1. Your local partner worldwide.
“Most resources are available to all companies.
The great variable is the quality of leadership —
it determines why some companies fail and others
succeed.”
Sidney Boyden (1900-1993)
Executive search
Executive search is a specialized branch of How does it work?
management consulting with the objective
to identify and present qualified candidates Most executive search assignments follow a
for specific management positions at senior similar pattern:
levels. • An experienced Boyden associate meets
A retained executive search firm represents with the client to discuss details of the
the client organization only and is not in the position to be filled and the preferred
business of placing candidates without a candidate specifications. The Boyden
client mandate. associate submits a proposal to state the
objectives and scope of the assignment.
The governing body for the code of ethics Upon acceptance, the Boyden associate
and professional conduct is the Association of works with the client in finalizing the job
Executive Search Consultants (AESC). description, which consists of the position
and candidate specifications.
Why use executive search? • The Boyden associate then assigns a
team of researchers to identify prospective
A company may decide to use executive
candidates and the associate will interview
search to maintain confidentiality for
those most suited to the job. A detailed
competitive or internal considerations.
candidate report will be prepared and
A company may have only a small, or presented to the client. Often, other
administration-focused, human resources Boyden offices may be called upon to help
function, thus requiring outside professional in the search.
skills and experience.
• Clients will shortlist and interview those
A company may be setting up an operation whom they have selected. Clients may
in a new or unfamiliar marketplace. It may then select one or more finalists for further
need the guidance of recruiters with local rounds of interviews.
knowledge to identify the right candidates with
• Boyden plays an active role in the
appropriate expertise.
negotiation and agreement of a final offer
Most senior level candidates will not respond for the chosen candidate. As a matter of
to job advertisement or contingency based course, the Boyden associate will check the
recruitment agencies. candidate’s references before confirming
the offer.
Our experience shows us the search usually
provides the only way to find exactly the right • The Boyden associate follows up with the
person. client and the candidate at regular intervals
after the placement.

2. Your local partner worldwide.
“Most resources are available to all companies.
The great variable is the quality of leadership —
it determines why some companies fail and others
succeed.”
Sidney Boyden (1900-1993)
The Boyden overview
Why Boyden? Boyden in China
Boyden was founded in 1946 by Sidney Through our offices located in Hong Kong
Boyden, a management consultant who and the major cities of Mainland China,
pioneered an organized, professional Boyden has been helping companies develop
approach to filling the requirements of and grow businesses in the Greater China
company clients for management talent. region since 1965. Few firms in Asia offer a
Today, Boyden following on in this tradition, truly global reach and presence in executive
servicing client needs with talent management search, together with an extensive range of
services in 40 countries with more than 70 locally-focused human resources consulting
offices worldwide. services. Boyden Global Executive Search
offers unique benefits to clients in partnership
Boyden is a longstanding member of the with our sister company Boyden Management
Association of Executive Search Consultants Consulting Asia.
(www.aesc.org) and subscribes unreservedly
to the Association’s Code of Ethics. With over 40 years experience in Greater
China, we challenge the notion that executive
search and human resources consulting are
incompatible business partners. Through our
teams of consultants based in Hong Kong,
Shanghai and Beijing we offer the following
range of consulting services:
• Senior executive search
• Management assessment
• Interim management
• Human resources consulting

3. Your local partner worldwide.
“Most resources are available to all companies.
The great variable is the quality of leadership —
it determines why some companies fail and others
succeed.”
Sidney Boyden (1900-1993)
The Boyden advantage
Building long-term and trusting partnerships that we can empathize with busy executives
with our clients is our goal. Our clients dealing with real-time problems. We have
receive our committed and dedicated service been there too!
of the highest level and quality. We pride
ourselves in our:
Local knowledge
Total solutions Most of us come from diverse backgrounds,
but we share the common factor of having
Problems are not always what they seem, lived and worked in Asia for decades. Many
and the solutions to them are equally diverse. of our consultants also have multinational
For example, replacing a key person may experience. Between us we speak many
not be the most cost effective answer to fill languages, including five of the Chinese
an organizational gap. It may be that a fresh dialects.
look at the structure and the people within
it could provide ways to achieve the same
Right size
end – but without the cost of recruitment.
Our experience enables us to give unbiased Despite our long history and well established
professional advice. international presence, Boyden does not set
out to be the largest executive search firm in
Long-term thinking China in terms of revenue or the breadth of
our clientele. Intentionally, we only serve a
Boyden is the oldest search firm in China and small number of selected clients within each
the first fully licensed wholly foreign-owned industry sector; we believe we have the right
executive search firm in Shanghai. We aim size to offer superlative results in conducting
to prosper and grow steadily and securely. successful searches. Our off-limit constraints
We measure our goals in decades: we define are minimal.
our strategies in five year spans. We will not
permit short-term thinking to override what is
best for our clients, in the longer-term. We
aim to build a long-term relationship with
each client and to be regarded as a valued
extension of its human resources function.
Practical corporate experience
Our solutions are based on well-tested
methodologies, designed specifically for our
Clients’ needs. Furthermore, our people
have spent a large part of their career taking
up senior corporate positions. This means

4. Your local partner worldwide.
“Most resources are available to all companies.
The great variable is the quality of leadership —
it determines why some companies fail and others
succeed.”
Sidney Boyden (1900-1993)
The Boyden commitment
• All information concerning the client’s • No person in a client company will be
business and the candidates’ details are approached to become a candidate for at
completely confidential least two years after the completion of a
search assignment
• All candidates will be presented with their
knowledge and approval • A client will never be identified to a source,
or candidate without authorization
• Candidates will be kept informed of their
status throughout the search • A search will not be revealed to other parts
of the client organization unless authorized
• A candidate will never be presented to
more than one client at the same time • If asked to assist in compensation
negotiations, Boyden will primarily
represent the client but will always seek fair
treatment for the candidate