Founder guide
How to find a CEO for your company.
Brief
Five ways of hiring a chief executive officer for a company in Italy. Real costs, real timelines, when each channel wins. Written for founders, boards and owners.
Direct answer
An Italian founder has five ways to find a CEO: direct board network, executive search firms, sector boutiques, fractional platforms, and a senior operator hired directly on an interim mandate. Direct network is the fastest but pool-limited; executive search costs 25-35% of base salary and takes 4-9 months; an interim operator enters in two weeks on a monthly retainer with no search fee.
Five ways to find a CEO
- 01
Board and founder network
Fastest and most pool-limited channel. Zero fee, candidates socially validated, but reach depends on the network's quality. Works when the board has international presence.
- 02
Executive search firm
Standard for roles above 20M in revenue. Fee of 25-35% of base salary, timelines of 4-9 months. Suits stable businesses where time is not the constraint.
- 03
Italian sector boutiques
Leaner structures with sector focus. Lower fees, higher proximity, narrower pool. Good compromise for industrial mid-market and family businesses.
- 04
Fractional management platforms
Marketplaces of part-time executives for specific phases (scale-up, digital, marketing). Variable day-rate cost. Fits second-tier roles, less the CEO seat itself.
- 05
Interim operator hired directly
A senior with a C-level track record engaged in two weeks with a written mandate. No search fee, monthly retainer, agreed exit. Fastest way for a founder to put a real CEO at the table without committing to a permanent contract.
Continue reading
Hub
Interim CEO in ItalyOne senior operator with a C-level track record, the alternative to head hunter fees.
Related
Cost of a head hunterThe 25-35% executive search fee explained.
Related
Alternative to executive searchThree ways to hire a CEO without a search firm.
FAQ
Founder questions
How does a founder find a CEO for a small or mid-sized company in Italy?
Five channels: direct network of the board, executive search firms, Italian sector boutiques, fractional management platforms, and a senior operator hired directly on an interim mandate. Direct network is fastest but pool-limited; executive search costs 25-35% of base salary and takes 4-9 months; an interim operator enters in two weeks on a monthly retainer.
Can a founder trust a first external manager?
Yes, when the mandate is written: decision perimeter, delegated authority, reporting line, exit criteria. Trust is built through a six-month interim engagement before signing a permanent contract. The interim period is the honest test drive of the governance model.
What does a CEO cost for an Italian mid-market company?
A permanent CEO in Italian mid-market costs between 130,000 and 260,000 euros of base salary plus 20-40% variable, plus LTIP or equity in PE-backed companies. Fully loaded, above 300,000 euros of annual company cost. An interim CEO is a comparable monthly retainer with no search fee.
How long does it take to find a CEO in Italy?
Executive search: 4-9 months between brief and effective entry, before the candidate's notice period. Direct network of the board: variable, one to three months if the pool exists. Interim CEO hired directly: two weeks from first call, written mandate within 48 hours.
Need this seat filled. Fast.