Executive Search
Executive Search Dublin
Executive search built for Irish financial services
Phoenix Search is a retained executive search firm working across Dublin and Ireland, specialising in financial services, fund services, private equity, investment banking and payments. Founded in 2018, we hire CEOs, CFOs, COOs, risk and compliance leaders and board members for firms where the leadership hire matters most.
Dublin is one of Europe’s largest centres for funds, aviation finance, payments and international banking. Many of those firms run their EU regulated entity from Ireland, so senior hires carry regulatory weight as well as commercial responsibility. The candidate pool is small, well known and rarely on the market.
We work in a narrow set of sectors so we know the people in them. That means shorter shortlists, better conversations with candidates who are not looking, and a search that stands up to board and regulator scrutiny.
How a Phoenix search works
Brief. We agree the role, the measures of success and the market realities before the search starts.
Map. We map every relevant firm and incumbent in Ireland and, where it helps, the UK and US.
Assess. Candidates are interviewed and referenced against the brief, with fitness and probity readiness tested for regulated roles.
Close. We manage offer, notice and onboarding so the hire lands.
Sectors and roles we cover
Sectors: fund administration and fund services, private equity and portfolio companies, investment banking and M&A advisory, payments and regulated fintech, asset management and investment funds.
- CFOs and finance leaders
- COOs and operational leaders
- Heads of Risk, Compliance and MLROs, including PCF roles
- Non-executive directors and board advisors
- Commercial and business development leaders
Insight: Ireland’s private equity market, Funds and Corporate Services Sector Report H1 2026, Global CFO Survey 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is retained executive search?
Retained search is an exclusive engagement where the firm is paid in stages to run a full market search for a senior role, rather than only on placement. It suits leadership hires where confidentiality, market coverage and quality of assessment matter.
Do you search outside Ireland for Irish roles?
Yes. Many senior Irish hires come from London, Luxembourg or the US, including Irish executives returning home. We search wherever the right candidates are.
