Search Partners International, known as SPi, is a Johannesburg-based executive search and leadership advisory firm. SPi focuses on senior leadership appointments, including Chairmen, Non-Executive Directors, CEOs, C-suite executives and other senior executive roles.

SPi’s work includes CEO and executive search, CEO and executive succession, board services and leadership team strengthening.

SPi helps organisations identify, assess and appoint senior leaders aligned to the client’s strategy, culture and future leadership requirements.

• CEO & Executive Search: aligning leadership requirements with business strategy and finding best-fit leaders.
• CEO & Executive Succession: defining future leadership needs and identifying internal and external successors.
• Board Services: analysing board skills gaps, assessing board effectiveness and searching for Non-Executive Directors.
• Leadership Team Strengthening: aligning culture, improving team effectiveness and developing leadership talent.

SPi has more than five decades of CEO and executive search experience, with deep expertise across South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and international markets.

SPi combines South African market depth, boutique partner-led service and international reach. Its consultants are shareholders and directors in the firm, bringing experience from senior executive roles in private and public companies. As an owner-managed firm, SPi offers direct decision-making and close senior-level involvement throughout every search.

SPi’s consultants are shareholders and directors in the firm. The team includes Mpho Nkeli (Executive Chairperson), Jaco Kriek (Managing Director), and Directors Christo Badenhorst, Bongani Magudulela, Karen Cook, Richard North, Eileen Drysdale and Takalane Khashane.

SPi holds a Level 2 BBBEE status.

SPi focuses on senior leadership and governance appointments: CEO, Managing Director, Chairman, Non-Executive Director, CFO, COO, CHRO, Commercial Director, functional executive roles, senior leadership team appointments and board appointments.

Yes. SPi’s CEO and Executive Search service aligns leadership requirements with business strategy using primary research, market mapping, candidate assessment and international reach to identify best-fit leaders.

Many of the best senior candidates are not actively looking and will not respond to advertisements. Executive search allows an organisation to identify, approach and assess the most relevant leaders — including those currently successful in comparable roles.

SPi uses primary research and market mapping to identify relevant leadership talent across local, Sub-Saharan African and global talent markets, matching candidates to the client’s strategic, technical and cultural requirements.

Market mapping identifies where relevant leadership talent sits in the market — giving a clear view of target companies, comparable roles, possible candidates, talent availability and market perception. It improves shortlist quality by going beyond known names or active job seekers.

SPi assesses candidates against the client’s role requirements, business strategy, leadership needs and culture — using blended leadership assessments including psychometric evaluations to identify a leader most likely to succeed in the specific business and stakeholder environment.

Yes. SPi provides tailored onboarding support to help newly appointed leaders integrate effectively and accelerate impact.

Yes. SPi’s CEO and Executive Succession services help organisations define future leadership requirements, identify internal and external successors, and align succession planning with long-term strategic objectives.

Yes. SPi’s succession services assess both internal and external candidates, enabling boards to compare internal talent with the external market and make more informed succession decisions.

Yes. SPi works with clients to clarify the role, leadership requirement and success profile — understanding business context, strategic priorities and leadership gaps before finalising the search strategy.

A successful appointment combines relevant experience, leadership capability, values, culture fit, stakeholder credibility, motivation and the ability to deliver in the specific business context. The right person is most likely to succeed in the role, with the board, the team and the organisation’s future strategy.

Yes. SPi provides Board Services including board skills gap analysis, board effectiveness assessment and targeted searches for Non-Executive Directors.

• Board skills gap analysis
• Board effectiveness assessment
• Assessment of board dynamics and processes
• Identification of weaknesses or areas for improvement
• Targeted search for Non-Executive Directors
• Board composition support

A NED search identifies independent board candidates who bring relevant experience, judgement, governance capability and strategic perspective — considering board composition, independence, diversity, sector experience and the future needs of the organisation.

Leadership Team Strengthening improves the effectiveness, alignment and performance of a leadership team — covering culture alignment, team effectiveness, leadership development, onboarding, team evaluation and organisational alignment.

Yes. SPi helps leadership teams foster a unified culture that supports the organisation’s mission and values.

Yes. SPi provides tailored interventions to improve communication, collaboration and decision-making within leadership teams.

Yes. SPi is a member of AltoPartners — a global alliance giving access to leadership talent across more than 35 countries, 60+ offices and 300+ partners and consultants across the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific.

Yes. SPi has conducted executive search assignments across more than 25 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, supported by primary research capability and the AltoPartners global network.

SPi is a South African firm based in Johannesburg, with local ownership and decision-making. Through AltoPartners, clients benefit from a boutique local advisory relationship combined with global search capability.

Confidentiality is central to executive search. SPi manages all client and candidate communication discreetly, protecting both the client’s reputation and the candidate’s privacy throughout.

Yes. SPi is well suited to confidential assignments including replacement searches, succession-related assignments, sensitive board appointments and confidential market mapping.

SPi typically needs to understand the business context, role, reporting line, strategic priorities, key deliverables, leadership style, culture, remuneration range, location, transformation considerations, required qualifications and decision-making process. The better the brief, the stronger the shortlist.

Timing depends on role complexity, the candidate market, confidentiality level, candidate availability and the client’s interview process. SPi agrees a tailored search plan and milestones with each client at the outset.

A strong shortlist includes candidate background, current role, career history, relevant achievements, scale of responsibility, motivation, remuneration expectations, notice period, location and an assessment of fit against the role.

Yes. SPi conducts structured reference checks with candidate consent, covering leadership style, performance, values, culture fit, stakeholder management and any risks relevant to the appointment.

SPi works across listed companies, privately owned businesses, family-owned businesses, private equity-backed companies, financial services, mining, energy, consumer, healthcare, property, technology and professional services.

Yes. SPi assists investors and portfolio companies with CEO, CFO, COO, Chair and NED appointments where pace, value creation, governance and cultural fit are critical.

Yes. SPi assists family-owned and founder-led businesses where appointments require sensitivity to culture, trust, succession, governance and long-term fit — beyond technical competence, with the judgement to work constructively with owners, boards and management teams.

SPi is based at 3 on Glenhove, corner Tottenham Avenue and Glenhove Road, Melrose Estate, Johannesburg, 2196, South Africa.

The best starting point is a confidential discussion about the role, the business context, the leadership requirement and the timing. SPi can then advise on the appropriate search approach, candidate market, process and next steps.