Itamar AssafA CTO for an AI company ahead of a funding round
An experienced founder needed a seasoned CTO who could step in immediately, before the investment round. I mapped a few relevant people from my network, and one of them was chosen for the role.
Growth solutions · Executive search
Discreet executive search, from a community and not a database
Executive search in Israel: I find and place executives and senior leaders in key roles, matched to the organization's DNA. Full-time, fractional or board. No ad, no noise, and a fee only on success.
No commitment. We'll see if and how I can help.
- 700+
- people guided to their next role
- 3,500+
- community members, executives and founders
- 4,000+
- in-depth conversations in a decade
- 100%
- success fee only
The right executive is almost never looking for a job
The person who fits your role best is in a good role right now, not scrolling job boards.
An ad brings whoever is looking, not whoever fits. And when you replace a sitting executive, every leak is costly.
So I never open a public search. I reach out personally, and quietly, to people I know.
I'm not a headhunter. I'm an operator
A placement firm sells one service. For me, placement is one of three arms that feed each other: I build growth engines for companies, connect businesses and markets, and run a community of 3,500+ executives, founders and professionals.
It means that when I search for your executive, I know the role from the inside. I led marketing and business development at technology companies in retail, DevOps, agriculture and health, built a global marketing engine from scratch, and co-founded five companies. I know what a leader needs in order to succeed, because I've been there.
And it means the candidates don't come from a database. They come from a decade of conversations. Over 4,000 in-depth conversations with executives, founders and academics, and 700+ professionals I've guided to their next role. I know who is looking for a next step before they say it out loud.
My community is made of both/and people
Lost in Y is a community of people who don't fit in one box. Executives who combine a role with consulting, founders who sit on boards, senior leaders who built a portfolio career.
For an organization looking for an executive, that is a double advantage. First, these people are used to moving between worlds and get up to speed fast. Second, not every role needs a full-time hire. Sometimes the right answer is a VP two days a week, a senior advisor or a board member. I can bring all three, because my community is built of them.
How it works
Diagnosing the role and the organization
In the first conversation I put networking aside and start learning: who the people there are, what the numbers are, and what has or hasn't worked so far. Only then can we tell which person will survive and succeed there, and in what format.
Mapping and personal outreach
From the talent community and the relationships I've built over a decade. People I know personally, not a list pulled from a system.
Two or three precise candidates
Instead of twenty CVs. I will never recommend someone I don't know personally and know delivers results.
Support until the hire
I accompany the organization from the first conversation until the right candidate is chosen.
Two cases from the field
A senior leader for a fundraising organization
The organization was looking for an experienced figure from that world, after an attempt with another provider had failed. The first candidate I referred was the right one.
Success fee only
No retainer and no upfront payment. You pay only when the candidate is chosen. That way my interest and yours are the same: finding the right person, not generating activity.
Frequently asked questions
What is a discreet search?
A search that is never published. I reach out personally to people I know, so the organization and the candidate stay out of the public eye until there is a match.
How is confidentiality kept?
No ad, and no CVs sent around. The organization's name is not revealed to a candidate before both sides agree to continue. Every exchange of details happens with consent.
Can you also find a fractional executive or a board member, not only a full-time hire?
Yes, and that is part of the advantage. My community is built of portfolio people, so I can offer an organization a part-time VP, a senior advisor or a board member, depending on what the role really needs.
How much does it cost?
Success fee only. No upfront payment, and you pay only when the candidate is chosen. The details are settled in the diagnostic call.
How long does it take?
It depends on the role and the market. In the diagnostic call we set a realistic timeline, without committing to a date in advance.
Which roles do you work on?
Executive recruitment for senior and C-level roles: from manager level to VP, CEO, CTO and board member.
What about candidates who aren't looking for a job?
That is exactly the majority. I reach out to them personally, without pressure, and only when the role truly fits them.
Looking for an executive for a key role, a board seat or a part-time position?
15 minutes, me to you, and we'll see if and how I can help.