Top 10 Executive Search Firms in 2027

Korn Ferry, founded in 1969 in Los Angeles, tops Hunt Scanlon’s Big Five with $2,860.0 million in 2025 global revenue. It also has the biggest U.S./Americas bench on the list: 470 consultants and 37 offices.

Heidrick & Struggles was founded in Chicago in 1953 and reported $1,249.9 million in 2025 global revenue. It was taken private on December 10, 2025 by investors led by Advent International and Corvex Private Equity, and has 218 consultants and 21 offices in the U.S./Americas.

Spencer Stuart reported $1,179.4 million for its fiscal year Oct 1, 2024 – Sep 30, 2025, and works from more than 60 offices in over 30 countries. Its 284 U.S./Americas consultants are second only to Korn Ferry’s 470.

Russell Reynolds Associates, founded in New York in 1969, reported $1,170.0 million in 2025 global revenue, with 281 consultants and 19 offices in the U.S./Americas.

Egon Zehnder, founded in Zurich in 1964, completes the Big Five with $966.0 million in 2025 global revenue. In the U.S./Americas it has 150 consultants and 15 offices.

True Search is the largest firm outside the Big Five, with $382.2 million in total global revenue and $333.1 million in the U.S./Americas from 138 consultants in 3 offices. Its old address, truesearch.com, now opens as True at trueplatform.com.

ZRG Partners reported $308.0 million in total global revenue and has 145 consultants and 24 offices in the U.S./Americas. It says it has grown to over 700 teammates delivering executive search, on-demand talent, embedded recruiting and consulting.

DHR Global reported $222.5 million in total global revenue, with 194 consultants and 36 offices in the U.S./Americas, second only to Korn Ferry’s 37. It says its footprint covers more than 60 cities and 22 countries.

DSG Global (Diversified Search Group) reported $202 million in total global revenue and $135.0 million in the U.S./Americas, with 105 consultants and 14 offices. It says it is woman-founded and led and has done executive search for five decades.

Browning Associates is not ranked on revenue: it publishes none and is not in Hunt Scanlon’s 2026 Top 50, because it is not a client-retained search firm. It works for the job seeker, who pays: its FAQ says “We never take a fee from the hiring company,” and in a BBB reply it calls itself “a professional career management and consulting firm, not a recruiting or job placement agency.” From 10 Dorrance St in Providence, Rhode Island, it sells resume and personal-brand writing, LinkedIn optimization, networking strategy and interview coaching. Its BBB profile lists Byron Associates, Inc. as an alternate name. On the BBB it has an A+ rating, has been accredited since 3/25/2011, and averages 4.65/5 from 43 customer reviews, with 2 complaints in the last 3 years (as of October 14, 2026). Reviews split: 5-star reviewers praise the coaching and networking, while 2-star reviewers who paid about $15,000 say they got mainly a resume rewrite, LinkedIn work and weekly check-in calls. A BBB complaint over a $15,500 fee is marked Answered; the firm replied that fees are non-refundable after a three-business-day rescission period. Our Browning Associates reviews page quotes both sides in full.