Executive Search · United States & Mexico
Executive Search — United States & Mexico | Retained CEO, CFO, COO, CHRO
Retained CEO, CFO, COO, CHRO and Country Manager search across the US–Mexico corridor — delivered through Alder Koten, focused on manufacturing, automotive, supply chain, nearshoring, private equity and technology.
Executive search is where this practice began — and where our reputation is built. Delivered through Alder Koten, our US executive search work is retained, structured, and evidence-driven — for boards, CEOs, PE sponsors, and family enterprises that need the right VP or C-suite leader for the next phase of their story.
We serve public companies, private-equity portfolio companies, family-owned businesses, and mission-driven organizations across the United States — with a specialization in cross-border US–Mexico placements no generic firm can match.
Executive search specializations
- Manufacturing & industrial operations — plant directors, VPs of operations, COOs for industrial platforms
- Supply chain, logistics & procurement — VPs of supply chain and directors of logistics for complex, cross-border supply networks
- Digital transformation, IT & data leadership — CIOs, CDOs, VPs of digital, heads of data
- Finance, HR & enabling-function heads — CFOs, CHROs, general counsel, controllers, VPs
- Country-manager placements — for US companies expanding into or operating in Mexico. See also Country Manager, Mexico and Managing Director.
- Board director search — independent directors, chair searches, governance-committee placements
How executive search works here
Every retained executive search follows The Dynamic Fit Method™ — Alder Koten's seven-step process, calibrated by the Anker Bioss Framework. Structured evidence, not opinion.
- Role charter and competency scorecard written before the search opens — not after
- Validated assessment using Hogan (HPI/HDS/MVPI), BIOSS Career Path Appreciation, and Luks Prisma
- Bi-weekly progress reports and a running target-company map
- Reference dossiers and 360° validation against the framework
- 90-day integration cadence post-placement, plus replacement guarantee
Client protections
- Off-limits protection. Alder Koten does not recruit a candidate placed with a client during that candidate's tenure with the company.
- Replacement guarantee. If a placed candidate resigns or is terminated for cause within the guarantee period, Alder Koten conducts a replacement search at direct expenses only.
- International reach. IMD International Search Group partner across 22+ countries.
Adjacent capability
- Executive Search in Mexico →
- The Dynamic Fit Method™ — our executive search process →
- Advisory — beyond the search →
- How to choose an executive search firm in Mexico — a practitioner guide →
Start a confidential executive search →
Executive search — frequently asked questions
- What is retained executive search?
- Retained executive search is an exclusive, fee-based engagement to recruit a VP, C-suite, or board-level executive. The search firm is paid in phased installments regardless of outcome, in exchange for exclusivity, senior-consultant attention, structured assessment, and a defined process with client protections — off-limits, replacement guarantee, and post-placement integration support.
- How is retained search different from contingency recruiting?
- Contingency recruiters are paid only if a candidate they source is hired — which incentivizes speed and volume over fit. Retained search is paid to run a rigorous, evidence-driven process for a single mandate at a time. For VP, C-suite, and board roles where the cost of a mishire is high, retained is the right model.
- What industries does your executive search practice focus on?
- Manufacturing and industrial platforms, supply chain and logistics, automotive and mobility, nearshoring operations, digital transformation, technology, private equity portfolio companies, and family enterprise. We also handle enabling-function heads (CFO, CHRO, GC) across those industries.
- What roles do you typically recruit?
- CEO and president, COO and VP of operations, CFO and finance leadership, CHRO and people leadership, CIO/CDO and digital leadership, general counsel, chief commercial officer and VP sales, country manager, plant director, VP supply chain, and independent board directors.
- How does the executive search process work?
- The process follows The Dynamic Fit Method™ — a seven-step approach: (1) Nature of Work analysis; (2) Dynamic role benchmark; (3) Position specification and evaluation rubric; (4) Search strategy and exhaustive market identification; (5) Candidate engagement and interest assessment; (6) Deep-dive evaluation interviews using Hogan, BIOSS Career Path Appreciation, and Luks Prisma; (7) Candidate benchmark and comparative evidence for board-ready decision-making.
- What client protections do you offer?
- Off-limits protection (Alder Koten does not recruit candidates placed with clients during their tenure), a replacement guarantee (if a placed candidate resigns or is terminated for cause within the guarantee period, we run a replacement search at direct expenses only), and international reach through the IMD International Search Group partnership across 22+ countries.
- Do you handle cross-border US–Mexico executive search?
- Yes. Cross-border US–Mexico search is a core specialty. Our Houston headquarters plus offices in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara make us fluent in both regulatory and cultural sides — US-corporate expatriates into Mexico, Mexican executives moving into US operations, and country-manager placements for multinationals.
- How long does a retained executive search take?
- Typical retained VP and C-suite searches complete in 90 to 120 days from launch to signed offer. CEO and board director searches, and highly confidential searches, can run longer depending on the depth of assessment and the confidentiality requirements involved.