Spear’s Review

Stephenson Executive Search focuses on appointments in the family office, wealth management and asset management sectors, founder Billy Stephenson tells Spear’s. ‘We partner with clients and help them across the whole of their business, appointing CEOs, CFOs and heads of divisions.’

As family offices become more popular internationally, the firm has followed suit, operating in the Middle East, Asia and across Europe. However, Stephenson, a former Credit Suisse banker, notes that the core qualities companies look for in candidates remain the same: ‘Discretion, emotional intelligence and career longevity will always be key,’ he says.

‘Supporting the continued drive for diversity is critical,’ he adds. The firm is a signatory of the Black Talent Charter and has ‘committed to help promote black talent in the UK’.

Adviser Profile

Billy Stephenson, managing director of award-winning boutique Stephenson Executive Search (SES), is widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable headhunters in financial services. A former Credit Suisse private banker and existing CISI fellow, he leads an elite team placing senior talent into banks, family offices and FTSE-listed firms across the UK, Europe, GCC and Asia.

SES is distinguished by its forensic, high-touch approach: face-to-face interviews; bespoke confidential reports featuring competitor mapping, gender breakdowns and market intelligence; and a strict no-CV-recycling policy. This diligence has delivered blue-chip hires including one of the UK’s most profitable private banking MDs, the CIO of a FTSE250 wealth manager, and the build-out of entire teams for leading charity and private client firms.

Integrity drives every search; supporting candidates even when not mandated, completing six pro bono mandates in the past year and ensuring 100 per cent of shortlists are diverse. As a founding signatory of the Black Talent Charter, Billy enforces diversity at every level.

Data-driven innovation underpins SES’s 34 per cent year-on-year growth, from AI-integrated sourcing to 20,000-word diversity studies that reshape client hiring. Strategic campaigns in private credit, Insurtech and emerging markets, powered by in-house AI automation, keep SES ahead of market shifts.

Clients describe Billy as ‘the most professional, diligent and considerate headhunter’ and ‘without any doubt, the best in the industry’ – a testament to a reputation built on unmatched expertise, measurable results and a relentless commitment to excellence.