Apps

Executive Search for App Businesses

Neon River is an executive search firm partnering with ambitious app businesses to hire exceptional senior leaders.

We work with app businesses that have the potential to reach large, engaged user bases, from venture-backed scale-ups to private equity-backed businesses and established corporate environments.

Track record

Senior leadership hires for ambitious app businesses

Calm
VP Product and VP Engineering for Calmlings, a wellness brand from Calm.
2 hires
Lingokids
VP Data Science and VP Design for an educational app for children aged 2 to 8.
2 hires
Social Tip
CTO appointment for a venture-backed social rewards app.
CTO
King
11 senior hires across C-suite and VP roles for a leading puzzle game developer.
11 hires
Miniclip
10 hires including CMO for a leading multiplayer mobile game developer.
10 hires
Intelligence and perspective

Articles and thought leadership

Neon River

Reports, interviews and analysis on the people, companies and trends shaping the app economy.

App Industry Talent Intelligence August 2026

This report analyses headcount growth rate and attrition trends across 185 of the largest app businesses in EMEA.

Working with high profile entrepreneurs - Social Tip, Calm and Miniclip

How to support demanding founders while keeping hiring decisions clean and effective.

The Anatomy of Great App Leadership Teams

We analyze the cadence of hiring within app companies and how their leadership teams naturally evolve over time.

Interview with former Avito CEO Vladimir Pravdivy

Leadership lessons from building and scaling a major internet marketplace.

Growing profitable internet companies with Olivier van Calster

What it takes to build profitable app businesses, drawing on leadership experience at Voi, StockX and eBay.

Mobile phones representing app leadership and digital product development
Working with Neon River

Leadership hiring for scaling app businesses

We hire board members, C-level executives and VP leaders for ambitious app businesses.
Speak with Neon River about an app leadership search →