ECA Partners Strengthens PE-Focused Talent Solutions
February 25, 2026 – Santa Monica, CA-based search firm ECA Partners has appointed Damon Reynolds and Tim Fetzer as senior directors. These strategic hires further strengthen ECA’s capabilities across finance, digital transformation, and industrial manufacturing sectors. “Damon and Tim represent the caliber of specialized talent we’re strategically adding to serve our clients’ evolving needs,” said Ken Kanara, CEO of ECA Partners. “As private equity firms increasingly focus on digital transformation and operational excellence in portfolio companies, having experts who can deliver both speed and quality in these critical searches is essential. These additions position us to better serve our clients across the full spectrum of value creation priorities.”
Mr. Reynolds will expand ECA’s capabilities in AI, digital transformation, and strategic leadership searches within the finance practice. He strengthens the value creation practice with specialized expertise in industrial and manufacturing executive search, drawing on deep networks across both the U.S. and European markets.
Mr. Reynolds brings over six years of experience driving strategic transformation across multiple industries. As a former BCG project leader and vice president of transformation at Shrieve Chemical, he led enterprise-wide change and innovation initiatives for private equity-backed companies. Mr. Reynolds specializes in bridging strategy and execution, with particular expertise in AI adoption, digital transformation, and building future-ready organizations.
At ECA Partners, Mr. Reynolds will focus on executive searches spanning chief strategy officer, chief transformation officer, chief AI officer, and digital transformation leadership roles within the Finance Practice.
“At ECA Partners, I’m eager to bring together my experience leading U.S. Marines, advising executives at Boston Consulting Group, and driving transformation in private equity–backed companies to help clients create clarity and align executive talent with their most critical strategic, transformation, and operational priorities,” said Mr. Reynolds. “I’m particularly energized by helping organizations execute strategy and create value by strengthening their most important asset, leadership.”
“Damon’s unique combination of BCG strategic consulting, PE-backed transformation experience, and operational leadership makes him an exceptional addition to our team,” Steven Haug, managing director leading the finance practice. “His expertise in digital transformation and AI will be invaluable as our clients navigate these critical strategic priorities.”
Strengthening Industrial and Manufacturing Executive Search
Mr. Fetzer brings nine years of global executive search experience across the U.S. and Europe, with specialized expertise in industrial and manufacturing sectors. Most recently as director at Stanton Chase, he built a German-U.S. industrial manufacturing practice from scratch, positioning his firm as the go-to partner for German, Austrian, and Swiss companies expanding into the U.S.
A native German speaker who has lived in seven countries, Mr. Fetzer has completed several dozen placements, including CEOs, COOs, heads of sales, supply chain specialists, and numerous operational leadership roles for small-to-medium size manufacturing companies. He also has expertise in advising clients on compensation structures and organizational design for cross-border leadership transitions.
“I’m excited to join ECA because of the opportunity to work at the intersection of executive search and private equity, partnering closely with investors and management teams to build leadership that truly drives value,” said Mr. Fetzer. “I’m especially looking forward to learning from a highly experienced team and contributing my own background in cross-border and industrial leadership searches.”
Related: ECA Partners Names Leader of Value Creation Practice
“Industrial and manufacturing searches require a unique combination of technical fluency and relationship-building from leaders on the floor up through the C-suite,” Burton Francis, managing director leading the value creation practice. “Tim has spent a decade mastering both sides of that equation, and that’s precisely the capability our PE clients need when they’re upgrading operational talent in portfolio companies.”
A Time of Significant Momentum
The appointments come at a time of significant momentum for ECA Partners. The firm recently climbed 10 positions in the Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Recruiters rankings for 2025, landing at #40 with a 38 percent year-over-year growth rate, positioning ECA as the third fastest-growing firm among all Top 50 executive search companies.
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.
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.
Related: ECA Partners Expands Search Staff
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
