Retained search for the roles
that sit closest to leadership.

We place Chiefs of Staff, Executive Assistants, and Analysts into
Office of the CXO teams, elite boutiques, and single family offices.

Or email contact@blackbookassociates.com

100%Retained model
6 moReplacement guarantee
$1m+Recent mandate delivered
3Practice areas
Why retained

The right hire, not the fastest one.

Contingency rewards speed. Retained rewards judgement.

We accept a limited number of mandates each quarter so the team can give every search the research, access, and senior attention it requires. Our fee is committed at the start, which means success is defined by the quality of the hire, not the pace of a shortlist.

A retained model is the only way to run the kind of deep, discreet, off-market search these roles demand, and to stand behind the placement for the full six months after the hire.

Why these hires are the hardest to get right.

The people who sit closest to a principal need proven capability, real emotional intelligence, and the composure to keep pace at the highest level. They must be sophisticated enough to represent the principal when they are not in the room, and share the kind of personal chemistry that turns a working relationship into a genuine partnership.

Finding it takes time, direct access, and a search team willing to test candidates properly before a client meets them. It is exactly what a retained model is designed to do.

Blackbook Assess

Evidence before instinct.

Our proprietary platform is the only assessment tool built exclusively for Executive Assistants, Chiefs of Staff, and Office of the CEO teams.

Every shortlisted candidate is tested on the judgement, discretion, and commercial instinct these roles demand, in real scenarios drawn from the environments they will work in.

Explore Blackbook Assess
Track record

Selected placements.

Confidential by design. A snapshot of recent retained mandates.

  1. 01

    Chief of Staff · Chief Operating Officer

    Global investment bank. Integrating newly acquired teams, scaling operations, and maintaining institutional standards.

    Comp accepted$1,000,000
  2. 02

    Chief of Staff

    Global asset manager, dotted line into the Office of the CEO. Mandated to reduce AUM reporting timelines.

    Comp accepted$550,000
  3. 03

    Primary Executive Assistant

    To the CEO of an $850bn market-cap technology company.

    Comp accepted$375,000
  4. 04

    Primary Executive Assistant

    To a senior executive at a world-leading hedge fund.

    Comp accepted$300,000
  5. 05

    Chief of Staff

    To the principal of a single family office, leading the family office build-out.

    Comp accepted$275,000
  6. 06

    Executive Assistant

    Supporting the Chair of a Private Equity practice generating $800m in annual revenue.

    Comp accepted$265,000
  7. 07

    Executive Assistant

    To the CHRO of a public financial services business valued in excess of $25bn.

    Comp accepted$225,000
In every engagement

What's included.

Every retained search includes senior ownership, proprietary assessment, and a fixed post-placement standard.

Senior ownership

A named consultant leads the mandate from brief to offer. The same person owns the search throughout.

Market access

Bespoke mapping, off-limits agreement, and confidential headhunting across the market. We leave no stone unturned.

Blackbook Assess

Every shortlisted candidate is tested on judgement, discretion, and commercial instinct before they reach the client.

Scope of engagement
  • Named senior consultant
  • Bespoke market map
  • Off-limits mapping
  • Confidential off-market headhunting
  • Written candidate summaries
  • Blackbook Assess on every shortlist
  • Two professional references
  • Offer management
  • Onboarding and quarterly check-ins
  • Six-month replacement guarantee