China moves ahead of U.S. on Heidrick & Struggles' 2018 Superaccelerators List: The World's Most Successful Large Companies

China moves ahead of U.S. on Heidrick & Struggles' 2018 Superaccelerators List: The World's Most Successful Large Companies

- Among the 500 companies with the highest market capitalizations in the world, Superaccelerators pass four rigorous "rules of 20" tests demonstrating sustained organic growth and profitability
- Only 6 of the 19 Superaccelerators are based in the United States, down from 16 in 2017
- 8 companies based in Greater China make the list, up from 6 in 2017
- Asia Pacific companies total 11 Superaccelerators, up from 9 last year
- Europe now home to 2 Superaccelerators

CHICAGO, June 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII), a premier provider of executive search, leadership assessment and development, organization and team effectiveness, and culture shaping services globally, releases its 2018 Superaccelerators—an elite group among the world's 500 most highly valued companies that have achieved high levels of sustained organic growth and profitability.

In the third year that Heidrick & Struggles has tracked and reported its list of Superaccelerators, just 19 companies globally made the cut, down from 25 companies in 2017 and 23 in 2016. This year's list included 11 newcomers, or 58%, compared with 44% in 2017.

"The Superaccelerator companies have demonstrated the proven ability to achieve enduring, profitable growth in an era of rapid change and market disruption," said Andrew LeSueur, Global Managing Partner, Heidrick Consulting. "They come from a variety of industries and, this year, more than two thirds are from outside the United States."  

While the U.S. dominated the list for the past two years, the 2018 Superaccelerators have shifted toward more representation from Asia Pacific companies, with 11 hailing from the region. That includes seven from mainland China and one from Hong Kong, China—up from six from Greater China in 2017 and just three in 2016. Only six of the 2018 Superaccelerators are based in the United States, down from 16 in both 2017 and 2016. Two 2018 Superaccelerators are based in Europe, up from zero in 2017 and one in 2016.

2018 Superaccelerators (ranked by market capitalization in US dollars as of May 31, 2018; asterisk indicates company is a first-time superaccelerator):

Heidrick & Struggles deliberately designed it to be difficult to achieve the Superaccelerator designation. To qualify as a Superaccelerator, a company must pass four "rules of 20" that demonstrate its ability to achieve sustainable profitability and organic growth:  

• Be in the top 20% for revenue growth, both in the past three and the past seven years,
• Have generated no more than 20% of its growth through acquisitions,
• Received no more than 20% of its revenue from its home government,
• Have not seen its profit margin reduced by more than 20% as a percentage of revenue year after year as it grew in scale.

Previous Superaccelerator lists can be found at www.Heidrick.com: 

• 2017 Superaccelerators
• 2016 Superaccelerators

About Heidrick & Struggles:
Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII) serves the senior-level talent and leadership needs of the world's top organizations as a trusted advisor across executive search, leadership assessment and development, organization and team effectiveness, and culture shaping services. Heidrick & Struggles pioneered the profession of executive search more than 60 years ago. Today, the firm provides integrated leadership solutions to help our clients change the world, one leadership team at a time.® www.heidrick.com

Media Contact:                            
Alex Brown - +1 312.496.1871
abrown@heidrick.com

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SOURCE Heidrick & Struggles