Why this works differently
We start with your business, because that's what matters
From ambitious hiring briefs to transformative career moves, here’s how we deliver impact that lasts.
Alignment before action
We do not touch the market until we understand the business, the founder, the team, and the real brief behind the role.
Built for founder-led
Every stage of our executive search process is designed for how founder-led businesses operate. Direct. Personal. High-trust.
One partner. Start to finish.
Daniel works with you from the first conversation through to onboarding. No handoffs. No junior stand-ins. One relationship the whole way through.
Measured by what matters
Success is the tangible effect the hire has on your business. Not a signed contract and a closed file.
Phase one
Pre-Season. Get the foundation right first.
The work most search firms skip. Before we go to market, we do the alignment work that makes the campaign sharper, faster, and far less likely to go wrong.
1. Founder alignment
We align on your expectations, business stage, and the leadership profile the role truly requires.
2. Role clarity
We define what success looks like at twelve months. What the role requires, beyond what the job description says.
3. Risk mapping
We surface what a standard leadership assessment often misses. Culture fit, succession gaps, misaligned expectations.
4. Market positioning
We assess how your opportunity sits in the market, so your proposition reaches the right leaders at the right level.
5. Search strategy
A clear plan for where to look, who to approach, and how to position the opportunity. Agreed before the campaign begins.
We started using Recruit about three years ago. Since then, we've recruited dozens of tech professionals, more quickly than ever. The staff at Recruit is professional, knowledgable and efficient. No need to look elsewhere.
Name | Company name
Phase two
Main Campaign. Find the leader, not just a candidate.
With the brief locked, we move into disciplined execution. Direct outreach to passive candidates, deep leadership assessment, and a shortlist built on conviction.
Market mapping
A comprehensive map of the target market. The strongest leaders at this level are not on job boards. We go and find them.
Discreet, personal outreach
Confidential, one-to-one approaches to leaders who are not responding to ads or recruiter spam. The best ones never do.
Leadership assessment
Capability. Commercial judgement. Founder compatibility. Psychometric and behavioural assessment layered with real experience. All before you meet anyone.
A shortlist with conviction
Fewer names. Stronger candidates. Full context behind every recommendation. No filler.
We started using Recruit about three years ago. Since then, we've recruited dozens of tech professionals, more quickly than ever. The staff at Recruit is professional, knowledgable and efficient. No need to look elsewhere.
Name | Company name
Phase three
Grand Final. Secure the outcome. Protect the investment.
The search does not end at the shortlist. We stay close through the final decision, the offer, and the critical first months. The hire only counts if it sticks.
Decision support
Structured guidance through final interviews, references, and the decision itself. Clarity when it matters most.
Offer management
We manage the offer process to protect momentum, handle counter-offers, and make sure both sides are fully aligned before anyone commits.
Onboarding alignment
We work with you and the new leader to set the conditions for a strong start. The first 90 days matter more than most people realise.
Six-month guarantee
If it does not work out within six months, we re-engage the search. No additional professional fee. Accountability is not optional.
The Thirdway Briefing
From inside the search
Thinking on leadership, hiring, founder pressure, and the decisions that quietly shape businesses. Written from the conversations Daniel has with founders, candidates, and senior leaders every day. Not theory. Not trends. What is actually happening at the coalface of executive recruitment in Australia, and what it means for founders who have high-stakes hires ahead of them.
Frequently asked Questions
What types of roles does Thirdway Advisory specialise in?
Thirdway Advisory specialises exclusively in leadership appointments across industries, including C-suite, Executive General Managers, Directors, Heads of Function and high-impact senior leaders. Our work spans Australia, New Zealand, APAC, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Because our expertise is in leadership itself, not specific sectors, we partner with organisations in infrastructure, technology, government, ESG, commercial environments, property, energy, professional services and emerging markets. Our process focuses on behaviour, alignment and performance — enabling us to place leaders who can thrive in any complex environment.
How is The Thirdway Process different from traditional executive recruiters?
Traditional search firms often specialise in sectors; Thirdway Advisory specialises in leadership performance, regardless of category. The Thirdway Process mirrors high-performance sport: readiness, disciplined execution, and long-term impact. Instead of rushing to CV matching, we begin by aligning leadership, defining success and understanding the environment the new leader must perform in. During the campaign, we combine AI-enabled global mapping with deep behavioural assessment. Post-placement, we support onboarding and early performance. This approach reduces risk and enhances leadership impact across industries and geographic regions.
Do you recruit leaders outside Australia, and how does cross-industry hiring work globally?
Yes. We recruit senior and executive leaders across APAC, the Middle East, and global markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Because we specialise in leadership capability rather than industry experience, we identify individuals who can adapt across functions, cultures and operating models. Our cross-industry approach works exceptionally well for transformational roles, sustainability, commercial leadership, operational excellence, digital, people & culture and growth-focused mandates. We look beyond sector background to find leaders with the behaviours and capability to deliver results anywhere.
How do you assess cultural and behavioural fit for leadership roles across different industries?
Cultural fit is not defined by sector — it’s defined by how a leader thinks, behaves and performs. Through stakeholder interviews, in-habitat discovery and behavioural mapping, we build a Success Profile that captures the real conditions needed to thrive. Every candidate is then benchmarked against these behaviours — decision-making, collaboration style, communication patterns, adaptability and leadership identity — rather than sector-specific experience. This ensures the leader you hire can not only deliver results, but elevate the culture, cohesion and performance of your organisation.
Why do organisations across industries choose Thirdway Advisory for leadership hires?
Organisations choose Thirdway Advisory because we specialise in leadership, not categories. Our founder-led process is built for environments where alignment, clarity and behavioural excellence matter more than a sector résumé. Clients value our ability to understand complex operating conditions, engage senior passive talent and reduce the risk of mis-hire. With a high-performance methodology and global reach, we deliver leaders who create meaningful impact across construction, technology, government, financial services, energy, ESG, professional services and purpose-driven organisations. We place leaders who shift trajectory.
Why do organisations across industries choose Thirdway Advisory for leadership hires?
Organisations choose Thirdway Advisory because we specialise in leadership, not categories. Our founder-led process is built for environments where alignment, clarity and behavioural excellence matter more than a sector résumé. Clients value our ability to understand complex operating conditions, engage senior passive talent and reduce the risk of mis-hire. With a high-performance methodology and global reach, we deliver leaders who create meaningful impact across construction, technology, government, financial services, energy, ESG, professional services and purpose-driven organisations. We place leaders who shift trajectory.
The right hire starts with one conversation.
No pitch. No obligation. Just a straight conversation about the hire that matters most.