This page is our trust centre: how we work, what we commit to, and the evidence on which we ask to be judged.
Our difference
Five commitments that shape every mandate
Precision
Defined criteria, documented coverage, and shortlists that can withstand board-level scrutiny.
Intelligence
Research and market analysis inform the brief before the first approach is made.
Discretion
Confidential mandates handled with controlled information flow and disciplined process.
Judgment
Senior consultants who advise on trade-offs rather than advocate for a preferred candidate.
Partnership
Long-term relationships measured by appointment performance, not placement volume.
Standards
Published standards of practice
Coverage transparency
Clients see the full market map, not only the shortlist, and may interrogate coverage before approaches begin.
Evidence-based assessment
Structured interviewing and referencing against agreed criteria. Findings are reported as evidence, including risks.
Confidentiality by design
Controlled information flow, named access, and candidate protection at every stage of the mandate.
Conflict discipline
We decline mandates where off-limits obligations or conflicts would compromise the quality of the search.
Diversity of consideration
Search parameters deliberately include adjacent markets and under-considered pools; representation is reported, not claimed.
Post-appointment accountability
Scheduled reviews with client and appointee. We measure appointment performance, not placement volume.
Perspectives
What clients and candidates say
Each perspective is published with the authorisation of the individual and, where named, their organization.
Client perspective
“Vellaris arrived with a map of the market before they arrived with a name. That sequence changed the quality of our board discussion entirely.”
MCMarianne ChevalierBoard Chair · Northbank Financial Group
Client perspective
“They told us plainly that our preferred internal candidate was two years from ready, and showed the evidence. It was not what we wanted to hear, and it was right.”
DODavid OkonjoChief Executive Officer · Meridian Industrial Holdings
Candidate perspective
“I was not looking to move. The approach was discreet, specific, and respectful of my position — which is why I took the call at all.”
EVElena VasquezChief Technology Officer · Appointed 2025
Client perspective
“Our regulator asked how the appointment was made. We handed over the coverage evidence and the assessment record without editing a line.”
“The shortlist contained two people we would never have found and one we had dismissed too early. All three were credible.”
ARAnika RoyGroup HR Director · Solstice Consumer Brands
Candidate perspective
“They spent an hour understanding what I would not compromise on before describing the role. That saved both sides three months.”
MFMarcus FeldChief Financial Officer · Appointed 2024
Client perspective
“Nine days from losing our CFO to having a capable one in the building. The refinancing never wobbled.”
GHGrace HollinsOperating Partner · Ravenscourt Capital
Client perspective
“Vellaris was the only firm that asked about our clinical strategy before asking about the salary band.”
YKDr. Yusuf KarimChief Executive Officer · Halcyon Therapeutics
Candidate perspective
“I was unsuccessful at final stage and still received a two-page debrief with specific development feedback. I have referred three colleagues to them since.”
ISIngrid SørensenManaging Director · Candidate, 2025 mandate
Client perspective
“Their board skills matrix work reshaped our succession plan before we appointed anyone. The search was almost the smaller part of the value.”
CWCharles WhitmoreSenior Independent Director · Cavendish Utilities
Candidate perspective
“Our first-100-day plan was written before I signed. Six months in, we are still using it in my reviews with the chair.”
LBLaura BennettChief Operating Officer · Appointed 2025
Client perspective
“We asked for a market map, not a search. They delivered analysis good enough that we restructured the role and then hired against it.”
SMSanjay MehtaGroup Strategy Director · Auravance Telecom
Client perspective
“Confidentiality held for the entire process. Nothing reached the market until we announced, which for a listed company is not a small thing.”
