Strategy & Transformation Executive Search

Strategy leaders for the inflection

Identify premier Chief Strategy Officers, Heads of Corporate Development, or transformation executives through the highest placement velocity of any function we anchor.

Start a Search Meet Our Partners
85% Return Rate
4.9 out of 5 rating
100 Median Days to Close
98% Placement Rate
The Function

Strategy & Transformation
executive search

Strategy stopped being a planning function. MIT Sloan reports that 67% of chief strategy officers now carry direct execution responsibility, so the role you are hiring for in 2026 looks little like the pure-strategy CSO of a few years ago. M&A has become continuous rather than occasional, with mid-market deal volume up 11% year over year, which means the head of corporate development you bring on has to keep a pipeline moving while integrating the last close. The operator-strategist who does both is the rare hire and the one worth the search.

Source:  McKinsey M&A Insights 2025

The Roles We Place

Strategy lives across many seats.

Four roles that decide whether the plan becomes the result. We’ve placed across all of them and we know which one your moment actually calls for.

 A Chief Strategy Officer carries both jobs at once: where the company goes and what it buys to get there. We place CSOs who have run that mandate through the moments that test it, pre-IPO preparation, post-acquisition integration, and the years in between. 

Operating at the pivotal intersection of corporate strategy, business development, and high-leverage partnerships, a dynamic Chief Development Officer opens expansive new market opportunities. We connect you with visionary growth leaders built to unlock untapped revenue channels and establish powerful strategic alliances.

Positioning themselves as a vital strategic bridge between the CEO and the board, a sophisticated SVP of Strategy translates high-level corporate ambition into decision-grade analysis and clear operational accountability. We secure visionary strategists who combine deep analytical rigor with a proven commitment to flawless execution.
Serving as the fundamental engine for inorganic growth, a progressive VP of Corporate Development masterfully commands your M&A pipeline, strategic diligence, and integration frameworks. We source elite corporate development executives who turn high-level strategic intent into successfully closed transactions and long-term asset value.
Sample of our work
Our clients

Companies trust ON Partners

Recent placements

Leaders recently placed

Successful Placement
DecisionHR Hires New Chief Revenue Officer
Read More →

DecisionHR Hires New Chief Revenue Officer

Josh McIntosh Appointed as Chief Revenue Officer at DecisionHR

Jun 12, 2026 11:51:25 AM
Successful Placement
Power Integrations Appoints New Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales
Read More →

Power Integrations Appoints New Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales

Power Integrations Names Mike Balow Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales

Jun 11, 2026 4:34:41 PM
Successful Placement
Safe Software Appoints New Chief Financial Officer
Read More →

Safe Software Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

Safe Software bolsters leadership team with CFO appointment to drive next phase of growth

Jun 4, 2026 3:50:14 PM
Successful Placement
Ready Rebound Appoints New President and Chief Revenue Officer
Read More →

Ready Rebound Appoints New President and Chief Revenue Officer

Ready Rebound Names Jim Tarantino as President and Chief Revenue Officer

May 28, 2026 2:43:13 PM
Successful Placement
Wagepoint Names New Chief Commercial Officer
Read More →

Wagepoint Names New Chief Commercial Officer

Wagepoint Appoints Alexander Gonçalves as Chief Commercial Officer to Accelerate Next Phase of …

May 28, 2026 1:42:08 PM
Successful Placement
Diebold Nixdorf Appoints New Chief Information Officer
Read More →

Diebold Nixdorf Appoints New Chief Information Officer

Diebold Nixdorf Names Raj Singh as Chief Information Officer

May 18, 2026 4:16:46 PM
View all placements
Common Questions

What leaders may ask before a search

Most commonly when the company has either completed its first acquisition, is preparing for a platform-build strategy, or has reached scale where M&A becomes a repeatable discipline rather than an episode.

A CSO is a C-suite executive who owns enterprise strategy, including but not limited to M&A. A Head of Corp Dev is typically a senior VP focused on the M&A pipeline, diligence, and integration.
Our median Strategy function search closes in 100 days, because we have the candidate pool well-mapped.  The executive search industry average sits around 90 to 180 days.
Pattern recognition under pressure. The best transformation leaders have lived through more than one transformation (carve-outs, integrations, restructurings) and can move fast without breaking what shouldn't be broken.