How we charge, in plain terms.

An outline of how we work commercially, so you know the shape of an engagement before you speak to us. It is a summary, not the contract. Every search runs under a signed engagement letter and full terms of business, which we send before any work begins and which take precedence over this page.

Every search runs under its own written agreement. Before any work starts we agree the brief, the basis of our fee, the payment stages and the notice terms in writing, and that agreement is what governs the work.

We agree the number of searches we take on with you rather than working to a fixed rule, and we decline work outside our eight disciplines.

Our fee is either a percentage of the successful candidate's first-year fixed cash compensation or a fixed amount per hire. Which of the two applies, the figure itself, and exactly which elements of pay it is calculated on are set in your agreement, not here.

For more than one hire in the same piece of work, the basis is agreed up front in the same way.

Fees are exclusive of VAT or local sales tax where it applies. We do not add advertising, sourcing, assessment or travel charges unless that is agreed in writing in advance.

When we invoice, and against which stages, is set in your agreement. It may be a single invoice on the candidate's signed acceptance, or split across agreed stages.

Payment terms are stated on the invoice and in your agreement. Each invoice shows the basis of the fee it is charging.

Where a replacement or rebate arrangement applies, its length and conditions are set out in your agreement. We do not operate a single blanket guarantee across all engagements.

Any such arrangement assumes fees have been paid, and would not cover a departure that follows a material change to the role, redundancy or restructuring.

An introduction is any candidate we present to you in writing. If you hire someone we introduced, in that role or another, our fee applies for the period stated in your agreement.

Candidate details are confidential and shared with you alone. Please do not forward them to other companies, group entities or third parties without asking us first.

Briefs, compensation data and organisational information you share with us stay with us. We never name clients without permission.

Candidate data is handled as described in our privacy notice. Nothing is sent to you until the candidate has agreed to that specific company and that specific role.

Either side may end a search on the written notice set out in your agreement. Fees already invoiced for stages delivered remain payable; nothing further is charged for stages not reached.

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.