Celebrating 60 Years

Celebrating our Firm's History

Dr. Egon P.S. Zehnder (1930-2021) founded our Firm in Zurich on July 4, 1964. Aged 34, with a young family, Egon created our Firm, which still proudly and humbly bears his name six decades later. 

Driven by an approach marked by complete discretion, his goal was not to offer high-speed headhunting, but a professional, systematic management consulting to find the best candidate for the needs of each individual client. He laid our foundation with our One Firm model which prioritizes shared interests over individual incentives and fosters a collaborative environment to deliver the best possible outcomes for our clients. From there, our other values took shape — Clients First, Generosity, Spirit of Ownership, and Embracing Differences.

Egon was always determined to build a global Firm. Unafraid of bold moves, Egon expanded the Firm globally and by 1975, we had offices in Tokyo, Melbourne and São Paulo.

Following the opening of the New York office in 1977, the Firm strengthened its U.S. presence with the inauguration of eight other offices between 1981 and 2000. The Firm continued to expand globally, with another milestone in 2012 with the opening of an office in Johannesburg and the Firm’s first permanent presence in Africa. In more recent years, we opened offices in Cologne, Dublin, Pacific Northwest, and Basel.

We look forward to many more decades of continued partnerships with leaders, and if you haven't experienced Egon Zehnder yet, we look forward to meeting you and beginning a journey together.