Bespoke Partners Forms Alliance with Alphaskill
September 19, 2024 – San Diego, CA-headquartered Bespoke Partners has formed an alliance with Alphaskill, a U.K.-based executive search and deal advisory firm. The partnership is intended to enable private equity firm portfolio companies to accelerate execution on geographic expansion strategies. “We’re seeing an increase in European companies looking to expand into the U.S. and hire their first U.S country manager,” said Eric Walczykowski, CEO of Bespoke Partners. “Scaling in the U.S. is a complex challenge that comes with great rewards for those who succeed. Our relationship with Alphaskill, with its coverage of 15 European countries and eight spoken languages, enhances our ability to support such success through streamlined communication between the European leadership team and the U.S. candidate market. It also enables us to make trusted referrals to U.S.-based portfolio company clients who have executive search needs for European candidates.”
“In a world where geographic expansion is key to growth, Bespoke’s partnership with Alphaskill helps bridge the gap between the U.S. and European talent markets for both firms,” said Scott A. Scanlon, founding partner of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “This will empower private equity portfolio clients of both firms to harness the talent and leadership expertise they need to navigate the complexities of shifting global markets and seize opportunities across borders.”
“Having a search partner in the U.S. gives us access to a large, highly qualified new pool of candidates for our technology company executive, deal advisor, and NED mandates,” said Vivek Batra, managing partner of Alphaskill U.K.
“Our partnership with Bespoke enables our clients to have direct, local access to the deep market in the U.S. for leading talent across the C-suite in software and SaaS companies. Additionally, we look forward to supporting more U.S. companies’ growth goals via European executive placements.”
Through both firms’ expertise solving the talent needs of private equity investors and growth-oriented companies, this partnership drives even better, faster client delivery through an enhanced understanding and ability to execute on the cultural and commercial nuances that exist in different regions. This ecosystem partnership reaffirms both Bespoke Partners and Alphaskill’s commitment to clients’ goals of achieving investment theses across their portfolio.
Dedicated to Partnering with Top PE Firms
Bespoke Partners is an executive search and leadership advisory firm dedicated to partnering with top private equity firms, including Francisco Partners, Clearlake Capital, WCAS, Insight Partners, GI Partners, General Atlantic, CVC Capital Partners, and TA Associates, among many others, to recruit software talent and assess and evaluate teams at every stage of the investment lifecycle, from growth equity to buyout. Bespoke Partners is headquartered in San Diego, and operates other regional offices in Austin, TX, and Philadelphia.
The search firm has completed over 1,000 searches since its inception a decade ago. Its expertise includes all C-level searches across multiple functional domains, including financial officers, HR and people, marketing and technology, as well as board of directors and internal private equity operating partner searches. The firm’s expanding leadership advisory platform includes organizational due diligence as well as executive assessment and coaching.
Related: Bespoke Partners Launches Strategic Resourcing Group to Serve PE Outfits
Bespoke offers a two-year guarantee on executive placements with the company’s leadership assessment service. “If your search firm gives you only a six-month guarantee on placements, then you are working with someone that does not have your best interests at heart,” said Adam Boone, chief marketing officer at Bespoke. “We recommend moving on to work with a firm that takes your success seriously.”
New Programs
During the first quarter, Bespoke launched its Alliances Program to curate content and services from select third-party firms that are proven to boost growth and profitability in portfolio companies. Alliance partners provide plan templates, execution guides and other best practice materials covering the full range of senior leadership roles, including CEO and GMs, finance, go-to-market roles, technology leader roles, and people and talent leader roles.
Bespoke launched its Bespoke Leader Community, a peer network of senior executives the firm has placed. “We are honored to work with the most impactful executives in the software and SaaS space,” said Morgan Kuwashima, manager of the Bespoke Leader Community. “These are leaders who have cracked the code on value creation and have led their companies to produce outsized returns for their private equity sponsors.”
An invitation-only network of peers, the Bespoke Leader Community offers members networking opportunities and access to a curated library of resources contributed by Bespoke alliance partners. Members also receive early access to Bespoke’s talent market trend research, a tool for effective team build-out and talent management. “Our job does not end at placement but continues throughout the hold period and our placed executive’s tenure,” said Matt Sommi, senior vice president, private equity programs at Bespoke. “Both the new Alliances Program and the Leader Community provide unique, tailored resources and access to leadership best practices that increase the likelihood of success for the leaders we place.”
Related: Bespoke Partners Launches People & Talent Leadership Recruiting Practice
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media