Mumbai, April 11 -- Companies across sectors task executive search firms to find suitable candidates for open positions. But these headhunters are now poaching talent from India Inc. itself to hire for their own roles.

On the radar: senior executives at consulting firms and corporate houses, and the lack of recruitment background is not a deal-breaker. Search firms are looking for hires with connections within sectors and business understanding, betting that such candidates would make a good fit.

"There has been a 20% increase in our consultants in the past year, and we have 42 partners in a team of 650 in India. Movement from consulting firms works well for professional services because consultants come with an ability to build long-te...