Scaling High-Touch Executive Search with Atlas: The Campbell Reed Story

About Campbell Reed

Campbell Reed is a globally recognised search firm. They consult and manage assignments internationally across the board, executive, non-executive and senior management levels. Together, the founding directors have over 27 years of experience in placing people across the globe. 

Their clients span from leading global enterprises to small and medium-sized businesses. They recognise that each business type has unique needs and challenges, and tailor their service accordingly. They place a high value on creating trust-based, lasting relationships with their clients and throughout the wider industry.  

Campbell Reed aims to provide clients with the service excellence expected from larger firms, with the agility, creativity and care that a boutique firm provides. We spoke with Sareen Aujla, Head of Operations, about her firm’s search for an AI-first solution and how Atlas transformed their executive recruitment.

Listen to our full interview below and keep reading for a deeper dive!

When Your CRM Becomes a Bottleneck

Campbell Reed is a global executive search firm working with some of the most recognisable consumer brands in the world. To deliver at that level, their internal operations need to reflect the quality they promise their clients. But as the firm evolved, their previous CRM had not.

Manual data entry was a daily drain on productivity. Reporting lacked both functionality and polish. Even simple tasks, like compiling weekly updates, took hours longer than they should have. For a brand with precision and professionalism at the forefront, the system was falling short.

“It was admin-heavy, clunky, and outdated,” Sareen explained. “When you’re working with the coolest brands in the world and your reports look like Excel printouts, that’s not a good look.”

The team recognised that to grow and maintain their reputation, they needed a platform that could match their pace and enhance their presentation.

Seeing What AI Should Look Like First-Hand with Atlas

Campbell Reed had already narrowed down their CRM options when they heard about Atlas. Out of curiosity, they decided to take one more meeting.

“We thought we had made our decision,” Sareen recalled. “But we were open to seeing what Atlas could offer. We didn’t expect it to be that different.”

The stark contrast between it and other solutions became obvious during the demo. Unlike platforms that added AI as a bolt-on feature, Atlas had been built around it from the start. The workflows were intuitive, and the features felt purposeful, not patched in. That clarity of vision made the decision easier than expected.

What began as a courtesy call quickly turned into a confident shift in direction.

Other CRMs have AI, but it feels like an afterthought. Atlas is built with it at the core, and you can tell.

Support That Keeps Onboarding Momentum Going

For many agencies, system migrations are where good intentions stall. But the Atlas onboarding team helped Campbell Reed move forward with clarity and confidence.

While there were the usual concerns about data transfer and change management, the support team made the transition approachable, even for those who don’t spend much time in the technical weeds.

“The team walked us through everything in simple terms,” Sareen said. “We always knew what they needed from us and what we could expect in return.”

Using a shared workspace, questions were answered quickly and clearly. Updates were easy to track. Instead of chasing support tickets, the Campbell Reed team was focused on moving forward. 

Turning Process into Progress with Atlas

Since adopting Atlas, Campbell Reed has seen a noticeable shift in how work gets done. What used to be repetitive admin work has become a seamless, shared process that keeps the team aligned and moving.

Manual data entry is no longer a daily burden. Notes, candidate records, and communications are all automatically captured in one place. For a firm that operates across multiple touchpoints, from researchers to consultants, this centralised visibility is a game-changer.

Reporting, which once required a full day of prep, now happens in real time. Everyone can contribute their piece, and the output reflects the entire team’s effort. It has also helped strengthen collaboration, especially in complex searches where multiple team members are involved.

Before, we needed a day or two to prepare everything for our reports. Now it’s all already in the system, ready to go.

A Smoother Experience for Clients and Candidates

Executive search is built on trust and insight. To deliver that consistently, Campbell Reed relies on clear communication across both candidate and client relationships. With Atlas, that clarity is now built into the process itself.

Every conversation is captured and stored in one place. Consultants can review notes from previous calls before picking up where someone else left off. Candidates experience smoother transitions and more informed conversations throughout the hiring journey.

On the client side, detailed reports are now easier to compile and more polished in presentation. Stakeholders can access everything they need from a single link: shortlists, longlists, and individual candidate profiles, all organised and up to date.

Clients now get detailed reports with links to candidates, all in one place.

AI That Works, Backed by People Who Listen

Technology is only as valuable as the support behind it. For Campbell Reed, Atlas has delivered on both.

Atlas’s AI does more than automate tasks. It captures the small details that matter and surfaces them when they’re needed. Notes, to-dos, emails, and CVs are easy to find and consistently up to date. The team also uses Atlas’s built-in help assistant to get answers instantly, whether it’s through AI guidance or direct support from the customer team.

When more help is needed, the response is fast and human. Support agents answer questions clearly, follow up when needed, and keep the process moving without unnecessary tickets or wait times. 

The AI is brilliant, but the Atlas support team? They’re our best friends.

Built for Adoption, Designed for Delivery

For Campbell Reed, Atlas isn’t another CRM. It’s a platform that fits into their workflow and actively improves it.

When advising other agencies on whether they should consider it as well, Sareen keeps it simple. Explore your options, then try Atlas. The difference will be clear. The ease of adoption, the quality of automation, and the minimal manual input required all lead to stronger usage across the business.

The more the team uses the platform, the more value they get out of it. Features like AI note-taking, reporting, and business development tools help the entire team focus on delivery, not data entry. That payoff is exactly what they were looking for when they began their search for a new system.

We’re really enjoying using it. It’s a great tool that genuinely makes our work easier.