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Practice· Jan 31, 2026· 6 min read
What executive search actually costs in India.
Retainer structures, success fees, replacement guarantees — and why the cheapest search is almost always the most expensive.
Retained executive search in India typically runs at 25–33% of first-year target compensation, billed in thirds across kick-off, shortlist and on-join milestones.
Cheaper contingency arrangements look attractive on paper, but the economics push the firm to pitch volume, not fit. The cost of one wrong CXO is rarely under two crore in lost momentum and replacement cycles.
What matters is not the headline percentage but the replacement guarantee, the consultant continuity, and whether the firm will actually walk away from a brief that is mis-scoped.
