2023 Executive Search Research Review
Retrospective review published 23 October 2026. Coverage: 2023 and the reporting periods shown below.
This review records selected public disclosures from Egon Zehnder, Heidrick & Struggles and Korn Ferry. It is a source-based annual note, not a market-size estimate or a quality ranking.
Year findings
Korn Ferry reported Executive Search fee revenue of USD 875.798 million for the fiscal year ended 30 April 2023. The four Executive Search regions were North America at USD 562.139 million, EMEA at USD 187.014 million, Asia Pacific at USD 95.598 million and Latin America at USD 31.047 million. The filing keeps fee revenue separate from reimbursed out-of-pocket engagement expense and reports Executive Search apart from Professional Search & Interim and RPO. It reports 1,820 Executive Search staff in total, comprising consultants and execution staff plus support staff.
Heidrick & Struggles reported Executive Search net revenue of USD 780.045 million for calendar 2023. Regional net revenue was USD 522.988 million in the Americas, USD 166.379 million in Europe and USD 90.678 million in Asia Pacific. The figures come from the firm’s unaudited full-year results release dated 26 February 2024. The same 2023 figures appear as comparatives in the 2024 Form 10-K. The release records 414 Executive Search consultants at 31 December 2023.
Egon Zehnder reported global revenues of USD 862.7 million, with a CHF 792 million equivalent, for the fiscal year ended 31 October 2023. The figure is firm-wide and includes leadership advisory services, so it is not an executive-search-only measure. The release records 600 consultants at fiscal year end.
The three disclosures use different fiscal calendars, regional definitions and revenue measures. Their figures are therefore shown as separate native-period evidence.
Selected disclosures
| Firm | Period | Measure and native currency | Figure | Primary source link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Egon Zehnder | FY ended 31 October 2023 | All-services revenue, USD with CHF equivalent | USD 862.7m (CHF 792m) | Primary source |
| Heidrick & Struggles | Calendar 2023 | Executive Search net revenue, USD | USD 780.045m | Primary source |
| Korn Ferry | FY ended 30 April 2023 | Executive Search fee revenue, USD | USD 875.798m | Primary source |
Methodology and limits
Company releases and annual filings are the primary evidence. Figures are in native currency and cover the periods stated. They are not added, ranked, or currency converted. The table is alphabetical by firm, not a market position. Korn Ferry uses a 30 April fiscal year and reports Executive Search segment fee revenue. Heidrick & Struggles reports calendar-year net revenue before reimbursements. Egon Zehnder reports all-services revenue to 31 October. See our methodology, editorial policy and contact page. Publisher: Executive Search Research LLC.