From executive search to full team build-outs — tailored solutions for organisations that can't afford hiring risk.
Most search firms measure success by how many CVs sent and by fees charged. We measure it by how many of our placements are still in post years later and by the time & effort we save our clients getting there.
Across all of our placements over the last five years, 95% of the candidates remain with the organisation to whom they were introduced. Our retention success is the result of a search process built around precision, not volume – ensuring our clients keep the skills & knowledge needed to reduce downtime and secure vulnerabilities.
This is only possible through partnership – embedding into our clients' plans, understanding where their security team needs to be, and building the trust to become a valued extension of their hiring process.
Fewer CVs. Faster hires. People who stay.
Placement retention
over five years
We specialise in cyber hiring for organisations running essential services, complex supply chains, and mixed IT/OT estates.
Airports, airlines, rail, and logistics networks
Power generation, grid ops, water, and renewables
Network operators, ISPs, and broadcast infrastructure
Colocation, hyperscale, and edge facilities
NHS trusts, medtech, and health data systems
Industrial control systems and smart factories
MOD, intelligence, and government departments
Banking, insurance, and capital markets
Tailored solutions for organisations where cyber resilience is not optional.
Whether you need a single senior hire or an entire security function,
we deliver the right talent with precision, pace, and deep sector understanding.
We find and place senior security leaders – CISOs, Deputy CISOs, Heads of OT/ICS Security, Heads of Security Engineering, Heads of Incident Response, and C-suite roles with security oversight ensuring you have the best at the head of your business.
When you need more than one hire, we build entire functions – Threat, IR/DFIR, SOC leadership, Product/AppSec, Cloud Security, GRC/IRM, IAM/PAM, and OT/ICS security engineering and architecture.
When you need immediate leadership cover – whether for stabilisation, transformation, or bridging while permanent hires land – we deliver experienced interim professionals fast.
Get clarity on the talent landscape before you hire. We provide market mapping, compensation benchmarks, competitor talent flows, and DEI-focused pipeline expansion.
These figures are from completed mandates with clients across Critical Infrastructure and adjacent regulated environments from 2020-2026.
Discover how Foundations Search delivers exceptional cyber professionals to our clients with targeted precision — decreasing time and effort while increasing quality.
Fewer CVs to review
CV-to-interview ratio
Offer acceptance rate
Faster time to hire
Yes. Many of our candidates hold SC or DV clearance. We verify clearance status early in the process and can filter searches by clearance level when required. For roles in CNI or defence, we maintain a pre-vetted network of cleared professionals.
For executive search mandates, we typically present a qualified shortlist within 10–15 working days. Team build-out projects follow a phased delivery schedule agreed during the briefing stage. Interim placements can often be presented within 48–72 hours.
Our core network is UK and European-focused, but we regularly place candidates internationally. For global CISO searches or distributed security teams, we partner with vetted associates across North America, the Middle East, and APAC.
We work across critical national infrastructure, financial services, defence, energy & utilities, healthcare, and technology. Our consultants have direct experience in these sectors, which means they understand the compliance frameworks, threat landscapes, and talent pools unique to each.
All executive search placements include a rebate period as standard. If a placed candidate leaves within the agreed timeframe, we will re-run the search at no additional cost. Our 90-day structured onboarding support is designed to minimise this risk from the outset.
Let's discuss your hiring challenge.
No obligation, no hard sell.
"I can't recommend Gyles and the team at Foundations enough. We struggled to find a suitable candidate for 5 months, Foundations found 3 perfect candidates in 24 hours."
Manager of EMEA & APAC Network Engineering, Equinix
