The right leader isn't a guess.
It's a pattern, if you know how to read it. Allport Partners is a retained executive search and leadership advisory firm built on structured assessment, not a resume glance and a gut feeling.
What we do
A senior-led practice, deliberately low-volume, every search gets partner-level attention from first call to close.
Retained Executive Search
We scout the market for the strongest C-suite and VP leaders, then evaluate judgment and fit with structure, not volume.
Board & NED Search
Governance-level searches handled with the discretion board appointments require.
Leadership Assessment
A structured read on how a candidate will actually operate under your specific conditions.
Succession Planning
Succession planning for the transitions that can't wait for a lengthy search.
The Allport Method
Most searches are built on a resume, a polished interview, and a reference the candidate chose themselves. None of those three reliably predict how someone leads under real conditions, so we don't stop there.
Our process is structured around the same principle the firm is named for: personality isn't one score, it's a pattern of traits that predicts behavior. We evaluate that pattern deliberately, at every stage of a search.
And before any shortlist reaches you, independent experts audit each candidate's technical depth, validation most firms leave until your own interviews. It saves your team time, and means every name you see has already cleared an expert bar.
Read our full methodology →Read the pattern, not the performance.
In the 1930s, Harvard psychologist Gordon Allport proved something that wasn't obvious at the time: personality is a distinct, identifiable pattern of traits, not one fixed score, and that pattern predicts how someone actually behaves.
We built this firm around the same discipline. It's a better way to hire a leader than a flattering interview and a hope.
Read the full story →Questions we get asked
How long does a typical search take?
Most retained searches run in the region of 8–12 weeks from kickoff to a final shortlist, depending on the seniority of the role and how defined the brief is. We'd rather move deliberately and present the right shortlist than rush to fill a seat.
How are your engagements structured?
We work mostly on a retained basis rather than contingency, engagements are staged, which lets us commit senior time to a search and stay objective about fit instead of racing to place the first plausible candidate. We'll walk you through the specific structure and options on an intro call. Retained vs. contingency →
What happens if a placement doesn't work out?
We agree up front what happens in the rare event a hire doesn't work out, so you have that clarity before the search begins.
Do you run searches outside the US?
Yes. Simon has led senior searches across both the US and Europe, and we take on cross-border mandates where the role or the candidate pool spans both markets.
How involved will my team need to be?
The day-to-day legwork is ours. But the strongest searches are collaborative, we'll want focused time up front to calibrate the brief, then periodic check-ins as we present and refine the shortlist.