each vetted executive has fully completed his/her iCEO application form, adding his/her insight papers and video business cases. These vetted executives are committed to pitch and be interviewed for a given C-level job offer in less than 48hrs.

2) Proven process - over 1000 successful fulfillments since 2001 – of matching by locally based senior operational executives (not consultants) who then provide the client with a short-list. All within 7-10 working days.

3) Selection techniques and processes used since 2001 by international interim providers (always working at speed) have been adopted and improved upon.

Step 1 - definition of the interim management assignment or the permanent executive position; definition of the required candidate profile; completion of the mandate.

Step 2 - identification and pre-selection of the suitable candidates; managers' interviews on a one to one basis run by CEO Worldwide; introduction of the 4-6 best matched profiles with CVs & pitches to the client.

Step 3 – candidates’ interviews, fully organized by CEO Worldwide, with candidates selected by the client from the executive search service of CEO Worldwide.

All these services are free of charge.

Permanent and interim: A fixed recruitment fee (not as a percentage of the salary) specific by region and unique for any salary. Paid only when the candidate is hired (no retainer).

Interim to permanent: If our candidate moves to a permanent position during the first 9 months of his/her interim assignment, a fixed fee will apply.

Permanent with investment: If our candidate invests financially in the company he/she joins, specific terms will apply.

View our fixed executive recruitment and interim management fees

First the candidate must demonstrate significant operational experience in the targeted country (should have lived there or managed business activities there for 5 years minimum).

Then CEO Worldwide local partners conduct a final interview to evaluate such cultural fit.

Finally, CEO Worldwide offers “Interim to Permanent” which gives the hiring company the flexibility to engage with the candidate on an interim basis (with a back to back contract of services managed by CEO Worldwide) before deciding to move onto, or not, a permanent appointment. In this way, the hiring company has the unique opportunity to evaluate the operational competences of the candidate as well as the cultural fit.

All companies from start-ups, SME, Private Equity and large multinationals that are looking for C-level executives and interim managers, mainly for cross border placements in a very fast, flexible and non-costly way. CEO Worldwide is the number one for international interim management or permanent executive placements, reducing cost for expanding or restructuring firms of any size and any sector. View also comments of recent clients (start-ups, SME, multinational and Private Equity firms) in client testimonials.

CEO Worldwide gives its clients access to:

1) A unique pool of C-level executives and interim managers with a current selection of 24,251 international executive profiles out of more than 145,506 applications evaluated since 2001.

2) The international recruitment and operational experience of its local partners, in order to:

• ...find the best executive: many candidates are not actively looking and applying for jobs, thus you would not reach them via a newspaper or online advert.
• ...save considerable time: the free worldwide executive search process, which guarantees you a first selection within a week, is very fast and efficient and most managers are available immediately or within 1-3 months.
• ...have an international coverage: one can find executives and interim managers for international and national recruitment needs in 180 countries. For each mandate, a single contact person coordinates the whole recruitment process in association with the best local partner looking after the targeted country.
• ...create recruitment as flexible as possible: one can hire temporary (interim manager with service contract) or recruit permanently or combine both with an interim management to permanent recruitment solution.
• ...keep cost under control and no retainer fees: our clients pay our fixed fees only if CEO Worldwide's search has been successful and if the client is recruiting one of our executive candidates either for a permanent position or for an interim assignment (see also our payment conditions in full transparency).

CEO Worldwide and all its vetted executives subscribe to the following values:

• Integrity, entrepreneurship and innovation
• Ethics and corporate governance
• International spirit and multi-cultural adaptability
• Commitment and readiness to take a risk
• Flexibility and versatility.

CEO Worldwide fully concentrates on high profile international executives and interim managers with a minimum of 10 to 15 years experience in an executive role who are presently in the yearly gross salary range between €100K and €500K covering:

• 183 countries
• 20 business functions (CEO, VP,...)
• 28 industries
• 84 languages
• 11 operational competences (M & A, turnaround,...)

On average, 30% of all executives and interim managers in the database are available immediately, 50% of the managers in the CEO database in 1 to 3 months and 20% in 3 to 6 months, because some iCEO are on interim management assignments at the moment and some are still working in a permanent executive position. CEO Worldwide asks its iCEO regularly to update the information held on them. For this purpose CEO Worldwide has installed iCEO Connect, where each iCEO can access their data sheet, including information on availability. Thus CEO Worldwide always holds updated information on availability of its vetted executives and interim managers.

Success fees are fees paid for a successful service delivery. In the case of CEO Worldwide this is the case when the selected executive or interim manager starts the job. See also fees associated to CEO Worldwide's executive search service.

An executive search mandate is the request of a client to start a free worldwide executive search for a suitable executive or interim manager for any given C-level position. At CEO Worldwide an executive search mandate carries no financial obligations because the search itself and the presentation of suitable candidates is free of charge.

CEO Worldwide defines together with the client the profile for the open position. The vast experience of CEO Worldwide's executive international placements guarantees that the profile will cover all necessary and useful criteria needed for an efficient search, to present the client with a first exclusive selection of suitable executive candidates for the vacant position within one week.

The matching process is step 2 within the executive search process where CEO Worldwide searches its own database for suitable executives and interim managers responding to the criteria of the profile (job or candidate profile) and selects the best candidates to present them to the client. The matching process is unique, fast and efficient, thanks to:

1. A blend of information gathered for each iCEO
2. A powerful matching tool developed by CEO Worldwide
3. The senior experience of our executive search experts in international headhunters.

Generally, CEO Worldwide bases its judgement on the individual assessment of a candidate and certifies executives and interim managers based on:

1. Facts presented through CV
2. Interviews with the candidate
3. References from the last board the candidate worked with.

This information is generally sufficient to establish a clear profile based on experience and personality. However, in accordance with the client's wishes, CEO Worldwide also carries out psychometric or graphology tests which can be interesting additional tools in certain situations.

C-level executives and interim managers with a minimum of 10 years experience in an executive or entrepreneur role that have a reputation for excellence in leadership, understand the venture community and have built fast growing organizations. All our vetted executives and interim managers speak fluent English and have the ability to analyze and model businesses in a very restricted time frame. Last, but not least, all our candidates adhere to our set of CEO Worldwide values. To date, our iCEO cover 12 specific executive functions which are CEO, COO/Managing Director, VP/Finance, VP/Business Development, VP/Sales & Marketing, VP/Technology-R&D, VP/Human Resources, General Secretary, General Counsel, Executive Consultant, Executive Investor.

CEO Worldwide provides its iCEO with international job opportunities at no cost and opens the door to an international community of executives and interim managers, where iCEO can publish their success stories and insight papers to a large international audience. At CEO Worldwide, we value the expertise and contributions that our iCEO share with us.

To become a vetted executive or interim manager and be part of CEO Worldwide's pool of executives is free. This free service includes certification through our team, regular updates and C-level job offers sent by email in full confidentiality, access to your own data via iCEO Connect and the free newsletter subscription. In addition, our iCEOs can make or upload their video (CV or business case) using our free video studio accessible via their dedicated iCEO Connect.

Executives and interim managers may apply online submitting their CV and letter of motivation. If the information gathered from these documents responds to our qualification criteria, we invite the candidate to fill in a specially developed application form to analyze the abilities and experience further. Before a candidate is presented to a client, CEO Worldwide holds interviews to ensure a perfect match with the client's needs. Lastly each candidate has to supply two references from their previous board to complete the screening process.

Yes. The data we collect in the application form is crucial to our efforts to match your profile to incoming assignments. If you do not indicate all the sectors and fields of your expertise in detail, you will reduce your chances to be found on the Executive Search Engine.

iCEO Connect is a member only access area, where vetted executives and interim managers of our manager pool can view and update all data CEO Worldwide holds on them in full confidentiality.

Patrick Mataix who graduated from the INSEAD with an MBA in 1996 with majors in Entrepreneurship and Finance. He co-launched VistaPrint in Paris that same year with Robert Keane, another INSEAD MBA alumnus. The INSEAD network gave them tremendous support to finance the Vistaprint venture at the initial phase with alumni and professors acting as business angels and later venture capitalists for the subsequent funding rounds up to the NASDAQ IPO (Ticker : CMPR). Their success is well documented like 2016 revenues on $1.8bn.

Launched in 2002, CEO Worldwide was founded to challenge the drawn-out and expensive process that businesses faced when recruiting international executives - committed to fixed recruitment fees that are payable on successful placement with flexible contract terms which includes contract, interim or permanent placement. The company works to suit each patron, by providing them with a selection of suitable candidates that are supplied to clients within ten days and a 100% success fee with a 12-month replacement guarantee.

Since its inception, CEO Worldwide has earned a reputation for its capability to partner candidates to urgent requirements, alongside the company’s cross-border placement expertise. In 2018, CEO Worldwide was mentioned in Forbes' list of the best 250 U.S executive recruitment firms. With over 20,000 certified executives on the company’s international iCEO database - including thousands of female leaders, the company has positioned itself as uniquely placed to source the most highly qualified candidates for executive positions. CEO Worldwide’s Investors on Demand service is also able to connect businesses with investments when it is most needed.

CEO Worldwide was founded out of frustration with the performance of a wide range of internationally recognized executive search consultants when scaling VistaPrint during its fast pace international organic and via acquisitions growth (Europe, USA, Asia). An established international headhunters value proposal was not satisfactory in terms of cross borders reactivity, employment contract flexibility, recruitment fees in terms of cost but also in terms of risk sharing.

In 2001 Patrick's INSEAD network, together with his Venture Capitalist network, gave him tremendous support to launch the CEO Worldwide venture at the initial phase. INSEAD alumni acted as its first pool of international top executives candidates on one side and the venture capitalists became the first clients while they were looking for C-level executives worldwide for their portfolio companies, either for a temporary assignment or for a permanent position.

First most, every executive search practice has a database. So, CEO Worldwide is no different except that it is ultra-selective as to who is accepted on to it. To date CEO Worldwide has selected 24,251 international executives amongst 145,506 applications.

Beyond that methodology regarding selection by local - in country - practitioners ensures that cultural and attitude matches are no less fully explored. All in partnership with the international clients.

With candidates often globally dispersed the 21st C video and UC technology allows the client - in partnership - to have greater input into the early stages of the short-listing process. With the power in the hands of the client, face to face is always a final stage 'must have'. Using technology to reduce time lines by being totally flexible, utterly transparent and client driven should be the aim of each and every search practice.

For all the reasons above most decidedly not. The fact that CEO Worldwide offers an enhanced transparent service by removing the mystique equates to an ethical approach. The results speak for themselves. It is above all a no-risk deal for the client. They get the best at a fraction of the cost and in a time-scale in tune with the fast moving digital world in which we all now operate.

iCEO stands for international CEO which is the CEO Worldwide trademark for all executives and interim managers that went through the vetting process successfully.

Management on Demand™ is our unique recruitment program for international interim management and permanent executive recruitment for the presentation of suitable candidates (3-4 weeks in average to interview, select and recruit the final candidate).

CEO Worldwide has a candidates pool of 24,251 vetted executives and interim managers worldwide. You can view our candidates coverage in the iCEO pool coverage.

International interim management is defined as the execution of an objective focused (interim) assignment by an independent manager within a limited time period. The interim manager usually works under a service contract, thus he has not the status of an employee. We cover interim management assignments with our flexible Management on Demand™ solution. The duration of these temporary missions varies from 6 to 9 months in average and 1 in 2 turn into permanent recruitment during or at the end of the interim management assignment.

Opposed to a professional network, CEO Worldwide is handling the full selection and matching process for its clients, which is very time consuming and needs a lot of expertise and professionalism. Our worldwide executive rectruiment service offers only vetted and screened executives and interim managers. The selection and matching of candidates is also free. At a professional network site, clients have to do the selection themselves, often with poor keyword efficiency and clients must pay to post a job offer even if they don't find a suitable candidate. The time and effort needed to search and select suitable candidates under the many CV's is huge and thus very costly to the client, while the success rates to find a candidate within an acceptable period of time are rather small.

CEO Worldwide is more than an interim management provider, because it offers international interim management and direct executive recruitment. Furthermore, contractual flexibility enables you to simply turn interim management assignments into permanent recruitment at any time. Most interim management firms offer neither direct and permanent recruitment nor the possibility to change from an interim management to a permanent C-level position. Also, only few interim management firms can respond to international and cross border needs. In contrast, CEO Worldwide created its value proposition and service structure specifically in view to respond efficiently to the cross border and international needs of its clients.

Whereas a traditional executive recruitment company starts looking for an executive profile after receiving a search mandate, we already hold a CEO Database with detailed information on over 24,251 executives and interim managers, in many industry and service sectors, and positions worldwide for a first selection. Interested candidates will submit their pitch for the open position, presenting how they can benefit the company in the vacant position. CEO Worldwide's partner is handling the final selection of the client after interviewing the candidate. All candidates have been screened in an initial vetting process prior to the executive search mandate. Consequently there are four main differentiators:

1. Timing: The actual search for the best suited executive only takes a few days: CEO Worldwide presents the best suited executives and interim managers for the position from its manager pool of vetted candidates. Selected candidates are available within a few days as opposed to the availability of "head hunted" executives who are bound to search and have resigning periods of 4-6-months. This puts our company at a distinctive competitive advantage compared to a traditional headhunter, who will take much longer to fill the same vacancy.
2. Flexibility: We offer international interim management as well. Clients can employ an interim manager for a specific task via a service contract but with the option to turn interim management assignments into permanent positions. The majority of headhunters do not offer international interim management.
3. Cost: We work on success fees only. The majority of the international executive search firms do not work on success fees but demand significant retainer fees before starting the search. With CEO Worldwide, there is not risk involved in testing the quality of its service as 100% of the fees are paid only if the candidate is recruited (no retainer). In addition to the recruitment fees paid only on success, CEO Worldwide applies a fixed recruitment fee (not as a percentage of the salary) specific by region and unique for any salary (see our financial conditions in full transparency).
4. International coverage: We offer our executive recruitment service worldwide, thus clients only need one senior and experienced contact person for all their recruitment needs in over 180 countries. Executive search firms generally focus on the national market and have difficulties dealing with international recruitment needs.