Why we created Starfish

Society is changing radically. With an increasingly varied range of organisations interested in delivering social value, we launched Starfish Search to help them find the talented leaders they need. We exist for organisations with social purpose and are equipped to find and engage senior people from different sectors who have that motivation. We offer informed, skilled search for both executive and non-executive leadership appointments and we pride ourselves in giving balanced, trusted advice, and in our own high professional standards. Our aim is to ensure that our clients benefit immediately from our personal experience, insight and intuition. Therefore, our most experienced people work hands-on on each assignment. Our ability to carry out our work well also relies on our understanding of the world around us. We actively engage with leaders and opinion-formers across different sectors on the big issues, and co-create topics for debate with them.

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What sets us apart

We are committed to the long-term cultivation and development of a strong, vibrant and sustainable society and our aim is to contribute to that: appointment by appointment. We stay relevant and in tune with the issues of the day through people who are themselves influencers and commentators. We work across all sectors – public, private and voluntary – at the most senior levels and our searches are handled directly by the most experienced people in our business. Our priority is quality: we advise our clients based on their needs and not our own, and we put our relationships at the heart of our work. We believe that clients who trust our advice at the beginning of an assignment deserve that same expertise and judgement from start to finish. Starfish is an owner led business, reliant on the quality of our work, reputation and relationships.

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Wondering how we chose our name?

The starfish is a symbol of guidance, vigilance, inspiration, brilliance and intuition. For millennia it has represented safe travel over troubled waters, friendship to the impoverished and those in need, and been guardian to troubled seafarers. Through its powers of regeneration, the starfish is also an emblem of strength and longevity. In a social and leadership context, the starfish helps us think about the power of renewal through organisational change and shifting thought and attitudes.

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Our clients share a commitment to social, economic and political progress. Our candidates – regardless of their professional background – all bring their social conscience to work.
We work with existing and emerging leaders, identifying potential and helping to build capability for the future. We want existing leaders from all backgrounds to be promoted and supported and new leaders to be encouraged to enter the frame.
We focus our energies on our clients’ priorities: our most experienced team members work close to the people with whom we work, giving clients the best value for money.
We take a personal interest in our candidates and clients, are prepared to ask the difficult questions, and give our clients the highest chance of appointing the best, not the predictable.
Once appointed candidates can easily be forgotten: we make sure our candidates have the support they need to be successful. We offer one year’s mentoring support to everyone appointed through us.
We stay up to date with the issues of the day, with influential people who are thinkers and commentators on a wide range of topics.