AC Lion Acquires Ampersand Talent Advisory

May 28, 2025 – AC Lion, an executive recruitment firm focused on the digital and technology sectors, has acquired boutique search firm Ampersand Talent Advisory. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. This acquisition marks a significant step in AC Lion’s growth, bolstering its ability to recruit top creative and AI talent while expanding its capacity to place fractional executives, freelancers, and contract talent. By integrating Ampersand’s specialized methodologies and network, AC Lion will further enhance its offerings to clients seeking highly skilled professionals in creative, artificial intelligence, and flexible workforce solutions.

“Ampersand Talent Advisory’s consultative approach and expertise in creative and AI align perfectly with our mission to deliver extraordinary talent,” said Alan Cutter, CEO of AC Lion. “In the current job climate, we’re seeing rising demand for fractional and contract talent, especially in AI. This acquisition strengthens our ability to support clients across the digital landscape-whether they need C-level executives or agile, on-demand specialists.”

“By joining forces with AC Lion, we’re able to pair our deep expertise with AC Lion’s robust platform and resources,” said John Lovig, founder of Ampersand Talent Advisory. “This will allow us to scale our reach, offer even more innovative talent solutions, and continue providing the exceptional, high-touch service our clients and candidates expect as we help shape the future of creative and AI talent acquisition.”

Founded in 1997, AC Lion is an executive search firm specializing in building senior-level teams that drive digital transformation and business growth. The firm supports companies ranging from early-stage, VC-backed startups to global public enterprises. In 2017, the firm expanded with AC Lion Venture Partners (ACLVP), its venture and accelerator arm that provides early-stage companies with access to capital, top talent, and go-to-market introductions.

Recent Deals

Hunt Scanlon Ventures has been at forefront of a handful of recent deals in recent months. Here is a look at a few:

Talento Human Capital has acquired R2 Global, a highly respected technology recruitment and staffing firm known for its niche expertise across cloud & data, business systems, and e-commerce. This strategic move will expand TalentoHC’s existing footprint in the technology sector and launch, as well as strengthen, its technology search & staffing service lines. “The combination of TalentoHC’s talent acquisition expertise with R2’s deep technical focus marks an exciting new chapter for both organizations,” said Juan Gaitan, CEO of TalentoHC, based in Coral Gables, FL. “R2’s agile approach to technology staffing and recruiting aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver tailored recruitment solutions. Together, as R2 Powered by Talento, we are positioned to become a premier go-to partner for IT talent and innovation,” he added. “TalentoHC and R2 Global customers will benefit tremendously from the portfolio of human capital offerings that the combined organizations now provide,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO and co-founder of Hunt Scanlon Ventures.

Global talent advisory firm ZRG has acquired Aspen Leadership Group, a search firm focused on placing and supporting top fundraising leaders and executive talent in educational institutions and the broader non-profit sector. “The addition of Aspen Leadership Group is nothing short of transformative,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “Their expertise in development and advancement is the perfect complement to our growing education practice, and as we roll into 2025 we are unlocking the collective power of these exceptional niche businesses under the unified banner of ZRG’s education practice, creating unmatched solutions for academic and non-profit leadership.” Aspen Leadership Group, established in 2013, conducts a wide range of searches across the fundraising, education and non-profit sector and is widely considered the eminent leader in its field. Its clients include Brown University, PBS, Robin Hood, the Humane Society of the United States, the Leakey Foundation, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Denver Zoological Foundation, among others.

Talento Human Capital (TalentoHC) has acquired The PeterSan Group and PeterSan Legal Staffing. The merger brings expertise in legal recruiting to TalentoHC’s customer experience model and comprehensive human capital services, including retained executive search, professional and management recruiting, RPO, staff augmentation, and human capital consulting. Managing partners Peter Gosule, Peter Goldfeder, and Sandy Friedman of The PeterSan Group will lead the TalentoLegal business unit from New York City, where the firm has been rooted for three decades. “The PeterSan transaction fits in well with our platform strategy as we build onto our customer-centric model and expand our industry and functional vertical focus,” said Juan Gaitan, CEO of TalentoHC, based in Coral Gables, FL. “The intersection of these two approaches will create opportunities for continued growth and value for our customers, candidates, associates and shareholders.”

ZRG acquired Jamesbeck, a New York City-based recruitment firm specializing in senior-level talent for the broad investment management community across private market and traditional firms. “This strategic move aims to establish ZRG’s presence in asset management and will support the firm’s existing private markets clients by adding a new channel for senior roles at the management company level across investments, product, and fundraising,” said ZRG. “Jamesbeck has been at the forefront of decisive changes that have impacted asset management leadership for more than two decades,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “The firm’s acquisition by ZRG will be beneficial to clients across the global investment management space who have come to rely on its network, judgment and guidance around senior-level leadership talent,” he noted. Jamesbeck specializes in the investment management industry across public and private markets. The firm recruits senior-level talent across investing, distribution, product and C-suite positions on behalf of a range of clients from boutiques to the largest multi-product organizations. Jamesbeck’s Melissa Norris, managing partner, and Beth Rustin, founding partner, will become the co-heads of asset management search at ZRG.

Related: Hunt Scanlon Media Launches M&A Advisory Service for Recruiters

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media