Privacy Policy | Michael Illert Executive Recruitment

Your Privacy is Important to Us

Michael Illert Executive Recruitment, Inc. ("we," "us," "our," or the "Company") operates as an executive search and recruitment business, providing specialized talent acquisition services to clients across a range of industries and geographies. In the course of delivering these services, we collect and process Personal Information from candidates, clients, website visitors, and other individuals who interact with our business.

We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of all Personal Information entrusted to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and safeguard your Personal Information when you visit our website, engage with our recruitment services, or otherwise interact with us. We encourage you to read this Policy carefully so that you understand your rights and our obligations with respect to your data. By using our website or providing your Personal Information to us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

Throughout this Policy, "Personal Information" means information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular individual or household, as defined under applicable law.

California Notice at Collection (CCPA/CPRA)

This section applies specifically to residents of California. Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, "CCPA/CPRA"), California residents have specific rights regarding their Personal Information. This notice at collection provides the disclosures required at or before the point of collection of Personal Information.

Categories of Personal Information Collected

We may collect the following categories of Personal Information, as defined under the CCPA/CPRA:

Identifiers and Contact Details. This includes your name, postal address, email address, telephone number, and other similar contact information that allows us to identify and communicate with you.
Professional and Employment Information. This encompasses your current and past job titles, employers, work history, educational background, professional qualifications, certifications, skills, compensation history, and compensation expectations.
Recruitment and Assessment Information. This includes resumes, curricula vitae, cover letters, interview notes and evaluations, reference information, assessment results, placement history, and information related to your suitability for particular roles.
Internet and Electronic Network Activity Information. This covers information collected automatically when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, time spent on pages, clickstream data, and other usage information collected through cookies and similar technologies.
Communications and Correspondence. This includes the content of emails, letters, chat messages, call notes, and other communications exchanged between you and our personnel.
Sensitive Personal Information. In limited cases and only where permitted or required by applicable law, we may collect Sensitive Personal Information such as racial or ethnic origin, citizenship or immigration status, or information concerning a disability. We collect such information only when it is necessary to comply with legal obligations, to provide reasonable accommodations, or where you have voluntarily provided such information to us.

Purposes for Collection

We collect the categories of Personal Information described above for the following business and commercial purposes:

Providing executive search, recruitment, and talent advisory services to our clients and candidates.
Operating, maintaining, and improving our website and overall business operations.
Communicating with candidates, clients, and other individuals regarding recruitment opportunities, business inquiries, and related matters.
Ensuring the security of our systems, preventing fraud, and complying with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
Engaging in marketing and business development activities, including sending newsletters and promotional communications where consent has been obtained or is not required under applicable law.

Retention

We retain Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, subject to the retention periods described in the "What Is Our Retention Policy?" section below.

Sale or Sharing

We do not sell your Personal Information in exchange for monetary consideration. However, certain uses of cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website may constitute "selling" or "sharing" of Personal Information under the broad definitions of those terms in California law. For example, certain analytics and advertising cookies may share information about your browsing activity with third parties in a manner that qualifies as a "sale" or "sharing" under the CCPA/CPRA. You may opt out of such activities by adjusting your cookie preferences through our cookie consent tool or by contacting us as described in the "Contact" section below.

Your Personal Information

Who Is Your Data Controller?

Michael Illert Executive Recruitment, Inc. is the controller of your Personal Information for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. As the data controller, we determine the purposes and means of processing your Personal Information and are responsible for ensuring that such processing complies with applicable law.

Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data processing activities, please contact us at: privacy@michaelillert.com

To Whom Does This Policy Apply?

This Privacy Policy applies to all individuals whose Personal Information we process, including but not limited to:

Website visitors who access and browse our website.
Clients who engage us to provide executive search and recruitment services.
Candidates who are being considered for, or who apply for, positions through our services or who register with us for career opportunities.
Newsletter recipients who subscribe to our email communications and industry updates.
Suppliers and service providers who provide goods or services to us.
Business partners and other professional contacts with whom we maintain a business relationship.

When Do We Collect Your Personal Information?

We collect Personal Information in a variety of contexts, including when you:

Register or create an account on our website or candidate portal.
Submit your resume, curriculum vitae, or other application materials to us.
Apply for a specific position through our website or through a third-party platform.
Visit and interact with our website, including through the use of cookies and similar technologies.
Subscribe to our newsletter or other marketing communications.
Attend events, conferences, or networking functions hosted or attended by us.
Contact us with inquiries, feedback, or requests for information.
Are identified through job board partners, referral partners, or recruitment databases with which we work.
Are identified through professional networking platforms, including LinkedIn.
Are identified through publicly available sources, such as corporate websites, professional directories, press releases, and industry publications.

What Kind of Personal Information Do We Collect?

A) Identifiers and Contact Details

We collect your name, postal address, telephone number, email address, and other contact information necessary to communicate with you and provide our services. Where relevant to a particular role or legal requirement, we may also collect your date of birth and gender. We collect this information directly from you, from our clients, or from publicly available sources.

B) Professional and Recruitment Information

We collect information contained in your resume or curriculum vitae, including your complete work history, educational background, professional qualifications, certifications, language skills, and areas of expertise. We also collect information related to the recruitment process, such as references provided by you or on your behalf, compensation expectations and history, interview notes and assessments, and records of your placement history with our firm. This information enables us to match candidates with suitable opportunities and provide comprehensive recruitment services to our clients.

C) Communications and Interaction History

We maintain records of our communications and interactions with you, including call notes and summaries, chat records, emails, and letters. These records allow us to maintain a complete and accurate picture of our relationship with you, ensure continuity of service, and follow up on matters discussed in prior communications.

Sensitive Personal Information

We recognize the heightened protections afforded to Sensitive Personal Information under applicable law and limit our collection and use of such information accordingly. We collect Sensitive Personal Information only in limited cases where it is permitted or required by law, such as when we need to comply with legal obligations related to equal employment opportunity reporting, immigration and work authorization requirements, or when providing reasonable accommodations for disabilities. Where we collect Sensitive Personal Information, we do so only with your knowledge and, where required, your explicit consent. We do not use Sensitive Personal Information to infer characteristics about you.

On What Legal Grounds Do We Process Your Personal Information?

Under the framework of applicable U.S. privacy laws, we process your Personal Information on the basis of legitimate business purposes. These include:

Providing our services. Processing is necessary to deliver executive search, recruitment, and talent advisory services to our clients and candidates. This constitutes the core activity of our business and requires the collection and use of Personal Information to identify, evaluate, and present candidates for consideration.
Operating our website and business. Processing is necessary to maintain and improve the functionality of our website, manage our internal business operations, and ensure the efficient administration of our services.
Communicating with you. Processing is necessary to respond to your inquiries, provide you with information about opportunities or services, and maintain our professional relationship with you.
Security and compliance. Processing is necessary to protect the security of our systems, prevent fraud, and comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations, including record-keeping and reporting requirements.
Marketing with consent where required. Where applicable law requires consent for marketing communications, we obtain such consent before sending you promotional materials. Where consent is not legally required, we may contact you based on our legitimate business interest in informing you of opportunities and services that may be relevant to you.

Why Do We Process Your Personal Information?

We process your Personal Information for the following specific purposes:

1. Providing Services in Recruitment and Career Guidance. Our primary purpose for processing Personal Information is to deliver executive search and recruitment services. This includes identifying suitable candidates for our clients' vacancies, evaluating candidates' qualifications and experience, facilitating interviews and assessments, managing the offer and placement process, and providing career guidance and advisory services to candidates. We maintain candidate records to enable us to match individuals with current and future opportunities that align with their skills and career objectives.

2. Operating Our Business Including Relationship Management. We process Personal Information to manage and administer our business operations, including maintaining client and candidate relationship records, managing contracts and agreements, processing invoices and payments, conducting internal reporting and analysis, and ensuring the efficient operation of our technology systems and business processes.

3. Marketing and Business Development. We process Personal Information to conduct marketing and business development activities, including sending newsletters and industry updates, informing you of upcoming events and networking opportunities, and providing information about our services. We engage in these activities only with your consent where required by law or on the basis of our legitimate business interest.

4. Research and Insights Including Market Research. We process Personal Information on an aggregated or anonymized basis to conduct market research, analyze recruitment trends, develop industry insights, and improve the quality and effectiveness of our services. Where we use Personal Information for research purposes, we implement appropriate safeguards to protect your privacy.

5. Legal and Compliance Purposes. We process Personal Information as necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations, respond to lawful requests from public authorities, enforce our contractual rights, establish, exercise, or defend legal claims, and protect the rights, property, and safety of our Company, our clients, our candidates, and others.

With Whom Can We Share Your Personal Information?

Clients and Prospective Employers

In the course of providing our recruitment services, we share candidate Personal Information with clients and prospective employers who have engaged us to fill vacancies. This information typically includes your resume or curriculum vitae, professional qualifications, and relevant assessment information. We share this information only in connection with specific roles for which you are being considered and, where practicable, with your prior knowledge. Our clients are expected to process your Personal Information in accordance with their own privacy policies and applicable law.

Service Providers

We engage third-party service providers to support our business operations and the delivery of our services. These service providers may include information technology and infrastructure providers, website hosting and maintenance providers, survey and assessment providers, analytics and reporting providers, email and communication platform providers, and cloud storage providers. We share Personal Information with these service providers only for the specific purposes for which they have been engaged and under contractual obligations that require them to protect the confidentiality and security of your Personal Information and to process it only in accordance with our instructions.

Legal and Business Disclosures

We may disclose your Personal Information where necessary to comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes, such as in response to a subpoena, court order, or government request. We may also disclose your Personal Information where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of our Company, our clients, our candidates, or others, to investigate or prevent suspected fraud, security breaches, or other potentially illegal activities, or in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, or other business transfer, in which case the acquiring entity would be required to honor the commitments made in this Privacy Policy.

International Data Transfers

Michael Illert Executive Recruitment, Inc. operates internationally and may transfer your Personal Information to recipients located in countries other than the country in which the information was originally collected. When we transfer Personal Information across borders, we implement appropriate safeguards to ensure that your information receives a level of protection consistent with applicable law. These safeguards may include entering into contractual protections such as standard contractual clauses or data processing agreements with recipients, ensuring that recipients are located in jurisdictions that provide an adequate level of data protection, and implementing technical and organizational measures to protect the security and confidentiality of transferred data.

By providing your Personal Information to us, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred internationally as described in this section. If you have questions about our international data transfer practices, please contact us at the address provided in the "Contact" section below.

What Is Our Retention Policy?

We retain your Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, as described in this Privacy Policy. In determining appropriate retention periods, we consider the nature and sensitivity of the Personal Information, the purposes for which we process it, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure, applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and our legitimate business needs, including the need to maintain our recruitment network and candidate database to match individuals with future opportunities.

In the recruitment context, we maintain candidate information in our database to enable us to contact you about future positions that may be of interest to you and to maintain a comprehensive view of our recruitment activities. We also retain information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

You may request the deletion of your Personal Information at any time by contacting us at privacy@michaelillert.com. We will process your request in accordance with applicable law, subject to any exceptions that may apply, such as where we are required to retain information to comply with legal obligations or to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Which Security Measures Are in Place?

We take the security of your Personal Information seriously and have implemented a combination of administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect it against unauthorized access, use, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include the use of appropriate business systems and security procedures, access controls that limit access to Personal Information to authorized personnel who require it for legitimate business purposes, encryption of data in transit and at rest where appropriate, regular reviews and updates of our security practices, and employee training on data protection and security obligations.

While we strive to protect your Personal Information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information, and any transmission of Personal Information to us is at your own risk. In the event of a data breach that affects your Personal Information, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by applicable law.

What Are Your Rights?

Depending on your state of residence and applicable law, you may have the following rights with respect to your Personal Information:

Right to Access. You have the right to request confirmation of whether we process your Personal Information and to obtain a copy of the specific pieces of Personal Information we have collected about you.
Right to Correction. You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate Personal Information that we maintain about you.
Right to Deletion. You have the right to request that we delete Personal Information that we have collected from or about you, subject to certain exceptions provided by law.
Right to Information. You have the right to request information about our use and sharing of your Personal Information, including the categories of Personal Information collected, the purposes for collection, the categories of third parties with whom we share it, and the specific pieces of Personal Information collected.
Right to Opt Out. You have the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your Personal Information for purposes of targeted advertising, as applicable.
Right to Withdraw Consent. Where we process your Personal Information based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out prior to the withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@michaelillert.com. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request to ensure the security of your Personal Information. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

Additional U.S. State Privacy Rights

In addition to the California-specific rights described elsewhere in this Policy, residents of certain other U.S. states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia, may have similar privacy rights under their respective state laws. These rights may include:

The right to confirm whether we are processing your Personal Information.
The right to access your Personal Information.
The right to request deletion of your Personal Information.
The right to correct inaccuracies in your Personal Information.
The right to obtain your Personal Information in a portable format.
The right to opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of Personal Information, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

We will respond to verified requests within the timeframes required by applicable law. If we are unable to fulfill your request, we will provide you with an explanation of the reasons and information about how to appeal our decision.

Appeals

If we decline your privacy rights request in whole or in part, you have the right to appeal that decision. To submit an appeal, please email us at privacy@michaelillert.com with the word "Appeal" in the subject line. In your appeal, please describe the request you originally submitted and the basis for your disagreement with our decision. We will review your appeal and respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. If your appeal is denied, we will provide you with information about how to contact your state attorney general to submit a complaint, where applicable.

Authorized Agents

Some U.S. state privacy laws permit you to designate an authorized agent to submit privacy rights requests on your behalf. If you wish to use an authorized agent, we may require the agent to provide proof of written authorization from you, and we may require you to verify your own identity directly with us. To submit a request through an authorized agent, please contact us at privacy@michaelillert.com.

Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. Cookies allow the website to recognize your device, remember your preferences, and collect information about your browsing activity. Similar technologies, such as web beacons, pixels, and local storage, serve comparable functions and are collectively referred to as "cookies" in this section.

Types of Cookies We Use

Strictly Necessary Cookies. These cookies are essential for the operation of our website. They enable core functionality such as page navigation, access to secure areas, and other basic features. Without these cookies, the website cannot function properly. These cookies do not collect information about you that could be used for marketing purposes and cannot be disabled through our cookie preference tool.

Performance and Analytics Cookies. These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website, including which pages are visited most frequently, how visitors navigate between pages, and whether visitors encounter error messages. The information collected by these cookies is aggregated and used to improve the performance and usability of our website. We use Google Analytics and similar tools to collect this information.

Functionality Cookies. These cookies allow our website to remember choices you have made, such as your language preference, region, or other customization settings, in order to provide you with a more personalized and convenient experience. The information collected by these cookies may be anonymized and cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.

Advertising and Targeting Cookies. These cookies are used to deliver advertisements that are relevant to your interests, to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, and to limit the number of times you see a particular advertisement. These cookies may be set by us or by third-party advertising partners, including Google, Meta, and Zoho, and may track your browsing activity across different websites over time.

Third-Party Cookies. Our website uses cookies set by third parties, including Google Analytics for website traffic analysis, Facebook Pixel for advertising measurement and audience building, and Zoho SalesIQ for live chat and visitor tracking functionality. These third parties may collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third parties to understand how they collect and use your information.

Cookie Consent and Management

When you first visit our website, a cookie consent banner will be displayed, providing you with information about the cookies we use and allowing you to accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by using our cookie preference tool available on our website or by adjusting the settings in your web browser. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website and your ability to use certain features. For information about managing cookies in your specific browser, please consult your browser's help documentation.

Marketing Communications and Withdrawal of Consent

Where we send you marketing communications, we do so with your consent or, where permitted by law, on the basis of our legitimate business interest. You have the right to withdraw your consent to receive marketing communications at any time. You may do so by sending a written notice to privacy@michaelillert.com, by clicking the unsubscribe link included in our marketing emails, or by contacting us using the information provided in the "Contact" section below. Upon receipt of your request, we will promptly remove you from our marketing distribution lists. Please note that even after you opt out of marketing communications, we may continue to send you transactional or service-related communications, such as messages related to an active recruitment process in which you are participating.

Additional Disclosures for California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

This section provides additional disclosures required under the CCPA/CPRA for California residents, supplementing the information provided throughout this Privacy Policy. For a description of the categories of Personal Information we collect and the purposes for which we collect them, please refer to the "California Notice at Collection (CCPA/CPRA)" section above.

As stated above, we do not sell your Personal Information in exchange for monetary consideration. However, our use of certain cookies and similar tracking technologies may constitute a "sale" or "sharing" of Personal Information under the CCPA/CPRA's broad definitions. You have the right to opt out of such sale or sharing by adjusting your cookie preferences through our cookie consent tool.

We do not use or disclose Sensitive Personal Information for the purpose of inferring characteristics about you. Where we collect Sensitive Personal Information, we use it only for the purposes disclosed at or before the time of collection, as described in this Policy.

California residents have the right to request access to the specific pieces and categories of Personal Information we have collected about them, request deletion of their Personal Information, request correction of inaccurate Personal Information, opt out of the sale or sharing of their Personal Information, and limit the use and disclosure of their Sensitive Personal Information. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights. To submit a request, please contact us at privacy@michaelillert.com. We will verify your identity before processing your request and will respond within the timeframes required by the CCPA/CPRA.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of thirteen (13), and we do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under thirteen. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected Personal Information from a child under thirteen, we will take prompt steps to delete such information from our records. If you believe that we may have collected Personal Information from a child under thirteen, please contact us immediately at privacy@michaelillert.com so that we can take appropriate action.

Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to amend or update this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in our data processing practices, applicable laws, or business operations. When we make material changes to this Policy, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice through our website or by other means. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically to stay informed about how we collect, use, and protect your Personal Information. This Privacy Policy was most recently changed on January 10th, 2026.

Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of your Personal Information, please contact us at:

Michael Illert Executive Recruitment, Inc. 405 Lexington Avenue, 9th Floor New York, NY 10174 USA

Email: privacy@michaelillert.com

We will endeavor to respond to all legitimate inquiries within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with your state attorney general or other applicable regulatory authority.