Executive Summary
An established software manufacturer from German-speaking Switzerland faced the challenge of hiring a new CEO to act as a strategic partner with strong IT expertise. Following internal restructuring and with the goal of significantly expanding new business, this key role needed to embody both leadership and growth strategy while also bringing deep technical understanding.
Through a clearly defined profile, targeted direct outreach, and a transparent selection process, the ideal CEO was identified and hired within just five months. The result: the vacancy was filled with a leader who combines strategic vision and IT know-how—enabling the company to continue its growth trajectory with renewed strength.
Initial Situation & Challenge
A CEO with IT expertise is needed—but suitable candidates are scarce
The client is a renowned software provider developing integrated ERP solutions for SMEs. After a phase of internal realignment and with ambitious growth targets in new customer business, the CEO position needed to be filled. The ideal candidate was expected to lead the company into its next growth phase while also acting as a technical sparring partner for product development and IT.
This dual requirement—entrepreneurial leadership combined with deep IT expertise—made the search particularly demanding. In addition, the company lacked the internal experience and network to recruit for such a key role in the open market. Previous attempts to find a suitable CEO had failed over several months due to limited recruiting expertise and difficulty in directly engaging top candidates. Furthermore, attracting the interest of the few suitable individuals—and convincing them to make a move—proved even more challenging.
Key challenges at this stage:
- Business-critical leadership role with a dual mandate: strategic growth leadership and technical expertise
- Extremely limited candidate pool: suitable executives are rare and rarely actively job-seeking
- High experience requirements: combination of sales expertise in the SME sector and deep IT/software knowledge
- Lack of internal recruiting resources: no network or know-how to effectively reach the target group
- Cultural fit requirements: the new CEO must align with the company’s down-to-earth, family-oriented SME culture
Our Approach
Targeted direct outreach and clear positioning instead of passive search
At the beginning of the mandate, the focus was on intensive profile sharpening: together with the client, the requirements were defined with exceptional precision. The search focused on a leader at the intersection of business and technology—driving sales and growth in an SME software environment while understanding the technological development of the product.
This clarity helped position the role attractively in the market. Instead of a purely administrative succession solution, the position was communicated as an entrepreneurial opportunity with significant scope for impact. Key selling points included entrepreneurial freedom (CEO with full decision-making authority in a lean organization), a solid foundation (existing customer and partner base, financially stable), and the opportunity to actively shape the next growth phase with a loyal team.
Market engagement was carried out consistently through direct outreach. Potential candidates were approached personally and confidentially, emphasizing the unique opportunities of the role.
A two-person headhunter team led the entire process, working closely with the client to ensure transparency and continuous feedback.
Guiding principles of the approach:
- Clear growth orientation: focus on sales strength and expansion of partner business in the SME market
- Technology expertise at top management level: candidates with proven IT/software know-how
- SME experience: understanding of mid-sized business dynamics and indirect sales channels (partner model)
- Strong communication and leadership skills: ability to align board members, employees, and external partners
- Cultural fit: candidates who thrive in and contribute to a pragmatic, family-oriented company culture
Search & Selection Process
Structured, transparent, and committed—an equal-level process
Based on a systematic market analysis, only those profiles were approached that matched both the professional and personal requirements. Many candidates were not actively considering a change, but the clear positioning of the role and professional, respectful dialogue sparked their interest.
In personal conversations, strong emphasis was placed on transparently presenting both the role’s responsibilities and the cultural environment. At the same time, candidate motivation, willingness to change, and long-term fit were carefully assessed.
The entire process was tightly managed, structured, and continuously aligned between the consulting team and the client to avoid delays and ensure up-to-date communication at all times.
Process overview :
- Targeted identification of relevant executives (research & networking)
- Direct outreach and initial assessment of interest and suitability
- Multi-stage interviews for in-depth professional and cultural evaluation
- Presentation of a qualified shortlist after six weeks
- Six candidates invited to final interview rounds with the client
- Continuous alignment and feedback loops throughout all stages
The dialogue-driven approach and transparency on both sides built trust and ensured commitment. Both client and candidates always knew their status in the process—there were no surprises. The fast pace also highlighted the importance of speed in executive search: no suitable candidate was lost due to delays in decision-making.
Outcome & Client Value
Successful placement in five months—exceeding expectations
Despite the initially challenging conditions, the CEO position was successfully filled within approximately five months from project start to contract signing. The selected candidate fully matched the defined target profile and stood out with a rare combination of strategic vision and technical expertise.
For the client, this meant not only filling a critical vacancy but also gaining a leader capable of simultaneously driving growth and digital transformation. The collaboration with the executive search partner ensured that the entire process remained structured, transparent, and manageable for the management team—reducing internal uncertainty and strengthening decision-making confidence.
Ultimately, the outcome exceeded expectations: within a short time, several top-tier candidates were presented, and the best-fit candidate was successfully hired.
Client benefits:
- Successful placement of a key role despite a highly challenging market
- High confidence in decision-making through a structured and transparent process
- Acquisition of a leader combining growth strategy and IT expertise
- Relief of internal resources through professional process management
- Trust-based, well-guided process at executive level ensuring speed and clarity
Key KPIs:
- 6 weeks from project kickoff to shortlist presentation
- 6 candidates in the final interview stage
- 5 months total duration until contract signing
Lessons Learned
Success factors for filling strategic leadership roles with a technology focus
- Precise role definition and positioning are critical to attracting the right candidates
- Direct outreach is essential to engage high-performing candidates not actively job-seeking
- Industry expertise and cultural fit are just as important as technical excellence
- Speed and tightly managed processes prevent candidate drop-off and increase commitment
- Transparent communication with both client and candidates builds trust and ensures a secure selection process
