CEO and General Management Recruitment Agency
We help companies hire their top executive: CEO, managing director or general manager, on a permanent basis or for interim management.
5/5 · 206 Google reviews More than 200 startups, scale-ups and companies have hired their general management with Licorne Society.
Testimonials
They trusted the Licorne Society team with hiring their top executive
We worked together on hiring a managing director ahead of a handover from the founders. A wide selection of candidates straight away, quick to act on our feedback, and they struck the right balance between the candidates and us as the client.
We worked with Licorne Society on key positions such as CTO and CEO, as well as on more technical roles. They put forward relevant candidates very quickly and helped us sharpen our brief. Licorne Society helps us target the right people and reach candidates who aren't necessarily on the market, which frees us to focus on the business and on building our HR function.
We have made several C-level hires with Licorne Society. It is by far the best recruitment agency I have ever worked with.
Our network of CEO and managing director profiles, ready to meet your company's challenges
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CEO / GM E-Commerce - B2C Retail
- 20+ years' experience in the DNVB, consumer goods and FMCG sectors
- Strong expertise in omnichannel distribution (E-Commerce, Retail, Wholesale)
- Marketing and Operations focus, geared to B2C and the mass market
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CEO / GM SaaS Software and Tech
- 20+ years' experience in Tech, software and SaaS.
- Has managed multidisciplinary teams on a global scale.
- P&L management across several BUs.
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Country General Manager
- Experience in general management and P&L management.
- Expert in new country launches, business development and expansion.
- International and multicultural experience.
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Succession CEO, founder handover
- Used to taking over from a founder who is still a shareholder or on the board
- Able to preserve the company culture while professionalising how it is run
- Political savvy and strong people skills above all
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Fund-appointed or interim CEO
- Available at short notice for a time-bound mandate: turnaround, post-acquisition integration, preparing a sale
- Experienced in dealing with investors and reporting to the board of directors
- A sensible alternative ahead of a permanent hire
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CEO / MD of a mid-sized or family business
- Experienced in taking the helm of an established company, alongside family shareholders or long-standing executives
- Able to modernise how the company is run and lead its digital transformation without breaking with its history
- Sought after in industry, distribution and business services
Our CEO and Managing Director recruitment expert
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André Farah
- COO and co-founder of Licorne Society, expert in executive recruitment for general management roles.
- Former consultant in Operations Strategy, Management and Supply Chain at consulting firm Argon & Co.
- Expert in recruiting and structuring leadership teams and in executive headhunting.
Our expert recruitment consultants help clients structure their organisation and leadership teams.
You benefit from tailored support to help you hire the very best talent.
Recruiting a CEO / Managing Director
Hiring a top executive is a real challenge for startups, scale-ups and digital companies.
What we do
quickly find the best candidates to meet your company's challenges, for MD, CEO, General Manager and other senior executive roles in France.
We support our clients through the entire hiring cycle, from scoping the need with your executive committee, through screening and skills assessment, to onboarding within your organisation.
A 3.0 recruitment agency specialising in CEO and Managing Director searches
- 01
A community of senior executives
Licorne Society has more than 4,500 active job seekers registered on its platform.
- 02
Deep expertise in general management roles
For every brief, our team finds, approaches and screens the best executives in the ecosystem.
- 03
A unique sourcing technology
100% tailored to each role and to your target, combining artificial intelligence and automation.
How our CEO recruitment service works
- 1
Scoping your needs
We (really) take the time to understand.
- 2
Targeted sourcing
We quickly tap into our network of more than 50,000 professionals, and approach directly the candidates who are not in it yet.
- 3
Screening the best candidates
We take the time to call every relevant candidate to understand their background and aspirations.
- 4
Shortlist within a few days
You receive a list of qualified candidates who are available and interested.
CEO, Directeur Général, PDG: what are the differences?
These titles are used interchangeably in everyday language, but they do not mean exactly the same thing.
- CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
- the English term, prevalent at startups, scale-ups and international groups. It is a customary title, not a function defined by French law.
- Directeur Général (Managing Director)
- the French equivalent, whose mandate is defined by the company's articles of association. It is the term that appears on legal documents.
- PDG (Président Directeur Général)
- the executive who combines general management with the chairmanship of the board of directors.
- General Manager
- runs a defined scope, most often a country or a business unit, with responsibility for a P&L. See our Country Manager job profile (in French).
At most startups, the CEO is one of the founders. So our searches usually involve an external hire, at a time of transition or change of ownership.
When should you recruit an external CEO?
Bringing in a non-founder executive happens in a few clearly defined situations, and the profile required changes completely from one to the next. The most common scenarios:
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Founder succession
the founders step back from operations while remaining shareholders or on the board. The challenge is to find an executive who can professionalise how the company is run without breaking its culture.
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An investor mandate
after a fundraise, an LBO or a build-up, the fund wants to appoint an executive to deliver a value creation plan over a set timeframe.
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Leading a subsidiary or a country
the company is entering a new market or building a local presence. The role is then closer to that of a general manager, with full P&L responsibility.
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Interim management
turnaround, post-acquisition integration, preparing a sale or standing in as acting managing director. The mandate is time-bound and the priority is speed of execution.
In most cases, these searches are run confidentially. To discuss your search, talk to our Executive Search team.
Resources & related pages
Further reading on recruiting your CEO and general management
To understand the role before launching a search, see our dedicated article: the CEO at a startup, responsibilities and salary (in French).
To scope your need, see our job profiles for leadership roles (in French):
- COO (Chief Operating Officer): the CEO's operational right hand, often hired at the same time or beforehand.
- Country Manager: general management of a country or a subsidiary.
- Chief of Staff: the executive's direct point person on cross-functional projects.
Are you hiring more broadly across your executive committee? See our Top Management recruitment agency page (in French).
This page is part of our Executive Search and headhunting offering, dedicated to hiring executives and C-level leaders.
Looking for a job at a digital, e-commerce or Tech company? All our job openings in France are listed on the Licorne Society recruitment platform.
Ready to hire your CEO or Managing Director?
Frequently asked questions about recruiting a CEO or a Managing Director
01 What is the difference between a CEO and a Directeur Général (Managing Director)?
What is the difference between a CEO and a Directeur Général (Managing Director)?
In substance, none: Directeur Général is the French term, CEO (Chief Executive Officer) its English equivalent, prevalent at startups, scale-ups and international groups. The nuance is legal in France, where the directeur général's mandate is defined by the company's articles of association, whereas CEO remains a customary title. The PDG (Président Directeur Général) combines general management with the chairmanship of the board of directors.
02 When should you recruit an external CEO?
When should you recruit an external CEO?
Four situations come up most often: succeeding a founder who is handing over day-to-day operations, bringing in an executive appointed by a fund after a capital transaction, leading a subsidiary or country, and interim management during a turnaround or a sale. The profile required varies greatly from one case to another.
03 How does a confidential executive search work?
How does a confidential executive search work?
When the incumbent is still in post or the market must not find out, we approach candidates without ever disclosing your company's name until both parties agree. The brief is presented anonymously, interviews are held away from your premises and the number of people in the loop is kept to a strict minimum.
04 What is the salary of a CEO or a Managing Director?
What is the salary of a CEO or a Managing Director?
Pay depends above all on the size of the company and the nature of the mandate: from €90,000 to €130,000 at an SME or a growing startup, from €150,000 to €250,000 and more at a mid-sized company or a scale-up, generally with a variable component and, at a startup, an equity or BSPCE package. We share the ranges we see when scoping the search.
05 Can you place an executive on an interim management assignment?
Can you place an executive on an interim management assignment?
Yes. We place executives on an interim or fractional basis to lead a turnaround, a post-acquisition integration or a sale, or simply to stand in as acting managing director. It is often the right answer when the need is time-bound and a permanent hire would be premature.
Our specialities
A specialist recruiter for every need
Executive Search
We help companies find and hire senior executives and C-level leaders.
Learn more Tech & DataTech recruitment
Hire people with strong technical expertise in software development and data, in a highly competitive market.
Learn more Sales & MarketingSales & Marketing recruitment
We help companies structure their Marketing and Sales teams so they can drive the growth of the business.
Learn more OperationsOperations & Finance recruitment
Hire the people who will run and optimise your operations and processes.
Learn moreOur scope
Other roles covered by our services
Our locations
We recruit across the major French tech and digital ecosystems, and support your growth across Europe.