Expert CEO executive search firm

Nothing has more impact on the future success of a company than finding and attracting the right CEO.

Culture and strategy flows from the top of a business and as the leader of the company, the CEO has a key role to play in shaping its direction and personality.

Neon River is an executive search firm with deep experience of managing CEO executive search projects. We use our deep network of candidates in the technology and games sectors, and world-class market research capabilities to craft a headhunting process that identifies, converts and manages the highest quality CEO candidates.

Our Process

Step 1: Stakeholder Briefing We meet with key stakeholders to understand your business, culture, and the ideal candidate’s profile.

Step 2: Market Research We research global industries to identify top-tier passive candidates.

Step 3: Candidate Outreach We engage passive candidates with a compelling pitch and a high-quality role brief.

Step 4: In-depth Interviews Each candidate is assessed in detail against your specific criteria.

Step 5: Psychometric Assessment (Optional) We offer psychometric testing to complement the interview process.

Step 6: Progress Updates We provide regular reports and schedule calls to keep you informed.

Step 7: Offer & Process Management We guide clients through interviews and offer negotiations with strategic input.

Step 8: Final Referencing We conduct thorough reference checks on finalists to ensure fit and success.

Key considerations when hiring a CEO

Functional Focus Whilst a CEO is responsible for the overall performance of the company, there will be certain functional areas where they tend to be more or less hands-on. Do you need a commercial CEO who is an expert in sales, marketing and go-to-market strategy? Might a finance oriented CEO have the experience with M&A and corporate finance to take the company in the right direction? Could a product management oriented CEO help the company to differentiate and find new growth opportunities?

Stakeholder Alignment Whenever there is a CEO executive search project, there are inevitably a lot of stakeholders involved in the hiring process as it is such an important appointment. Making sure all the key stakeholders are on the same page in terms of the role requirements before you start approaching candidates.

Candidate’s Perspective The hiring party also needs to be clear about “what is in it for the candidate” - in terms of the company opportunity and financial reward. Can we create a long-term incentive plan that ensures our new CEO’s incentives are aligned with important company goals?

Sector Experience Do we need a CEO directly from the sector or can we look further afield? Sometimes the best candidates can adapt well to new sectors, so don’t be too close minded in only looking in competitive companies.

Our sector strengths

SaaS & Enterprise Software

Recurring revenue, PLG vs sales-led motions, renewals/expansion, pricing & packaging, and efficient ARR growth.

Fintech & Payments

Licensing/compliance, risk & KYC, multi-party GTM, take rate and capital efficiency in regulated environments.

Data/AI & Developer Tools

Developer adoption, community, usage-based pricing, infra costs, and shipping product with measurable model quality.

Games (Mobile, PC/Console)

UA and creative testing, retention & LTV/CAC, live ops cadence, monetisation (IAP/ads/subs), platform relationships.

Marketplaces & Platforms

Supply/demand liquidity, trust & safety, incentive design, unit economics and cohort discipline.

Consumer Subscription & Media

Cohort retention, growth loops, pricing, content/catalog strategy, and brand.

How business models shape the CEO profile

B2B Enterprise

Board-level selling, long cycles, pipeline rigor, partner/channels, and NRR predictability; allocates capital to ARR growth with disciplined forecasting.

B2B SMB / PLG

Product velocity and experimentation, acquisition funnels, self-serve + sales assist, pricing tests, efficient growth and payback discipline.

B2C Apps / Gaming

Growth marketing & creative testing, retention design, monetisation (IAP/ads/subs), data-driven live ops and content cadence.

B2C Marketplaces / eCommerce

Liquidity building, supply acquisition, trust/safety, logistics, take rate, and tight unit economics by cohort.

What we look for across both

Stage fit & leadership - scaling systems, hiring an exec bench, and leading through change.
Commercial clarity - deep grasp of the model’s unit economics and the levers that move them.
People & culture - crisp communication, high bar for talent, and values that travel internationally.
Board readiness - clean narrative, evidence-based reporting, and productive challenge with investors.

How to run a high-quality CEO search

Define the mandate - the company’s 12–24 month outcomes, strategy shifts, org design, and where the CEO must be hands-on.
Success profile & scorecard - stage fit, leadership traits, operating experience, and clear measures of success.
Target map - blend sitting CEOs/COOs/GMs from analogous models with high-potential divisional leaders; build diverse slates.
Assessment - structured interviews, a strategy memo or business-case exercise, stakeholder panels, and backdoor referencing.
Offer & onboarding - compelling cash/equity mix and incentives aligned to value creation; a 90-day plan and board cadence.

Great CEO searches align stakeholders early, tell a compelling story to passive leaders, and move with pace and discretion. It’s as much about judgement as it is about CVs.

Talk to us See our search process