Ezekia at Personalberatertag 2026, Bonn
Germany's executive search community gathered in Bonn last week, and Ezekia was there.
The 27th Deutscher Personalberatertag took place on 24 September 2026 at the Kameha Grand in Bonn, organised by the BDU (Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberatungen). Now in its 27th year, it remains the most significant annual gathering for retained executive search in Germany, bringing together firm owners, managing directors, partners, and senior leaders from boutique specialists to the country's largest search houses.
Ezekia was proud to sponsor the event for the second year running, with Sales Manager Duncan Barker representing the team on the ground.
This Year's Theme: Mensch und KI
The 2026 congress centred on a question every executive search professional is navigating right now: what does artificial intelligence actually mean for this industry, and what does it not change?
The theme, "Mensch und KI" (Human and AI), set the tone for a day of honest conversation about where technology fits into retained search and where it does not. The sessions explored how AI is reshaping the day-to-day mechanics of search work, where the lasting value of professional consulting lies when so much information is becoming more accessible, and which specifically human capabilities become more important rather than less in a technology-driven environment.
These are not abstract questions for executive search firms. They are live decisions about how to invest, how to train, and how to position a practice in a market that is changing faster than most CRM systems were built to handle. The fact that Personalberatertag dedicated its full programme to this territory reflects how seriously the industry is thinking about it.
Ezekia at the Stand
Duncan was at the Ezekia stand throughout the day, meeting search professionals, walking through the platform, and having the kinds of conversations that only happen face to face. Germany has a strong and distinct executive search market, and Personalberatertag is the one event in the year where you find that entire community in one room.
Being a sponsor is not just about visibility. It is a signal that Ezekia is invested in the German market and in the broader conversation about where executive search technology is heading. Returning for the second consecutive year reinforces that.
The Broader Picture
The German executive search market operates with its own culture and expectations, and platforms built generically for recruitment do not always map well onto the retained, relationship-led model that defines it. What we heard in Bonn reflects what we hear from search firms across Europe: the tools most firms are running on were not built for this kind of work, and the gap between what they need and what they have is widening as AI raises expectations on both sides.
Ezekia is built specifically for retained executive search, which means it is designed around mandates rather than job reqs, relationships rather than applications, and long-cycle delivery rather than volume throughput. That distinction matters more, not less, as the conversation about AI in search matures.
Thank You, BDU
A genuine thank you to the BDU for putting together another strong event and for making Ezekia feel welcome as a sponsor. The conversations in Bonn were exactly the kind that make attending worthwhile, and we are already looking forward to next year.
If you were at Personalberatertag and did not get a chance to speak with Duncan, or if you are interested in seeing what Ezekia can do for your firm, get in touch at ezekia.io/interested.
If you would like to learn more about how Ezekia supports executive search firms across Europe, schedule a conversation today with our team www.ezekia.io/interested
