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Executive Search Review

‘2026 Hunt Scanlon Private Equity Recruiting Special Issue’ Newsletter

Executive Search Review has just released its 2026 Private Equity Recruiting Special Issue Newsletter! We invite you to take a look at our latest issue by downloading the Free Newsletter PDF file. Here is a sampling of just some of what you’ll find when you open up this latest issue of ESR:

The Shift to Strategic Partnerships in Executive Recruiting
As private equity firms place greater emphasis on operational execution and long-term value creation, expectations around leadership strategy are rapidly evolving. Search firms are increasingly being asked to move beyond traditional recruiting models and serve as broader talent advisors aligned with investment outcomes. In this environment, the distinction between transactional hiring and strategic partnership is becoming a defining factor across the private equity landscape.

Why PE Organizations Need to Apply Their Own Playbook to Themselves
John Zink and Ed Richards are co-founders of Taurean, a firm purpose-built to help private equity organizations design and build their value creation capabilities. Together, they founded Taurean on a conviction that is becoming impossible to ignore: what PE firms do with the companies they buy has never mattered more. The era of financial engineering and cheap debt producing reliable returns is over. Firms that want to win now need to treat their value creation capability as a real product, integrated into the investment process from day one, not an appendage they bolt on after the deal closes.

How Private Equity Firms Are Modernizing Talent Strategy Through Technology
Max Woolger is head of growth at Ezekia, a provider of software for search firms. The company offers full business development and assignment management tools as well as internal and external reporting, GDPR compliance, and invoicing. Mr. Woolger recently sat down with Hunt Scanlon Media to discuss how PE firms are leveraging talent CRM and ATS platforms to strengthen collaboration between talent and deal teams, improve leadership decision-making, and support value creation across the investment lifecycle.

Hunt Scanlon Releases Latest Recruiter Rankings
Hunt Scanlon Private Equity Recruiting Power 100 Hunt Scanlon London 50 Hunt Scanlon Technology Top 50 Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Hunt Scanlon Global 40 Hunt Scanlon Big Five Global Search Firms Hunt Scanlon Legal Recruiting Power 100 Hunt Scanlon Non-Profit Top 70 Hunt Scanlon Healthcare Top 50 Hunt Scanlon Life Sciences Top 50 Hunt Scanlon Canadian Top 60 Hunt Scanlon New York Power 60 Hunt Scanlon Financial 60 Recruiter Ranking Hunt Scanlon HR/Diversity Power 70 Hunt Scanlon Cyber/Technology Top 45 Hunt Scanlon Private Equity Recruiting Power 100 Hunt Scanlon London 50 Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Higher Education Recruiters Hunt Scanlon Top 40 Sports, Media & Entertainment
Hunt Scanlon EMEA Top 40 Hunt Scanlon Cleantech/ESG Top 25

Past Articles From The Archives

Spotlight: What is Impacting Recruiting for Senior Finance Executives Today

With a focus on helping PE and VC backed healthcare organizations, Tim Russell, managing partner of The Tolan Group, oversees the business development and recruitment activities for private equity and venture capital clients. Mr. Russell recently shared his views on the current state of recruiting within the financial services sector with Hunt Scanlon Media. Tim,

A Look at the High Demand for Top CFOs for Private Equity Firms

In times of volatility, financial stability becomes an understated hallmark of business success. Private equity firms have, appropriately, responded to the severe macroeconomic challenges of recent years with caution, making unprecedented pullbacks in investment and reaching record levels of dry powder, according to a new report from Slayton Search Partners’ Dan Dunn. “Today’s firms are

Filling New Roles With New Kinds of Leaders in Financial Services

Financial services, like most industries, has been in a period of significant innovation post-COVID-19 affecting business operations. Many firms are now seeing growth opportunities in markets that have been reshaped in large part by the increased pace of the shift to digital as well as changing consumer preferences, according to a report from Heidrick &

Demand Intensifies From Non-Profits Seeking Senior Talent

Non-profit organizations in 2023 are facing inflation, declining donations, increased demand for services, workforce shortages, and more. A recent non-profit trends report by Forbes says that the changing workforce is presenting challenges for both for-profit and non-profit leaders. Being ready to consider alternative staffing options would put many of them ahead of the shifting landscape,

Spotlight: Veteran Search Consultant Shares Views on Non-Profit Sector

Sam Pettway, a 30-year search veteran, launched BoardWalk Consulting in 2002. Over his career in executive search, he has worked with hundreds of board members and leadership teams with entities ranging from start-ups to mature multinationals in both the corporate and non-profit sectors. Mr. Pettway has served clients as varied as international relief agencies, national

Spotlight: A Look Inside the Rewarding Work Serving a Non-Profit

Created through a recent merger between DRi and Waterstone Human Capital, DRiWaterstone Human Capital is a culture-centric executive search, leadership advisory, and human capital firm focused on helping mission and purpose-driven organizations across the U.S. build high performance teams and cultures. Jennifer Dunlap is co-founder, president, and CEO of DRiWaterstone. After spending decades as a

Spotlight: A Fresh Perspective on Recruiting for Non-profit Organizations and Associations

Vetted Solutions specializes in helping purpose-driven organizations in all aspects of leadership – from defining their leadership needs and requirements, to developing entire teams of loyal, dedicated high-performers, and everything in between. Jim Zaniello is president and founder of the Washington, D.C.-based firm which focuses on serving the leadership needs of associations, non-profit organizations, hospitality

7 Key Trends Impacting Non-Profits

Having arrived at the halfway point of the year, the non-profit and social impact practice at Koya Partners | Diversified Search Group, recently pulled together some key trends they have been seeing. In a new report, managing directors Michelle Bonoan and Marissa Delgado and managing associate Tiara Muse identified seven key themes: 1. Continued Focus

In Changing Times, Higher Education Sector Seeks New Types of Leaders

Recruiting senior leaders in the higher education sector has become a dynamic and evolving process. As universities face numerous challenges, including financial constraints, enrollment declines, and the need to prioritize diversity and inclusion, the demand for visionary and transformational leaders has never been higher. In recent years, the higher education sector has witnessed a significant

Spotlight: Leadership Changes Underway at Many Leading Universities

Faith Montgomery brings over 25 years of deep experience, passion, and expertise in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors to Lindauer. She serves as vice president and managing director at the firm and has completed major executive level searches for institutions such as Howard University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Harvard University, University of Minnesota Foundation,

Spotlight: How Executive Search Firms Are Currently Filling Top Higher Education Positions

For over four decades, Academic Search has been a leader in designing and implementing search processes for leaders of colleges and universities across the country. The firm has completed hundreds of executive searches for higher education institutions and related organizations, for roles ranging from presidents to provosts to deans. Dr. Jay Lemons became president of

The Inclusive Way to Hire an Athletic Director

A few decades ago, collegiate athletic directors – unlike other university administrators – were often hired through back-room conversations that excluded the general campus community. Oftentimes, if the head football or men’s basketball coach expressed interest, they were often tabbed as the next AD without much consideration of other potential candidates. “Today, as the athletic

Opportunities and Challenges in Private Equity Recruiting

Private equity firms are saying that talent is the most important factor in driving growth. While financial engineering, inorganic growth, and market expansion remain important tools in the private equity toolbox, talent continues to emerge as key to growing companies and achieving the investment thesis, according to a report from Bespoke Partners. Yet unlike strategic

Spotlight: Delivering Exceptional Talent to Private Equity

Smooch Repovich Rosenberg is the founder and CEO of Smooch Unplugged. She brings strategic investor relations officer search consulting focus to the PE arena as a means to helping firms realize their portfolio company valuations as these entities contemplate entering the public markets. Her 30-plus year collaborating with pre-IPO companies across industry sectors is one

Spotlight: Why Talent Matters Most During Uncertain Times

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,

Spotlight: How PE/VC Outfits Are Keeping Recruiters Busy

PierceGray is a specialized, retained executive search firm focused on building leadership teams in investor-back environments. The firm is functionally-focused, hiring executives and building teams in the following disciplines: operations and supply chain, sales and marketing, finance and transformation, and general management. PierceGray’s clients include private equity firms and portfolio companies as well as publicly-held

Spotlight: Seeking Life Sciences/Healthcare Leaders in the PE Space

With a focus on helping PE and VC backed healthcare organizations, Tim Russell, managing partner of The Tolan Group, oversees the business development and recruitment activities for private equity and venture capital clients. Mr. Russell recently shared his views on the current state of recruiting for PE outfits in the life sciences / healthcare sector

How the Private Equity CIO Drives Value and Transformation

The demand for superior chief information officers in private equity backed organizations has increased in recent years due to the need for strong technical leadership to help drive value creation and transformation. Management teams and fund partners view CIOs as an integral part of their C-suites today and are recruiting these strategic executives at a

A Look at the Private Equity Sector in Canada

Like in many other regions, the private equity sector in Canada is expressing a mixed forecast for the rest of this year. While some firms are experiencing healthy fund raising and deal activity, others are curtailing targets and managing LP liquidity concerns, given the 20-year low in equity financings to date in 2023, according to

Executive Recruiters Pull Off Another Remarkable Year, Remain Bullish for 2023

Hunt Scanlon Media has released its annual rankings of leading executive recruiters. In the U.S. and globally, billions of dollars poured into the high-end recruiting sector in 2022, a result of continued pentup demand for senior-level leaders and their key reports. Despite market turbulence and a softening economy in the second half, executive recruiters pulled

Spotlight: Growing Your Search Firm During Challenging Times

Larry Hartmann is the CEO of ZRG Partners, a leading search firm backed by private equity firm RFE Investment Partners. He is a results-driven leader with a broad business background in executive search as well as in industry. As CEO, Mr. Hartmann is responsible for driving overall growth, client engagement and profitability of the firm.

Spotlight: A Look at Current Trends in the Executive Search Industry

Umesh Ramakrishnan is the CEO of Crescent Cove Advisors-backed Kingsley Gate Partners. He is responsible for executing the firm’s global expansion plans. Mr. Ramakrishnan has held several positions like vice chairman, chief innovation officer, president, and chief operating officer in the technology and service industries that have given him both strategic planning and operating experience.

Recruiting Firms Leverage Technology To Fuel Growth

In the midst of a rapidly evolving economy, industry analysis from Staffing Industry Analysts, a global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions, says the recruiting industry grew more than 11 percent in 2022, and many firms made the most of the opportunities in front of them. What did the top performers do differently to beat

As Investors Retreat, Healthcare/Life Sciences Sector Stays Resilient

Healthcare and life science organizations are facing an increasingly complex landscape, with rapid technological advancements, changing regulatory environments, and heightened public scrutiny. As a result, these companies have been turning to executive search firms more than ever to acquire world-class leadership. The most pressing challenge has been finding high-impact, innovative leaders who can navigate this

Spotlight: Recruiting Top Talent for Life Sciences Organizations

Rusty Rueff is the co-founder and board director of Alioth, a national technology-enabled executive search firm for life sciences companies of all stages. He is a corporate board director and co-founder of numerous past and present companies, most notable being on the founding boards of Glassdoor (acquired 2018) and HireVue (acquired 2019). Mr. Rueff was

Healthcare Trends That Will Shape 2023

In more than 300 conversations with industry board members, CEOs, and C-suite leaders, Spencer Stuart recently explored many key trends playing out in healthcare this year — all with clear implications for leadership, especially at senior levels. The firm looks at the major themes from the week and how they will impact leadership, talent, and

Life Sciences: The Power of Supply-Chain Leadership in Today’s Market

Evolving regulatory environments, shifting customer demands, market disruptors, and pricing challenges are changing the life sciences industry. In this new era, where value creation is no longer only about the products, life sciences companies are placing an increased emphasis on building a strong supply chain via both infrastructure and talent, according to executive recruiters. “For

Shaping Company Culture from the Top Down and Bottom Up

Culture is hardly a new concept. Well before the rise of various models and frameworks to evaluate organizational culture, companies recognized the risk of hiring a cultural mismatch — such as the lone wolf in a company who doesn’t value collaboration. New employees, especially leaders, who clash with an existing culture are often ineffective, and

Spotlight: The Benefits of a Strong Company Culture

Deb Taft is CEO of Lindauer. She has over 25 years of executive and senior-level experience across the non-profit sector, from education to healthcare/academic medicine to the youth service and voluntary sectors. Her expertise includes governance, strategic planning, fundraising, program and staff management, strategic marketing, analytics, and constituent engagement, as well as talent recruitment, retention,

Spotlight: Driving Cultural Transformation

Carolyn Taylor is chair of Walking the Talk, a consulting and advisory firm focused on culture transformation. The company specializes in enhancing performance results by aligning culture with strategy. Since the company was established 11 years ago, culture has landed firmly on the agenda of most executive teams and boards of directors. As pioneers in

Managing Corporate Culture Now Means Managing Great Expectations

How work is organized within companies and how employees view their jobs and their relationships to companies is changing. COVID-19 combined with trends that were already taking shape have had a significant impact on employment, recruitment, and retention. “Employees expect their organizations to share their personal values and sense of social responsibility for the community

Growing Canadian Search Market Continues to Help Reshape Business

The executive search industry in Canada is a highly competitive and rapidly evolving sector that has experienced significant changes in recent years. With the Canadian job market becoming increasingly competitive, companies are relying more heavily on executive search firms to find top talent for their most senior positions. As a result, executive search firms have

Spotlight: Veteran Recruiter Shares View of Canadian Market

Toronto-based Rosenzweig & Company is an executive search firm focused on the critical, often specialized recruiting needs of its clients. The firm also offers management assessment, onboarding and executive coaching, organizational effectiveness, digital media strategy, and risk advisory and compliance services to a growing international client base. Jay Rosenzweig, the founding partner of the firm,

Spotlight: An Inside Look at One Canadian Boutique Firm’s Approach to Today’s Market

Winnipeg-headquartered executive search firm Waterford Global specializes in recruiting mid-to-senior professional and executive level talent domestically and internationally. Since its founding in 2006, the firm has found and placed candidates in business sectors including: healthcare, construction, financial and professional services, agribusiness, retail, communications, energy, manufacturing and real-estate. With more than 25 years of experience in

How to Choose Your Executive Search Partner

The hard truth about talent, especially leadership talent, is that if you’ve got the wrong talent in place, it can quickly become your company’s Achilles heel. Alternatively, great leadership can serve as a business multiplier, and retaining top talent ranks as the top priority for CEOs and other C-suite executives globally. Quite simply, securing the

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