With nearly 20 years of experience in recruitment and executive search across Europe, the UK, and the US, I help businesses define the exact profile of leaders who truly generate value. Through my targeted search approach, I identify and secure high-impact executives who accelerate value creation and position your company for sustainable success.

I focus on executive and leadership search across HR and core corporate functions, supporting clients throughout the US market. With a strong emphasis on understanding organizational strategy, leadership impact, and cultural dynamics, I help companies identify and secure leaders who drive sustainable performance. Through a targeted and relationship-driven search approach, I work closely with clients to define the right leadership profiles and deliver long-term value beyond the hire.

I am a seasoned executive search consultant with over 20 years of industry experience. For many years I have specialized in placing senior leaders in core corporate functions such as Finance, Legal, Compliance, Sales, Marketing, and HR. Based in Düsseldorf, I support international mid-sized companies, banks, and leading enterprises. Clients and candidates alike value me for my strong network across the entire DACH region. With extensive experience in building and filling leadership roles and teams, as well as deep expertise in international market development, I am proud to be recognized as a trusted expert in executive search.

With over 10 years of experience in recruiting, I help IT professionals and leaders take the next step in their careers. I work closely with both experienced experts and companies, guiding them through the entire process, from the first conversation to a successful partnership. My goal is to build meaningful connections that create real value and lay the foundation for long-term growth.

I engineer AI-powered intelligence systems that give our executive search practice a decisive competitive edge. My focus is building proprietary technology that maps C-suite talent networks through advanced analytics and machine learning, identifying leaders our competitors can't reach through traditional channels. Beyond pure technology deployment, I architect the workflows that seamlessly integrate AI capabilities into our search process.

I deliver the deep market intelligence that powers our executive search practice, uncovering exceptional leaders. My systematic approach maps entire talent ecosystems, tracking rising stars in portfolio companies, analyzing conference circuits for subject matter experts, and identifying transformation leaders in adjacent industries. Every market map I create transforms cold outreach into informed conversations, giving our consultants the competitive intelligence to engage top talent with credibility and precision.

My specialization lies in connecting experienced professionals within Accountancy, Audit, and Tax. Thanks to my in-depth knowledge of the profession, I am able to think substantively about your work as well as the organizational culture that fits it. In addition, I maintain a strong network of firms with growth ambitions, enabling me to connect specialists and organizations in a natural and sustainable way. Interested? Please feel free to get in touch.

I support the teams at michaelillert with research and market intelligence with a core focus on the Dutch and US markets.