What we do
Coston Search delivers distinctive global executive search for world-leading Business Schools, Universities, and Arts & Culture Organisations.
Genuine Partnership
We forge deep and lasting partnerships, making us a natural extension of our clients, working alongside them to identify and engage senior leadership who will enable them to achieve their aspirations and fulfil their missions.
True Consultancy
We properly consult. Asking our clients the hard questions, challenging our own assumptions and theirs, and working to deeply understand not only the role’s requirements but also the broader culture and context, so that we find true alignment with candidates and achieve strategically important results.
Diversity Commitment
Though the global conversation around EDI has become politically distracted, Coston Search remains resolute in identifying and engaging diverse leadership across the mission-driven sectors we serve. But diverse appointments rarely happen by chance. Working with our clients, we set ambitious diversity targets upfront for every search. We take our responsibility for equity, diversity, and inclusion seriously and help our clients navigate a values-driven search process honestly and well.
Selective Client Base
Coston Search has no aspirations to be a large firm, churning through volumes of searches and taking every piece of work that comes our way. Instead, we were founded with a pronounced commitment to prioritise our clients and give them our focused attention. We choose to work with a handful of select clients, taking on a limited number of mandates each year to provide an exceptional service.
Impact
Our depth of expertise and global network, relationship-first and hands-on approach, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and focused dedication to our clients and candidates all work together to provide an unparalleled client and candidate experience with lasting impact across the sector, society, and the world.
Who we are
Every search mandate is led, managed, and delivered from start to finish by Dr Micah Coston, Founder & Managing Director of Coston Search.
Many firms overly rely on inexperienced researchers or junior consultants to initiate and engage executive talent. At Coston Search, we’ve flipped this model on its head, challenging the norms of executive search to deliver a white glove and high touch service.
Micah brings nearly a decade of executive search expertise in the Higher Education and Arts & Culture sectors. Before founding Coston Search, Micah was Partner & Head of the Innovation in Education practice at a boutique search firm, where he pioneered a new specialist practice in digital and tech leadership in Global Higher Education. Prior to this, Micah was a consultant within a Global Higher Education and Arts & Culture firm.
Micah holds a BMus in Church Music, an MA in Performance Studies, an MA in Shakespeare Studies (with Distinction) from The Shakespeare Institute, University of Birmingham, and a DPhil in English Literature from the University of Oxford.
Micah lives in Oxfordshire, UK with his wife, Katie, and daughter Floreat. When not supporting his clients and candidates, he can be found discovering a new footpath or exploring a nearby village.
Let’s Work Together
Have an executive leadership challenge and need a genuine partner?
Fill out some info, and Micah will be in touch shortly.