CSO Event: Why Searches Stall: Common Missteps Senior Candidates Make

Executive searches often stall not because of a lack of experience, but because of avoidable missteps in how senior candidates position themselves throughout the process. In this recruiter-led discussion, executive search professionals unpack the most common pitfalls they see at each stage of the search lifecycle.

The session will explore early-stage challenges such as how senior leaders identify and pursue the right roles, how they present themselves when applying, and how they ensure they are visible to recruiters and hiring organizations in the first place. From there, the conversation will examine what causes momentum to slow during evaluation, interviews, and final selection.

Designed for experienced leaders, this session offers practical insight into how executive searches actually work and what senior candidates can do differently to improve outcomes, from getting seen to ultimately securing the role.

Key Takeaways

• Understand how executive searches for CSOs operate, including how security leaders are identified, evaluated, and where searches most often lose momentum.
• Learn how to strengthen early-stage visibility and positioning, ensuring your experience, leadership profile, and market signals align with what recruiters and hiring organizations seek in CSO roles.
• Identify common missteps that stall CSO searches and apply practical strategies to move from initial consideration through final selection and offer.

Speakers:

James Butler, Co-Founder, Enteles Search

James Butler is Co-Founder of Enteles Search and has worked in corporate security and investigative executive search since 2002, placing security leaders across more than 40 countries. Prior to founding Enteles with Chris Meager, he held senior leadership roles in security recruitment firms, leading search operations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. James is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, actively encouraging clients to adopt more inclusive recruitment practices. He is an active member of ASIS International, the Security Institute, and AIRIP, serves as a Board Advisor to the Association of Corporate Investigators, and is a regular speaker at leading industry events.

Chris Meager, Co-Founder, Enteles Search

Chris Meager is Co-Founder of Enteles Search and has worked within the security profession since 1997, conducting CSO-level searches for some of the world’s largest multinational organisations and placing leaders across more than 45 countries. He is a regular speaker at industry events in Europe and the United States, covering topics including diversity and inclusion and the impact of organisational culture on CSOs and security functions. Chris works closely with organisations to increase diversity across their security and resilience teams, successfully placing diverse talent in roles ranging from CSO to regional security leadership and specialist intelligence positions. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Security Management from the University of Leicester, is a member of ASIS International, the Security Institute, and AIRIP, and serves as a Board Advisor to the Association of Corporate Investigators.

Originally presented 23 February 2026

Session open to CSO Center Members Only. Please be sure you are fully logged in once on this page to access the registration button. For more information about the CSO Center or for assistance, please contact [email protected].

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