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 who are 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. The firm has deep experience in senior leadership appointments in 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, and bring experience from senior executive roles in both private and public companies.

This gives clients access to advisers who understand leadership, governance, business performance and organisational complexity from both a search and corporate perspective.

SPi is also owner-managed, which allows for direct decision-making, flexibility and close senior-level involvement throughout the search process.

SPi’s consultants are shareholders and directors in the firm. They bring experience from senior executive roles in private and public companies, combined with executive search expertise.

This means they are able to engage credibly with boards, CEOs, senior executives and candidates, and to bring practical business judgement to the search process.

The public SPi team page lists Mpho Nkeli as Executive Chairperson, Jaco Kriek as Managing Director, and Christo Badenhorst, Bongani Magudulela, Karen Cook, Richard North, Eileen Drysdale and Takalane Khashane as Directors.

SPi holds a Level 2 BBBEE status.

SPi focuses on senior leadership and governance appointments. These include:

• CEO and Managing Director
• Chairman
• Non-Executive Director
• CFO, COO, CHRO and Commercial Director
• Functional executive roles
• Senior leadership team appointments
• Board and committee appointments

SPi is particularly suited to assignments where leadership quality, discretion, stakeholder credibility, strategic fit and cultural alignment are critical.

Yes. SPi’s CEO and Executive Search service is designed to align leadership requirements with business strategy and to identify leaders who can drive growth, transformation and long-term organisational success.

The firm uses primary research, market mapping, candidate assessment and international reach to identify best-fit leaders.

Advertising can be useful for some appointments, but senior leadership roles often require a more targeted and confidential approach. Many of the best candidates are not actively looking for a new role and may not respond to an advertisement.

Executive search allows an organisation to identify, approach and assess the most relevant leaders in the market, including those who are currently successful in comparable roles.

SPi uses primary research and market mapping to identify relevant leadership talent. Its research capability allows the firm to map local, Sub-Saharan African and global talent markets, and to identify candidates who match the client’s strategic, technical and cultural requirements.

Market mapping is the process of identifying where relevant leadership talent sits in the market. It gives the client a clear view of target companies, comparable roles, possible candidates, talent availability and market perception.

For senior appointments, market mapping helps ensure that the search is not limited to known names or active job seekers. It creates a more complete view of the leadership market and improves the quality of the shortlist.

SPi assesses candidates against the client’s role requirements, business strategy, leadership needs and culture, using blended leadership assessments including psychometric evaluations to assess skills, experience, competencies and cultural fit.

Yes. SPi’s CEO and Executive Search service uses blended leadership assessments, including psychometric evaluations, to support a more precise match between the candidate’s skills, experience, competencies and culture fit.

Yes. SPi provides tailored onboarding support to help newly appointed leaders integrate effectively, accelerate impact and support long-term success.

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.

This is particularly valuable for boards and shareholders who need to manage leadership continuity, reduce succession risk and prepare future leaders for larger roles.

Yes. SPi’s succession services include assessment of internal and external candidates to identify individuals with the potential to succeed in executive roles.

This enables boards and leadership teams to compare internal talent with the external market and make more informed succession decisions.

Yes. A key part of executive search is helping clients clarify the role, the leadership requirement and the success profile. SPi works with clients to understand the business context, strategic priorities and leadership gaps before finalising the search strategy.

A successful executive appointment combines relevant experience, leadership capability, values, culture fit, stakeholder credibility, motivation and the ability to deliver in the specific business context.

The strongest candidate is not always the most obvious candidate on paper. The right appointment is the person most likely to succeed in the role, with the board, the leadership 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.

This helps boards strengthen governance, improve composition and add the skills, experience, independence and judgement required for future strategy.

SPi’s Board Services include:

• 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 Non-Executive Director search identifies independent board candidates who bring relevant experience, judgement, governance capability and strategic perspective.

The process typically considers board composition, independence, diversity, sector experience, committee requirements and the future needs of the organisation.

Leadership Team Strengthening focuses on improving the effectiveness, alignment and performance of a leadership team.

SPi’s service includes culture alignment, team effectiveness, leadership talent development, onboarding and monitoring, team evaluation and organisational alignment.

Yes. SPi’s Leadership Team Strengthening service includes culture alignment, helping leadership teams foster a unified culture that supports the organisation’s mission and values.

Yes. SPi’s Leadership Team Strengthening service includes tailored interventions to improve communication, collaboration and decision-making within leadership teams.

Yes. SPi is a member of AltoPartners, a global alliance of executive search firms.

Through AltoPartners, SPi has access to leadership talent across more than 35 countries, 60+ offices and a network of more than 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. Its regional experience is supported by primary research capability and access to the AltoPartners global network.

AltoPartners gives SPi access to international talent, global market intelligence and leadership search capability across multiple regions.

This allows SPi to combine local South African knowledge with international reach when clients need regional or global leadership options.

SPi is a South African executive search firm based in Johannesburg, with local ownership and local decision-making.

At the same time, SPi has international reach through AltoPartners. This gives clients the benefit of a boutique South African advisory relationship with access to global search capability.

Confidentiality is central to executive search. Senior appointments often involve sensitive organisational, succession, replacement or market considerations.

SPi manages client and candidate communication discreetly, protecting both the client’s reputation and the candidate’s privacy throughout the process.

Yes. SPi is well suited to confidential senior search assignments where discretion is essential, including replacement searches, succession-related assignments, sensitive board appointments or confidential market mapping.

A strong executive search process starts with a clear brief. SPi would typically need to understand:

• The business context and strategic priorities
• The role, reporting line and key deliverables
• The leadership style and culture of the organisation
• The remuneration range and location requirements
• Transformation considerations
• Required qualifications or experience
• The interview and decision-making process

The better the brief, the stronger the search strategy and candidate shortlist.

The timing depends on the complexity of the role, the size of the candidate market, the level of confidentiality, candidate availability and the client’s interview process.

Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all timeline, SPi agrees the search plan and milestones with each client at the start of the assignment.

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

SPi conducts structured reference checks at the appropriate stage of the process and with the necessary candidate consent.

These checks help test leadership style, performance, values, culture fit, stakeholder management, strengths, development areas and any risks relevant to the appointment.

SPi’s primary client is the organisation making the appointment, but candidate care is an important part of a professional executive search process. Senior candidates should be engaged respectfully, discreetly and with clear communication throughout the process.

SPi works across sectors where leadership quality, governance, transformation and strategic execution are critical. These include 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 senior leadership appointments where pace, value creation, governance, stakeholder alignment and cultural fit are critical.

This may include CEO, CFO, COO, Chair, Non-Executive Director and functional leadership appointments.

Yes. SPi assists family-owned and founder-led businesses where leadership appointments require sensitivity to culture, trust, succession, governance and long-term fit.

In these environments, the right appointment is not only about technical competence, but also judgement, humility, stakeholder management and the ability 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, assessment requirements and next steps.