Board-ready diligence
We document operating history, capital raises, and team turnover with citations you can drop into a board deck without rewriting.
C-suite & board · New York
Leaders who have already sat in your chair.
Summit Gate Search partners with boards and CEOs on CFO, CRO, and CHRO searches where failure is expensive and confidentiality is non-negotiable. We run tight slates, document every reference, and stay through compensation committee approvals.
Engagements are partner-led with a dedicated research pod and weekly written updates.
What partners deliver
Every Summit Gate mandate includes market maps, documented references, and compensation framing memos before you extend an offer.
Small slates
You meet four to six finalists who already passed reference thresholds—not a parade of friends-of-friends.
Global reach, NYC desk
Partners fly for final meetings, but research and coordination stay on our Midtown desk with one timezone for your team.
Weekly written updates
Fridays bring pipeline status, risks, and decisions needed before Monday—no surprise stalls before comp committee.
Offer choreography
We coach framing, align on equity, and join calls when candidates counter so committees hear consistent messages.
Succession planning
For board mandates we map internal bench strength and external options with the same scorecard discipline as full search.
Mandate types
Comparison of how Summit Gate staffs CFO, CRO, and CHRO searches.
| CFO · public prep | 10–12 weeks | 5–6 | Board + auditor refs |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRO · growth stage | 8–10 weeks | 4–5 | Revenue leader refs |
| CHRO · PE portfolio | 9–11 weeks | 5–6 | Culture + comp refs |
| Board director | 6–8 weeks | 6–8 | Governance interviews |
2025 partner desk
- C-suite searches closed
- 22
- Offers accepted first pass
- 86%
- Active board relationships
- 11
- Partners on roster
- 9
Model a retained fee
Slide base compensation and mandate type to see an illustrative Summit Gate fee split. Not a contract—just transparent maths.
Retained fee$94,990before expenses
Actual fees depend on scope, geography, and exclusivity. Partners provide a written letter before kickoff.
Request fee letterBoard and CEO voices
“They walked our audit chair through references before we ever met finalists. Saved us a painful dinner.”
“Comp committee had the market map two weeks in. Negotiation took one call, not three.”
“Confidential until the end. Not a single leak to the press or our sales team.”
Composite quotes from fictional Summit Gate clients.
Executive search questions
How confidential are searches?
Names stay off market until you approve outreach. NDAs cover research vendors.
Do you replace failed hires?
Retained mandates include a replacement window defined in the fee letter.
Who leads the work?
A named partner plus research director. No bait-and-switch to junior staff mid-search.
Do you work outside the US?
Yes for global mandates with NYC partner oversight.
Open a confidential mandate
Send a brief and a partner responds within one business day with a draft slate plan.
Confidential intake
Share role scope, reporting line, and compensation band. Nothing transmits from this preview.