Chicago is one of the most important cities in the world for executive search. Two of the largest firms in the industry, Heidrick & Struggles and Spencer Stuart, were founded here in the 1950s, and both still run their global operations from the Loop. The city’s mix of Fortune 500 headquarters, private equity sponsors, manufacturers, insurers and large nonprofits means there is steady demand for CEOs, CFOs, board directors and functional leaders who can run complex organizations.
An executive search firm runs confidential, research-led searches for senior roles. It maps the market, approaches people who are not looking for a new job, assesses them against a brief agreed with the board or CEO, and manages the process through to offer and onboarding. Most of the firms below work on a retained basis, which means the client commits to the firm for the full search rather than paying only on placement. If you are new to the model, our guide to retained vs contingency search explains the difference.
To build this list of the top executive search firms in Chicago for 2027, we only included firms that publish a street address for a Chicago office on their own website. We then checked each firm’s services, specialisms and history against its own pages and at least one independent source. The list mixes global leadership advisory firms with Chicago boutiques that focus on nonprofits, marketing and mid-market companies. For more rankings, guides and city lists, visit our executive search and recruiting hub.
Heidrick & Struggles was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Gardner Heidrick and John Struggles, two former Booz Allen Hamilton consultants, and it remains one of the best known names in the business. Its Chicago office sits in the Willis Tower at 233 South Wacker Drive, which is also the corporate address of Heidrick & Struggles International. The office is led by Partner in Charge Jessica A. Gentile.
The firm offers executive search alongside leadership consulting, corporate transformation, organization and culture work, and an on-demand talent service for interim and project roles. Its industry practices cover consumer markets, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, industrial, private capital, social impact, technology and venture capital. In December 2025 the firm agreed to be acquired by an investor group led by Advent International and Corvex Private Equity, which takes it off the public market.
Heidrick suits large corporations and well-funded private companies that want a global network behind a CEO, CFO or board search, and that may also want help with culture or leadership development after the hire.
2. Spencer Stuart — Privately Held Specialist In Boards And CEO Succession
Spencer Stuart was founded in Chicago in 1956 and is still headquartered in the city. Its Chicago office is at 353 N. Clark Street, Suite 2500, and is led by Market Leader Stewart Lumsden. The firm says it has helped clients make senior leadership decisions for more than 60 years.
Consultants in Chicago recruit and develop leaders, improve team effectiveness and support strategic or cultural transformation. Spencer Stuart is widely associated with board director search and CEO succession planning, and it publishes a large body of research on board composition and leadership. Chicago is also home to a business functions team that supports the wider firm in knowledge management, technology, legal and accounting.
It is a strong choice for public company boards, nominating committees and CEOs planning a succession, especially when the brief calls for discretion and deep benchmarking data.
3. Korn Ferry — Search Plus Assessment, Consulting And RPO At Scale
Korn Ferry was founded in 1969 by Lester Korn and Richard Ferry and is headquartered in Los Angeles. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker KFY. In Chicago, the firm works from Suite 700 of the Willis Tower at 233 South Wacker Drive.
What sets Korn Ferry apart is breadth. Beyond executive search, it runs consulting, digital talent products, and recruitment process outsourcing and professional search as separate business segments. That means a Chicago client can pair a senior search with leadership assessment, pay benchmarking or a volume hiring program from the same provider.
Korn Ferry suits large employers that want one partner across executive and broader talent needs. If you are weighing outsourced hiring as well, see our list of top RPO providers.
Russell Reynolds Associates was founded in 1969 by Russell S. Reynolds Jr. and is headquartered in New York. Its Chicago office opened in 1974 and is located at 155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4100. John Madera is the firm’s Midwest Leader.
The Chicago team offers leadership search and succession, leadership assessment and development, and board advisory services. Consultants work across industries and functions and collaborate with colleagues in the firm’s global network, which gives Chicago clients access to international candidate pools when a role calls for it.
Russell Reynolds is a good fit for companies that want a long-established local office with global reach, particularly for CEO, CFO and board appointments.
5. Egon Zehnder — Partnership Model Focused On CEO Succession
Egon Zehnder was founded in Zurich in 1964 by Egon Zehnder and operates as a partnership with 71 offices in 37 countries. The Chicago office is at One North Wacker Drive, Suite 4800.
The firm describes its Chicago office as having practices in consumer goods, health care, industrial goods, business services and technology, and says the office holds a leadership position in CEO succession and leadership development. The office also supports the firm’s Leaders & Daughters initiative on gender diversity, and several of the firm’s global leaders began their careers in Chicago.
Egon Zehnder suits boards and CEOs who want a search partner that places heavy weight on assessment and long-term leadership development, not only on filling the role.
6. DHR Global — Chicago-Headquartered Firm With Broad Industry Practices
DHR Global was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Chicago, with its office at 151 N Franklin Street, Suite 2175. The firm lists Chicago as its global headquarters and runs offices across North America and other regions.
Its services include executive search, leadership consulting, emerging leader search through its Jobplex division, board and governance services, and digital and AI transformation work. Industry practices span business and professional services, consumer and retail, financial services, healthcare, industrial, infrastructure and energy, life sciences, private equity, real estate, social impact, sports and technology. The firm says it has been recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms and was an Inc. Best Workplaces honoree from 2022 to 2026.
DHR Global is a practical option for mid-sized and growth companies, including private equity portfolio businesses, that want a large firm’s practice depth from a Chicago-based team.
7. Caldwell — Retained Search Hub For Financial Services
Caldwell says it has worked on a retained basis for more than 50 years. Its Chicago office opened in 2019 at 250 South Wacker Drive in the Loop and serves as a hub for the firm’s Financial Services Practice.
The Chicago team recruits board directors, CEOs and senior executives across the Midwest, including CFOs, COOs, CHROs and CTOs. Its financial services work covers commercial and consumer banking, digital and fintech, cards and payments, mortgage banking and private equity.
Caldwell is well suited to banks, lenders, payments companies and fintechs that want a team with specific sector depth rather than a generalist approach.
Slayton Search Partners is a retained executive search firm headquartered at 200 South Wacker Drive, 40th Floor. It describes itself as having been founded more than 40 years ago and is a member of AESC (the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants) and BlueSteps.
The firm places C-level executives and functional leaders in roles including CEO and P&L, finance, human resources, marketing and sales, research and development, supply chain, strategy, sustainability and technology. Its industry coverage includes consumer products and services, distribution, financial services, industrial products and services, insurance, private equity and retail.
Slayton suits Midwest manufacturers, distributors, insurers and private equity sponsors that want senior partner attention from a firm based in the city.
9. Kittleman — Nonprofit Executive Search Pioneer Since 1963
Kittleman was founded by Jim Kittleman, a former Booz, Allen & Hamilton consultant in Chicago, and the firm says he created the concept of nonprofit executive search in 1963. Its Chicago office is at 200 S. Wacker Drive, 31st Floor, and the firm also lists offices in Boston, Denver and Philadelphia.
Kittleman works only with nonprofits. It recruits CEOs, executive directors and other senior leaders, and advises boards on leadership transitions and succession. That single-sector focus means its consultants understand governance, fundraising and mission alignment in a way a generalist firm may not.
It is a natural choice for Chicago foundations, associations, social service agencies and cultural institutions hiring a new chief executive.
10. Talentfoot — Marketing, Digital And Technology Leadership Search
Talentfoot is headquartered at 30 S Wacker Drive, Suite 1260, and lists further offices in cities including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas. The firm focuses on growth functions: marketing, sales, technology, eCommerce, product, AI and data, alongside operations, HR and finance.
Its clients range from Series B startups and agencies to SaaS companies, private equity and venture capital firms, and Fortune 50 brands. The firm says it has worked with more than 2,500 organizations.
Talentfoot suits companies hiring a CMO, chief digital officer or technology leader who want a specialist in those functions rather than a generalist firm.
How To Choose An Executive Search Firm In Chicago
Do You Need A Global Firm Or A Chicago Boutique?
Global firms such as Heidrick & Struggles, Spencer Stuart and Korn Ferry bring international reach, research teams and large databases of past searches. That matters for a Fortune 500 CEO or a role that may be filled from abroad. Boutiques such as Slayton, Kittleman and Talentfoot often give clients more senior partner time and can be more flexible on fees and scope. Match the firm to the scale and visibility of the role.
Does The Firm Know Your Sector?
Ask which recent searches the team has completed in your industry and at your level. Caldwell’s Chicago office is built around financial services, Kittleman works only with nonprofits, and Talentfoot focuses on marketing and technology leaders. Sector depth shortens the search because the consultants already know who the credible candidates are.
How Will The Firm Assess Candidates?
A strong search firm will explain how it tests candidates against the brief, including structured interviews, referencing and psychometric tools. Several firms on this list run formal assessment practices. Our guide to executive assessment covers the main methods and what to ask for.
What Are The Fees And Terms?
Retained firms usually charge a fee tied to the first year’s cash compensation for the role, paid in stages during the search. Confirm the percentage, what counts as compensation, how expenses are billed and what happens if the hire leaves early. Our explainer on executive search fees sets out typical structures.
Who Will Actually Run The Search?
Ask who will lead the search day to day, how many other searches that person is running, and who will speak to candidates. The partner who pitches the work should stay involved through the shortlist and final interviews.
Conclusion
Chicago gives employers an unusually strong choice of search partners, from the two global firms founded in the city to specialist boutiques that know the Midwest market well. Start with the scale of the role and the sector expertise you need, then compare how each firm will run, assess and staff your search.
