ECA Partners Expands Search Staff
November 12, 2024 – Santa Monica, CA-based search firm ECA Partners has expanded with the addition of Robert Meara as senior director of industrials, distribution and services. “Bringing on Robby this year will continue to strengthen ECA’s presence within the Industrials and B2B services sectors,” said Burton Francis, managing director at ECA Partners. “We’re excited to see Robby drive new relationships and expand existing partnerships within these sectors and broadly across the private equity landscape. He brings a strong track record of success with over a decade of experience in consultative human capital services, and we’re excited to have him on board.”
“ECA continues to grow even in a slow market,” said Jason Blonstein, managing director at ECA Partners. “Robby will accelerate that growth, and we are excited to have him join the team. His robust search experience combined with his supply chain expertise makes him a valued addition to ECA.”
Mr. Meara comes to ECA Partners with an background in executive search and consulting, bringing over a decade of experience in the industry. He most recently served as a principal at Korn Ferry, focusing on B2B distribution, supply chain and senior commercial, and marketing opportunities. Prior to that, Mr. Meara spent five years at Spencer Stuart, with a specialization in industrial services, B2B distribution, and marketing. His career as an analyst and graduate fellow at the Defense Intelligence Agency, where he honed his analytical skills supporting missions related to the Middle East and North Africa. Mr. Meara then transitioned to the private sector, working as a senior analyst at Avascent (now part of Oliver Wyman), where he gained valuable experience in management consulting for government-driven markets.
“This unique blend of intelligence analysis background and extensive experience at top-tier search firms positions Robby to make significant contributions to ECA’s data-driven approach to executive search,” ECA Partners said. “His diverse skill set, industry knowledge, and powerful analytical toolkit aligns perfectly with ECA’s vision for the future.”
“ECA’s disruptive approach to search aligns nicely with my core values as a search professional,” said Mr. Meara. “The company’s evidence-based approach, attitude of continuous improvement and feedback, as well as its desire to create an entrepreneurial, growth-oriented environment make it an ideal partner for clients and candidates. I am looking forward to working with the ECA team as it continues to change executive search and talent solutions.”
ECA is a specialized project staffing and executive search firm focused on private equity and PE portfolio companies. They use a proprietary, evidence-based approach to recruiting that leverages data and technology. The firm uses a talent management system, CASCADE. Founded in 2010, ECA operates across five global offices and in 2024 was named one of Hunt Scanlon’s Top 50 Recruiters.
Related: ECA Partners Grows Search Staff with PE Veteran
Atta Tarki is the founder and chairman of ECA. He leads ECA’s private equity and venture capital practice, where he supports PE-owned, VC-owned and other high growth companies with filling C-level positions. His primary focus is on CEO, COO, president, CFO, and chief strategy officer roles. Prior to ECA, Mr. Tarki led management consulting engagements at L.E.K. Consulting.
Recent Growth
ECA recently added Evan Markgraf as senior director. “Evan’s extensive CFO network and recruiting expertise has strengthened ECA’s ability to meet the growing needs of our clients across both PE-backed companies and publicly traded organizations,” said Steven Haug, managing director at ECA. “I continue to be excited about the growth of ECA’s world-class team.”
Mr. Markgraf comes to ECA Partners with over a decade of experience in executive search and recruitment, focusing in finance, accounting, and investment management. He most recently served as an executive search consultant at Korn Ferry, where he focused on placing top-tier talent in private equity, family offices, real estate, asset management, hedge funds, and venture-backed startups.
Earlier this year, ECA added Natasha Bunten as a senior director. “Natasha, with her distinguished career in private equity and sales operations, brings valuable expertise to this vital role,” the firm said. “Natasha’s extensive experience in the private equity, B2B services, and healthcare sectors, combined with her track record of driving growth and delivering results, will be a significant asset to our clients and ECA,” said Ken Kanara, managing partner. “Her expertise in sales operations, leadership, and process will further enhance our ability to serve clients with our best team forward approach in these key industries.”
Ms. Bunten has held key positions in the PE industry, including her prior role as VP of sales and marketing at Centrae, a firm that provides a go-to-market (GTM) framework delivered through a tech-enabled platform, paired with GTM advisory services. She has spent the last four years supporting private equity firms from due diligence to post-acquisition value creation.
Related: ECA Partners Expands Search Staff
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
