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Unlock what’s possible with executive leadership that transforms your organization.
Cowen Partners Executive Search is a top 100 retained executive search firm advising boards, CEOs, and investors on C-suite and senior leadership recruitment for mid-market to large-cap organizations.
Ranked among the nation’s best by Forbes, Business Insider, and Hunt Scanlon, we don’t compromise on speed, quality, or results.
Instead, our experienced executive recruiters deliver:
Senior partner-led searches.
Total market access to proven executives.
Qualified candidate slates in 21 days.
Our functional expertise spans key leadership roles across operations, finance, technology, human resources, and beyond, ensuring every search is aligned with the strategic demands of your organization.
With more than 500 executive placements nationwide and a 99% retention rate, we’ve earned the trust of boards and CEOs who refuse to settle for anything less than proven transformational leadership.
When you partner with Cowen Partners Executive Search, you’re not just hiring a search firm. You’re gaining advisors who are forever invested in your organization’s success.
Executive Search Across the C-Suite
The right executive doesn’t just fill a role. They unlock possibilities you haven’t yet imagined: new markets, operational breakthroughs, revenue streams, and competitive advantages that compound over time.
We find these leaders. Not through job postings and database searches, but through senior partner-led engagements, rigorous evaluation, and total market access to executives creating exceptional results right now.
Our executive search service spans the complete C-suite, including (but not limited to) the following C-suite roles.
Board Director & Board Chair Search
Board composition is your most leveraged decision. The right directors bring governance expertise, strategic counsel, pattern recognition from adjacent industries, and networks that elevate strategic opportunities for your organization.
Board succession planning determines whether that quality persists. Transitions managed reactively create risky gaps in expertise and institutional knowledge. Planned succession ensures continuity, refreshes strategic perspective, and positions your board to address challenges before they arrive.
Our board recruitment and succession planning practice serves organizations and directors who operate at this level. We don’t place “available board members.” We identify directors whose judgment, networks, and expertise match your specific governance needs and strategic inflection points.
Board Chairs
Board Chair Search
We recruit board chairs who manage director dynamics effectively, partner with CEOs on complex decisions, and lead boards that drive strategic value.
Board Directors
Board Director Search
We identify board directors with relevant expertise, true independence, and the judgment to shape organizational trajectory through the quality of their contributions.
Executive Directors
Executive Director Search
We place executive directors for non-profits and mission-driven organizations who balance stakeholder accountability with operational leadership.
Foundation Leaders
Foundation Leadership Search
We recruit CEOs, presidents, and executive directors who navigate the distinct governance, legacy, and philanthropic priorities of family offices and family foundations while advancing lasting mission impact.
Executive Officer Recruitment
Our senior executive recruiters personally lead every executive search to find, recruit, and place top operational leaders, with a first candidate slate in 21 days, through rigorous due diligence and direct engagement with proven talent.
Chief Executive Officer
CEO Search
The CEO defines your organization’s trajectory. Our CEO recruiters deliver exceptional candidates matched to your culture and strategic objectives, curated from the top 1% of transformational leaders.
Chief Operating Officer
COO Executive Search
Whether you need a Chief Operating Officer or a Director of Operations, our COO recruiters connect you with operational leaders who drive scalable growth and efficiency from day one.
Presidents
Presidents
Our proven recruitment process identifies Presidents who align with your organizational values and possess the leadership capability to execute your strategic vision.
Financial Officer Search
The core of business health, financial leadership drives strategy, mitigates risk, and unlocks growth opportunities. Our senior finance executive recruiters identify CFOs, tax leaders, and accounting executives who possess the skills and sophistication your organization requires.
Chief Financial Officer
CFO Executive Search
We complete more CFO searches in a month than most firms do in a year because our process works. If you need strong financial leadership, you need the top CFO search firm in the nation.
Investor Relations
Investor Relations Executive Search
Our investor relations executive recruiters identify proven leaders who strengthen market credibility, shape compelling investment narratives, and build confidence among shareholders, analysts, and boards.
Tax
Tax Recruitment
Hire your next Head of Tax with confidence, knowing they bring industry-specific experience and world-class tax expertise. We consistently place tax executives with Big 4 expertise.
Accounting
Accounting Executive Search
We specialize in finding highly qualified Corporate Controllers and Chief Accounting Officers with strong technical expertise and business acumen.
Marketing, Sales & Strategy Officer Placement
Revenue growth requires strategic leadership that understands markets, builds brands, and drives a predictable pipeline. We place CMOs, CROs, CPOs, and sales leaders who deliver measurable results.
Chief Marketing Officer
CMO Executive Search
We excel at placing world-class Chief Marketing Officers who drive growth, build brands, and deliver ROI across all industries.
Chief Product Officer
CPO Recruitment
Chief Product Officers maximize product value and team performance. We identify CPOs who turn vision into market-leading solutions.
Chief Revenue Officer
CRO Executive Recruitment
Our CRO placements deliver revenue leaders who architect growth engines, align sales and marketing, and consistently exceed targets.
Information & Technology Officer Recruitment
Technology leadership determines who wins. Cloud infrastructure, data architecture, and automation capabilities separate organizations that scale efficiently from those burning resources to catch up.
The right CTO, CIO, or CISO architects competitive advantage through tech, identifying emerging opportunities before competitors do, and aligning technology investments with business strategy in ways that multiply value.
We place technology executives who operate at this level. Leaders who understand technical architecture deeply enough to make sound decisions and business strategy clearly enough to justify them.
Chief Technology Officer
CTO Executive Search
We’ve placed highly sought-after CTOs across industries, including SaaS, healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing.
Chief Information Officer
CIO Executive Recruiters
Our technology executive recruitment team connects you with CIOs and CISOs who align technology investments with business objectives.
Information Security Officer
Information Security Officer
Stay ahead of cyber threats and data security challenges with information security officers who build resilient security programs.
People & HR Officer Search
People strategy drives organizational capability. We place CHROs and Chief People Officers who build cultures where talent thrives, attract executives competitors can’t reach, and turn human capital into competitive advantage.
Chief People Officer
CDO Recruitment
Chief People Officers architect talent strategies that enable growth. We identify CPOs who understand that exceptional companies are built on exceptional people strategies.
Chief Human Resource Officer
CHRO Executive Search
CHROs are one of our core specialties. We match exceptional people leaders with organizations ready to invest in strategic human capital management.
Chief Administration Officer
CAO Recruiters
We place proven Chief Administrative Officers who optimize operations, manage infrastructure, and enable organizational effectiveness.
Legal Officer Search
Legal leadership protects your organization while enabling growth. We place General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, and compliance executives who navigate complexity with strategic judgment.
Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel
GC & CLO Executive Search
Legal executives guide growth strategy, manage risk, and ensure compliance. We source the best legal officers nationwide.
Compliance Officers
Compliance Officers
Stay ahead of regulatory requirements and risk management with Chief Compliance Officers who bring sound expertise and judgment.
Government Affairs Officers (GAOs)
Government Affairs Officers (GAOs)
With government affairs leadership, the best candidates come with experience, prudence, and well-honed decision-making skills. Here’s how we find the best GAOs.
Consultant, Partner & Professional Services Search
Consultants and professional services executives can offer an array of vital services to businesses, advising on anything from accounting, financial oversight, and taxes to compliance, legal matters, marketing, and more. Cowen Partners Executive Search places partners, principals, and senior consultants across accounting, legal, and advisory firms who drive client results and measurable growth.
Principals
Principals
Our principal placements include Big 4 and regional CPA firms, managed services providers, and IT consultancies.
Partners
Partner Executive Search
We have extensive experience placing CPA partners (tax and audit), Am Law 100 law firm partners, and managing partners across professional services
Experienced Professionals
Consultant Executive Search
We place experienced professionals and future partners at Big 4 firms, regional CPA firms, managed service providers, and IT consultancies.
In addition to the leadership roles above, Cowen Partners Executive Search also sources elite talent for new and emerging roles, including positions unique to specific organizations and industries. Simply reach out to let us know what you need, and our executive recruiters will take it from there.
Executive Search Strategy & Insights
Explore insights and best practices related to executive search across key leadership functions.
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