Leadership Advisory & Executive Search for Private Business in New Zealand
The right leadership for what comes next.
We work with owners and boards of private, family and founder-led businesses to build the leadership capability they need for their next stage.
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From CEOs, CFOs, COOs and General Managers to Heads of Sales and senior operational leaders, we help define the seats that matter, assess the people already in them and find new leaders where required.
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Our work combines independent leadership advisory with retained executive and leadership search.
How we work
The right leadership can change what's possible in a private business. Getting there starts with understanding the business, the people already involved and what needs to be achieved.
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We work with owners and boards to clarify pivotal leadership seats, assess existing capability and identify where change is needed. Where new leadership is required, we undertake retained executive search, taking on a select number of assignments at any one time.
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Our experience spans food and agribusiness, distribution, manufacturing, professional services and construction.
Why private business
is different
In owner-led businesses, the cost of the wrong leadership decision is felt personally.
In family businesses, those decisions can be further complicated by relationships, ownership and succession. Getting the right people into the right roles takes more than recruitment experience.
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We work with founders, business owners, and family enterprises, alongside their boards and advisors, when:
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Progress has stalled or growth has outpaced the team
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Succession is on the horizon
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A critical appointment carries real risk
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Accountability isn't sitting where it should
The need might be executive. It might be operational. Clarity reveals where the right seats actually sit.
What we do
Clarify what's needed
We start by clarifying what the business needs next and what's holding it back - then define what the key seats must deliver.
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Define pivotal seats
We define the seats that matter: executive or operational, wherever accountability and execution sit. Not all pivotal seats are C-suite.
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Assess and execute
Once the seats are clear, we assess who's in them and what needs to change. Sometimes that's hiring. Sometimes it's redefining roles, developing people, or moving them. Either way, clarity first. Search without clarity is guesswork.
We've had mixed success with recruiters over the years. When we needed a C-suite role, we reached out to Ben based on recommendations from other business leaders who had worked with him. What stood out was their system for understanding personality traits and values before even talking to us about candidates. Three engagements in, we're really happy with the process.
Hugh McGaveston
Boundaryline, Director and CEO
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We have worked with Moxie for previous hires. What stood out this time was how engaging they were in the applicant review process. The result was a great hire who fits well into our business and plays a key role.
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Stephen Frowde
Group Managing Director Excel Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Ltd
We've worked with Moxie previously and achieved great outcomes. What stood out this time was the depth of the process. They took time to gain genuine understanding of our role, our business, and what success would look like. Rather than simply filling a vacancy, they helped us establish a benchmark for the ideal candidate. We made the offer with confidence, knowing we'd completed a robust and comprehensive process.
CEO, Mid-Market Energy/Industrial Company
Our clients
Privately owned businesses across New Zealand and Australia have trusted Moxie with their most important appointments: CEO, CFO, COO, and operational leadership roles, across nearly two decades of executive search.
