Data as of Sep 21, 2026 · Based on 27 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
Brands AI recommends here
Named in 85% of answers
Named in 81% of answers
Named in 78% of answers
Named in 52% of answers
Source | Citation share |
|---|---|
Top CEO executive search firms for Tech, AI, and SaaS ...https://ultratalent.com/blog/ceo-executive-search-firms/ | 4% |
 10 Best Sales Leadership Recruiters for Tech VP of Sales Roleshttps://www.christianandtimbers.com/insights/10-best-executive-recruiters-for-vp-of-sales-roles-in-tech-2026 | 3% |
Top 12 VP of Sales Recruitment Firms in the US (2026)https://www.christianandtimbers.com/insights/top-12-vice-president-of-sales-recruitment-firms | 3% |
 Top Chief Sales Officer (CSO) Executive Search Firms – 2026 ...https://talentfoot.com/top-chief-sales-officer-executive-search-firm-rankings/ | 2% |
Top Executive Search Firm Leaders for Sales Leadershttps://www.thekasgroup.com/guides/top-executive-search-firms-sales-leaders | 2% |
 Top Executive Search Firms for SaaS – 2026 Rankingshttps://firstpagesage.com/business/top-executive-search-firms-for-saas/ | 2% |
SaaS Executive Search | M Searchhttps://msearchco.com/saas-executive-search | 2% |
SaaS Executive Search | Sales Executive Search Firm | Tipped Recruitmenthttps://tippedrecruitment.com/executive-search | 2% |
 Top 7 Sales Executive Search Firms in 2026 | MSHhttps://www.talentmsh.com/insights/best-sales-executive-search-firms | 2% |
 12 Best executive search firms (in 2026)https://juicebox.ai/blog/executive-search-firms | 1% |
For a **$50M → $200M ARR VP of Sales mandate**, I’d prioritize firms that can prove they repeatedly recruit **scale-stage SaaS revenue leaders**, rather than simply having a broad executive-search brand. A practical shortlist: - **[trueplatform.com](https://trueplatform.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** — Particularly…
For a $50M → $200M ARR VP of Sales mandate, I’d prioritize firms that can prove they repeatedly recruit scale-stage SaaS revenue leaders, rather than simply having a broad executive-search brand.
A practical shortlist:
For your particular mandate, I'd put True, Christian & Timbers, Dynamic Search Consulting, Spencer Stuart, and M Search into the initial pitch process rather than simply asking the biggest search firms to compete.
The key is that "$200M ARR experience" isn't enough. I'd require each firm to demonstrate candidates who've personally done something close to:
$50M → $200M ARR, predominantly through a repeatable enterprise/mid-market sales motion, while materially expanding the sales organization. In the pitch, ask each firm for 5–10 anonymized examples and capture:
| Question | What you want to see |
|---|---|
| Starting ARR | ~$30–75M |
| Ending ARR | ~$150–300M+ |
| Leader's role | VP Sales / CRO, not CEO |
| Time period | ~3–5 years |
| Growth source | New-logo + expansion, not primarily M&A |
| Sales org | Evidence they scaled the team substantially |
| GTM motion | Comparable ACV, sales cycle, geography and buyer |
| Company type | B2B SaaS/software |
| Investor stage | Comparable VC/PE/public-company environment |
| Outcome | Candidate actually delivered the growth, not merely occupied the seat |
The most important diligence question: ask for the firm's three most relevant placements from the last 24–36 months, then independently speak with those CEOs. Specifically ask, "Did this person actually scale the sales organization and revenue, or did the company grow for other reasons?"
I'd also ask every firm for its off-limits list before signing. A firm that has recruited heavily from your direct competitors may have an impressive network but be unable to approach many of the exact people you want. This is a recognized issue in executive search.
If you tell me your ARR today, ACV, sales motion (enterprise/mid-market/PLG), geographic scope, and whether you're VC/PE/public, I can narrow this to a 3–4 firm RFP shortlist and give you a side-by-side evaluation framework.
Scaling a B2B SaaS organization from $50M to $200M ARR is a specific operational inflection point . It requires a VP of Sales who understands enterprise repeatability, mid-market velocity, building international channels, and transitioning from founder-led or early-stage momentum to a data-driven…
Scaling a B2B SaaS organization from $50M to $200M ARR is a specific operational inflection point . It requires a VP of Sales who understands enterprise repeatability, mid-market velocity, building international channels, and transitioning from founder-led or early-stage momentum to a data-driven machine.
While mega-global firms (like Spencer Stuart or Korn Ferry) excel at Fortune 500 transformations, high-growth tech scaling is best navigated by specialized, mid-market, or boutique tech-focused retained search firms.
Top retained search firms specializing in high-growth SaaS go-to-market (GTM) and sales leadership placements include:
If you want to narrow down your selection, let me know:
I can help outline specific partner contacts or evaluation criteria for your board.
For a VP of Sales search with a very specific scaling mandate — **proven ability to take a SaaS sales organization from roughly $50M to $200M ARR** — I would prioritize firms that specialize in **B2B SaaS GTM leadership**, not broad executive search firms. The key screening question is whether they have actually…
For a VP of Sales search with a very specific scaling mandate — proven ability to take a SaaS sales organization from roughly $50M to $200M ARR — I would prioritize firms that specialize in B2B SaaS GTM leadership, not broad executive search firms. The key screening question is whether they have actually placed leaders who have scaled similar revenue motions (enterprise vs. SMB, PLG vs. sales-led, ACV, sales cycle, geographic expansion, etc.).
A shortlist I would consider:
| Firm | Why it may fit this mandate | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| True Search | Large retained executive search firm with technology and go-to-market leadership capabilities; useful if you need board-level process rigor and access to senior SaaS operators. | Late-stage SaaS, PE-backed, public-company caliber searches |
| Spencer Stuart | Global retained search firm with deep technology leadership practice. | Companies wanting a broad executive assessment process |
| Heidrick & Struggles | Global executive search platform with commercial leadership practices. | Larger-scale SaaS companies and complex leadership searches |
| Korn Ferry | Broad executive search and leadership advisory firm with technology and sales leadership capabilities. | Enterprises needing global reach |
| Davies Park | Known for executive recruiting across growth companies and technology sectors. | Growth-stage leadership searches |
| M Search | Boutique firm focused specifically on B2B SaaS GTM leadership, including CRO and VP Sales searches. M Search | VC/PE-backed SaaS companies wanting domain specialization |
| Tipped Recruitment | Focuses on retained and exclusive searches for SaaS/AI revenue leadership roles. Tipped Recruitment | Venture-backed SaaS scaling teams |
| Beacon Talent | Specializes in retained GTM searches including VP Sales and CRO roles. Beacon Talent | Companies wanting a focused GTM search partner |
| Lunar Executive Search | Focuses narrowly on revenue-generating GTM leaders in SaaS, AI, and cybersecurity. Lunar Executive Search | High-growth software companies |
| GTM Talent | Specializes in GTM leadership for tech scale-ups, including VP Sales searches. GTM Talent | Scale-ups needing hands-on GTM expertise |
For your exact profile ($50M → $200M ARR), I would put more weight on specialist SaaS GTM boutiques than generalist retained firms. A strong search partner should be able to show:
3–5 recent VP Sales/CRO placements where the candidate personally scaled revenue through a similar stage
Evidence of experience with your sales motion:
Enterprise vs. mid-market vs. SMB
Field sales vs. inside sales
PLG-assisted vs. sales-led
Domestic vs. international expansion
References from CEOs/founders who hired the leader
How they validate metrics (ARR growth, quota attainment, rep productivity, CAC/payback, forecast accuracy)
Questions I would ask in the first call:
If I were building a search process for this mandate, I would likely run a targeted bake-off with 3 firms:
The winner should be the firm that can demonstrate the deepest verified pool of “$50M → $200M ARR operators,” not simply the largest brand name.
Scaling a SaaS company from $50M to $200M ARR is a very specific inflection point. It requires a VP of Sales who isn’t just an early-stage closer or a massive enterprise corporate manager, but an operational scaling architect who knows how to build repeatable mid-market/enterprise go-to-market (GTM) engines, structure…
Scaling a SaaS company from $50M to $200M ARR is a very specific inflection point. It requires a VP of Sales who isn’t just an early-stage closer or a massive enterprise corporate manager, but an operational scaling architect who knows how to build repeatable mid-market/enterprise go-to-market (GTM) engines, structure compensation for hyper-growth, and manage complex sales enablement.
For this tier of executive search, you generally look at a mix of data-driven tech disruptors, elite boutiques, and top-tier global firms with dedicated software practices.
The best retained search firms equipped to handle a high-stakes $50M–$200M scale-up assignment include:
To help narrow down which of these firms (or specific partners within them) would be the absolute best fit, tell me:
For a VP of Sales hire with a **very specific scaling profile — taking ARR from ~$50M to ~$200M** — I would avoid broad executive search firms that can fill “sales leader” roles but may not understand SaaS GTM inflection points. The best firms tend to be those that specialize in **B2B SaaS revenue leadership**, have…
For a VP of Sales hire with a very specific scaling profile — taking ARR from ~$50M to ~$200M — I would avoid broad executive search firms that can fill “sales leader” roles but may not understand SaaS GTM inflection points. The best firms tend to be those that specialize in B2B SaaS revenue leadership, have access to passive candidates, and can assess whether someone actually built the machine (forecasting, segmentation, hiring, enablement, RevOps alignment), not just carried a quota.
A shortlist I would consider:
| Firm | Why they fit a $50M → $200M ARR VP Sales search |
|---|---|
| True Search | Strong technology and growth-company practice; often used by venture-backed and PE-backed companies for senior GTM leadership. Good option if you want a global search capability. |
| DHR Global | Broad executive search platform with technology leadership depth; useful if the VP Sales hire may evolve into CRO responsibilities. |
| Heidrick & Struggles | One of the major global retained search firms with technology and SaaS experience; typically stronger for CRO/CSO-level mandates and board-visible hires. Financial Times |
| Korn Ferry | Global reach and assessment capability; better suited if you need a highly structured leadership evaluation process. Financial Times |
| Spencer Stuart | Strong for later-stage companies that need executives who can operate at scale and with investor scrutiny. |
| Erevena | Technology-focused boutique with strong venture/growth ecosystem relationships, particularly in Europe and the UK. |
| Davies Executive | Boutique technology search firm known for senior commercial and leadership placements in scaling technology companies. |
For SaaS-specialist boutiques, I would also look at:
For your exact mandate, I would ask every firm:
If I were running this search, I would probably invite pitches from:
One additional point: a leader who has taken a company from $50M → $200M ARR is usually closer to a CRO-caliber operator than a traditional VP Sales. I would structure the search around the outcomes you need (repeatable enterprise sales engine, international scaling, leadership bench, forecast discipline) rather than the title alone.
Erevena
Scaling a SaaS business from $50M to $200M ARR requires a specific breed of VP of Sales. They need playbooks for `enterprise motion, mid-market velocity, international expansion, and scaling a predictable revenue engine without breaking unit economics`. For high-growth, venture- or PE-backed tech companies navigating…
Scaling a SaaS business from $50M to $200M ARR requires a specific breed of VP of Sales. They need playbooks for enterprise motion, mid-market velocity, international expansion, and scaling a predictable revenue engine without breaking unit economics.
For high-growth, venture- or PE-backed tech companies navigating this exact transition, specialist technology and Go-to-Market (GTM) retained search firms consistently outperform traditional generalist executive search firms.
The leading retained search firms specializing in high-growth SaaS sales leadership and scaling revenue functions include:
To help narrow down which of these partners aligns best with your board and timeline, could you share:
For a **$50M → $200M ARR VP Sales mandate**, I would not treat this as a generic executive-search assignment. You need a firm that can distinguish a VP who has *personally scaled a repeatable GTM machine* from someone who merely managed a large sales organization. Based on current market positioning, I’d put these…
For a $50M → $200M ARR VP Sales mandate, I would not treat this as a generic executive-search assignment. You need a firm that can distinguish a VP who has personally scaled a repeatable GTM machine from someone who merely managed a large sales organization.
Based on current market positioning, I’d put these firms on the shortlist:
| Firm | $50M→$200M SaaS fit | GTM specialization | Executive depth | My take |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPMB | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | First call |
| True Search | ★★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | Strong growth-stage choice |
| Korn Ferry | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Best for complexity/global scale |
| Spencer Stuart | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Best if board/C-suite caliber |
| Russell Reynolds | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Excellent transformation mandate |
| M Search / Tipped | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★ | Worth adding as specialist benchmark |
One important caveat: I would not select based on a firm's published “top recruiter” ranking. Those rankings are often marketing-driven. For example, current lists disagree substantially on the ordering of firms, which is a good reason to evaluate the individual partner and actual comparable placements rather than the brand alone.
Give each firm the same challenge:
“Show us 10 VP Sales/CRO placements you've personally made where the executive took a B2B SaaS company from approximately $30–75M ARR to at least $150–250M ARR. For each, tell us the starting ARR, ending ARR, sales motion, ACV, sales-team size, growth rate, and exactly what the executive personally changed.” Then ask for three references from CEOs who hired those executives.
That's much more predictive than asking, “How many SaaS searches do you do?”
I'd also require candidates to have personally owned the $50M→$200M transition, not merely been CRO at a company that happened to grow from $50M to $200M while they were there.
If you tell me your SaaS category, ACV, sales motion (enterprise/mid-market/PLG), current sales-team size, and whether you're VC- or PE-backed, I can narrow this to 3 firms and identify the specific partners/practices I'd approach first.
For a **$50M → $200M ARR SaaS scale-up**, I would not treat this as a generic “VP Sales” search. You want a search partner that can identify **proven scale operators**—someone who has personally built the management layer, enterprise/strategic motion, forecasting discipline, and hiring engine required to quadruple…
For a $50M → $200M ARR SaaS scale-up, I would not treat this as a generic “VP Sales” search. You want a search partner that can identify proven scale operators—someone who has personally built the management layer, enterprise/strategic motion, forecasting discipline, and hiring engine required to quadruple revenue.
My shortlist would be:
| Firm | My take | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| True Search | Top choice | High-growth tech/SaaS; VP Sales/CRO; growth-stage companies |
| Spencer Stuart | Top-tier | $100M+ scale, sophisticated board/investor environment |
| Heidrick & Struggles | Top-tier | Enterprise SaaS, larger-scale commercial leadership |
| Korn Ferry | Strong | Global sales organization, assessment-heavy process |
| Betts Recruiting | Strong specialist | Tech/SaaS GTM leadership where speed and network matter |
| Russell Reynolds Associates | Strong | Larger/global SaaS and commercial transformation |
| Tipped Recruitment | Interesting boutique | Venture-backed SaaS/AI, particularly if you want a very focused partner |
True's GTM practice is unusually aligned with what you're describing. It explicitly searches for CROs and VPs of Sales, has a network of more than 670,000 revenue and sales leaders, and works across tech startups, venture-backed businesses, PE-backed companies and larger enterprises. Its clients rate the GTM practice highly for candidate flow and counsel.
For your mandate, I'd ask True to produce candidates who have personally taken a SaaS business through something like $50M → $100M → $200M, rather than candidates whose company grew that much while they happened to be VP Sales.
My rating: 9/10 for your situation.
I'd put Spencer Stuart on the pitch list if this is a highly consequential hire—particularly if you're approaching IPO scale or have sophisticated PE/VC investors.
The advantage is depth at senior commercial leadership and the ability to assess the executive beyond “can this person sell?” The downside is that the global retained firms can be slower and can have substantial off-limits constraints. One recent comparison puts the major retained firms around 12–20 weeks and notes off-limits as a significant consideration.
My rating: 8.5/10.
Another firm I'd absolutely include in a bake-off. Particularly compelling if this VP Sales is really a CRO-in-waiting and you're looking for someone who can eventually own the entire revenue organization.
I'd favor Heidrick over a boutique if you're hiring a globally oriented leader with experience managing a complex enterprise sales organization.
My rating: 8.5/10.
Korn Ferry is particularly attractive if your eventual organization will be large and global. Its scale also brings sophisticated leadership assessment capabilities.
The tradeoff is that I'd be concerned about whether you're getting the specific SaaS-growth network you need versus a more general commercial-leadership search. Recent industry comparisons similarly position Korn Ferry toward larger enterprise/global B2B searches.
My rating: 8/10.
This is the specialist I'd put against the big firms.
Betts is heavily focused on technology/SaaS GTM, explicitly handles VP Sales/C-suite searches, and says it has nearly 15 years of experience helping SaaS companies scale GTM organizations.
The important distinction: I wouldn't hire Betts merely because you need “a VP Sales.” I'd hire them if they can demonstrate that the specific partner running your search has repeatedly placed executives who scaled $50M–$200M+ SaaS businesses.
My rating: 8/10, potentially 9/10 with the right partner.
Worth including if the role has significant international scope, transformation responsibility, or board exposure. It's one of the major retained firms with substantial commercial leadership coverage.
My rating: 7.5–8/10.
A more interesting boutique option. Tipped explicitly specializes in retained/exclusive CRO and VP Sales searches for venture-backed SaaS and AI companies, with searches across the US and EMEA.
I'd consider them if you want a more hands-on, SaaS-native search rather than the machinery of a global executive-search firm.
My rating: 7.5–8/10.
I would give the firms a mandate something like:
“We are not looking for someone who has managed a $200M sales organization. We are looking for someone who has personally scaled a SaaS revenue organization from approximately $50M to $200M ARR.” Then make the search firm document these metrics for every finalist:
The last point is critical. A candidate who says “I helped take the company from $50M to $200M” may have inherited a rocket ship. You want someone who can explain what they personally changed that caused the inflection.
I'd invite four firms to pitch:
And I'd make the pitch process itself a test: “Give us five anonymized examples of VP Sales/CRO placements where the executive took a SaaS company from roughly $50M to $200M+ ARR. Show us the starting ARR, ending ARR, tenure, ACV, sales model and number of reps.”
The firm that can answer that question crisply is probably the one you want—not necessarily the firm with the biggest logo.
The firm that can answer that question crisply is probably the one you want—not necessarily the firm with the biggest logo.
The advantage is depth at senior commercial leadership and the ability to assess the executive beyond “can this person sell?” The downside is that the global retained firms can be slower and can have substantial off-limits constraints. One recent comparison puts the major retained firms around 12–20 weeks and notes off-limits as a significant consideration.
My rating: 8.5/10.
Another firm I'd absolutely include in a bake-off. Particularly compelling if this VP Sales is really a CRO-in-waiting and you're looking for someone who can eventually own the entire revenue organization.
I'd favor Heidrick over a boutique if you're hiring a globally oriented leader with experience managing a complex enterprise sales organization.
My rating: 8.5/10.
Korn Ferry is particularly attractive if your eventual organization will be large and global. Its scale also brings sophisticated leadership assessment capabilities.
The tradeoff is that I'd be concerned about whether you're getting the specific SaaS-growth network you need versus a more general commercial-leadership search. Recent industry comparisons similarly position Korn Ferry toward larger enterprise/global B2B searches.
My rating: 8/10.
This is the specialist I'd put against the big firms.
Betts is heavily focused on technology/SaaS GTM, explicitly handles VP Sales/C-suite searches, and says it has nearly 15 years of experience helping SaaS companies scale GTM organizations.
The important distinction: I wouldn't hire Betts merely because you need “a VP Sales.” I'd hire them if they can demonstrate that the specific partner running your search has repeatedly placed executives who scaled $50M–$200M+ SaaS businesses.
My rating: 8/10, potentially 9/10 with the right partner.
Worth including if the role has significant international scope, transformation responsibility, or board exposure. It's one of the major retained firms with substantial commercial leadership coverage.
My rating: 7.5–8/10.
A more interesting boutique option. Tipped explicitly specializes in retained/exclusive CRO and VP Sales searches for venture-backed SaaS and AI companies, with searches across the US and EMEA.
I'd consider them if you want a more hands-on, SaaS-native search rather than the machinery of a global executive-search firm.
My rating: 7.5–8/10.
I would give the firms a mandate something like:
Scaling a SaaS company from **$50M to $200M ARR** requires a distinct type of sales leader. At this stage, the mandate isn't just about early founder-led sales or finding product-market fit; it’s about institutionalizing go-to-market (GTM) motions, building global enterprise tiers, optimizing mid-market/PLG…
Scaling a SaaS company from $50M to $200M ARR requires a distinct type of sales leader. At this stage, the mandate isn't just about early founder-led sales or finding product-market fit; it’s about institutionalizing go-to-market (GTM) motions, building global enterprise tiers, optimizing mid-market/PLG efficiency, managing complex partner/channel ecosystems, and introducing rigorous sales ops and forecasting discipline.
While mega-generalist search firms (like Korn Ferry or Spencer Stuart) have massive global footprints, they are often too bureaucratic and generalist for the specific quota math, sales mechanics, and velocity needed in growth-stage B2B SaaS.
The best retained and boutique executive search firms specializing in high-growth tech, venture/growth-equity-backed SaaS, and commercial leadership mapping are categorized below.
Top Boutique & Mid-Market Tech Specialists (Best Fit for Growth-Stage SaaS)
Top Specialist Boutiques with High-Touch Founder/Operator Models
Elite Global Retained Firms (For Institutionalizing a Massive Enterprise Search)
Key Evaluation Criteria for Your Search Partner
When interviewing these search firms for a $50M–$200M ARR mandate, make sure to test them on:
To help narrow this down further, let me know:
For a SaaS company that is already around **$50M ARR and needs a VP Sales who has personally scaled revenue toward $200M**, I would favor **specialist technology/GTM search partners over a generic executive-search firm**. The critical distinction is finding someone who has actually operated through that scaling…
For a SaaS company that is already around $50M ARR and needs a VP Sales who has personally scaled revenue toward $200M, I would favor specialist technology/GTM search partners over a generic executive-search firm. The critical distinction is finding someone who has actually operated through that scaling transition—not simply someone who has held a VP Sales title at a large company.
| Firm | My take | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Daversa Partners | Top choice | VC/growth-backed SaaS; aggressive GTM scaling |
| Spencer Stuart | Top choice | $50M+ SaaS where the VP Sales is effectively a future CRO |
| Bespoke Partners | Top choice | Software/SaaS, particularly PE/growth-equity backed |
| True Search | Strong contender | High-growth technology companies |
| Heidrick & Struggles | Strong contender | Enterprise SaaS + sophisticated leadership assessment |
| Korn Ferry | Strong but more institutional | Larger/global SaaS organizations |
| Russell Reynolds Associates | Strong | Commercial leadership where board/succession work matters |
Daversa is particularly compelling if you're a venture/growth-backed technology company. Its GTM practice explicitly covers sales, marketing and customer-success leadership, and its consultants cite work across SaaS, AI, infrastructure and cybersecurity.
For your specific mandate, I'd ask them to show 3–5 examples of VP Sales/CRO placements where the candidate had taken a company through roughly $50M → $150–250M+ ARR. That's much more informative than their aggregate placement count.
Spencer Stuart has unusually relevant SaaS sales-search expertise. For example, Patrick Jones focuses on enterprise software/SaaS and sales/commercial GTM leadership, including high-growth private-equity-owned businesses; he has placed numerous CROs, customer chiefs and heads of sales.
I'd particularly favor them if this VP Sales could become CRO/President within 2–3 years, or if your board is heavily involved in the search.
This is one I'd put near the top for a software company where ARR growth, retention, sales efficiency and enterprise value creation are all part of the mandate. Bespoke says its 2026 GTM research draws on 525+ GTM placements and 85+ assisted exits in software/SaaS.
The PE orientation can be an advantage because they're accustomed to evaluating executives against a specific value-creation plan rather than simply asking, "Is this person a good sales leader?"
Worth putting into the process if you want a more technology-oriented alternative to the Big Five. Recent industry comparisons specifically identify True as having deep venture-backed and growth-stage technology experience, including enterprise software/SaaS.
A particularly good option if you want assessment depth in addition to sourcing. Its technology practice covers enterprise software, SaaS, cloud and AI, and its Boston-based Michael Foley, for example, specializes in senior technology sales and direct-report searches.
I'd bring these in if the company is already relatively mature, global, or preparing for a major institutional/board transition. They're excellent firms, but for a founder-led $50M–$100M SaaS company, I would generally prefer a highly engaged technology/GTM partner over the sheer scale of a global search organization.
Korn Ferry is the largest of the major firms, while Spencer Stuart, Heidrick and Russell Reynolds are also among the largest global players.
I wouldn't issue an RFP asking, "Who is best at VP Sales searches?"
I'd give each firm this exact challenge:
"Find us a VP Sales who has personally taken a B2B SaaS sales organization from approximately $50M ARR to $200M ARR, with evidence of sustained growth, improving sales productivity, and an organization that scaled with it." Then require them to produce:
That last distinction is crucial. Someone who was VP Sales at a $200M SaaS company isn't necessarily someone who scaled a $50M company to $200M.
I'd interview Daversa, Spencer Stuart, and Bespoke first. If you want a fourth, add True Search.
And I'd make the search firm's own partner prove the same thing you're asking of the candidate: "Show me the last five GTM executives you personally placed who went on to materially scale revenue."
For this particular mandate, my ranking would be:
Daversa ≈ Spencer Stuart ≈ Bespoke > True Search > Heidrick > Korn Ferry/Russell Reynolds
The ranking changes substantially depending on whether you're VC-backed vs. PE-backed, enterprise vs. PLG, and whether the $200M target is primarily new-logo or expansion ARR. If you tell me those three things, I can narrow this to the 3 firms I'd actually invite to pitch and identify the specific partners at each firm I'd approach.
This is one I'd put near the top for a software company where ARR growth, retention, sales efficiency and enterprise value creation are all part of the mandate. Bespoke says its 2026 GTM research draws on 525+ GTM placements and 85+ assisted exits in software/SaaS.
The PE orientation can be an advantage because they're accustomed to evaluating executives against a specific value-creation plan rather than simply asking, "Is this person a good sales leader?"
Worth putting into the process if you want a more technology-oriented alternative to the Big Five. Recent industry comparisons specifically identify True as having deep venture-backed and growth-stage technology experience, including enterprise software/SaaS.
A particularly good option if you want assessment depth in addition to sourcing. Its technology practice covers enterprise software, SaaS, cloud and AI, and its Boston-based Michael Foley, for example, specializes in senior technology sales and direct-report searches.
I'd bring these in if the company is already relatively mature, global, or preparing for a major institutional/board transition. They're excellent firms, but for a founder-led $50M–$100M SaaS company, I would generally prefer a highly engaged technology/GTM partner over the sheer scale of a global search organization.
Korn Ferry is the largest of the major firms, while Spencer Stuart, Heidrick and Russell Reynolds are also among the largest global players.
I wouldn't issue an RFP asking, "Who is best at VP Sales searches?"
I'd give each firm this exact challenge:
"Find us a VP Sales who has personally taken a B2B SaaS sales organization from approximately $50M ARR to $200M ARR, with evidence of sustained growth, improving sales productivity, and an organization that scaled with it."
