With its annual recruitment consultancy ranking, WirtschaftsWoche highlights which consultancies are shaping the industry and which specialists are among the leading names in their respective categories. In 2025, Cribb is once again listed among the top players in the German market.

Ten consecutive awards are far more than just a seal of quality for us: they represent consistent quality and confirm our commitment to delivering executive search at the highest level.

We are particularly pleased with our triple mention in the categories of Digital Economy & Media, Private Equity, and Consulting. This recognition confirms our strength in executive search and our focus on companies undergoing phases of transformation and growth.

The ranking is based on a comprehensive questionnaire designed by Christel Gade, Professor of Human Resources and Organization at the IU International University of Applied Sciences. Between October 2024 and October 2025, around 3,000 HR decision-makers provided 6,000 individual evaluations of their experiences with the recruitment consultancies they commissioned. The quantitative survey was supplemented by approximately 100 in-depth reference interviews. In total, over 900 consultancies were named and evaluated. This methodologically sound approach makes the ranking one of the most meaningful and recognized market overviews in the industry.

We would like to thank WirtschaftsWoche for the transparent and well-founded execution and congratulate all consultancies that were able to qualify in this demanding environment.