5000
+
C-Suite Searches Completed
C-Suite Searches Completed
of the best GTM leaders have engaged with Christian & Timbers in the last 12 months.
CEO Searches Completed
Client feedback consistently highlights Christian & Timbers' ability to surface candidates who are not accessible through standard recruiting channels, and the firm's consultants' technical fluency in assessing AI and technology leadership roles. Boards and CEOs report that the quality of candidate presentation — including depth of vetting and accuracy of fit assessment — reduces time-to-hire and post-placement attrition. Testimonials are shared directly with prospective clients during initial consultations under confidentiality.
Christian & Timbers uses AI-assisted talent intelligence to map executive populations across research publications, patent records, open-source contributions, conference presentations, and professional networks — identifying high-impact leaders who are not actively seeking roles. These signals are reviewed by consultants with direct domain expertise in technology and AI to prioritize outreach based on technical depth, organizational fit, and leadership trajectory. The result is a candidate pool defined by demonstrated output rather than self-reported credentials.
San Francisco-based clients, particularly those in enterprise software, fintech, and AI infrastructure, note that Christian & Timbers brings market intelligence on compensation benchmarking and candidate availability that internal talent teams lack for senior and principal-level technical roles. Clients also cite the firm's ability to advise on how to structure and scope roles — distinguishing, for example, between a research-oriented Principal Scientist and a production-focused ML Ops leader — as a material contribution beyond sourcing alone.
Christian & Timbers operates exclusively on a retained basis, which means the firm commits full research resources to each engagement rather than working contingency across multiple competing clients. Founded in 1981 with a focus on technology leadership, the firm's consultants carry domain knowledge in AI, engineering, and enterprise technology that allows them to engage senior candidates credibly and assess technical fit accurately. This specialization, combined with a four-decade network in the technology sector, supports placements at the CTO, Chief AI Officer, VP Engineering, and Principal Scientist levels.
Christian & Timbers has placed technology executives across Fortune 500 enterprises, venture-backed startups, and private equity portfolio companies in sectors including enterprise SaaS, healthcare technology, financial services, and defense technology. Specific placement examples — including role titles, companies, and search scope — are provided to prospective clients in direct conversations rather than published publicly, in keeping with the confidentiality standard of retained executive search. Prospects are encouraged to contact the firm to receive relevant case references matched to their industry and role type.