Flatiron Search Partners Acquires Bigfoot Search

April 26, 2023 – Flatiron Search Partners (FSP) has acquired technology-focused search firm Bigfoot Search. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Bigfoot Search was founded in 2019 by Jeff Bruce, who previously spent a decade partnering with founders and executive leadership teams of emerging and growth-stage businesses backed by top-tier venture capital and private equity firms. A trained front-end engineer and interactive designer, Mr. Bruce has led hundreds of searches ranging from the C-suite, VP and director levels through key individual contributors, across product, data, design, and technology.

“We’re so thrilled to welcome Jeff and his team into the FSP family,” said Bill Stauffer, co-founder and managing partner at FSP. “We’ve been in conversations with Jeff about our shared philosophy and track record of leading mission-critical searches for top-tier brands for years, and have always felt that joining forces would be a natural fit.”

“Our clients are moving decisively to invest in mission-critical talent at the executive level, and we’ve experienced a surge in requests for technology roles over the past year,” said Joe Miller, co-founder and managing partner at FSP. “In the past, we’ve declined because we pride ourselves on only engaging in searches for which we have a distinct competitive advantage. Now, with the addition of Jeff’s team and expertise, we do.”

Flatiron Search Partners will absorb Bigfoot along with its team and technology, adding new capabilities across product, engineering, and design to the firm’s existing executive search and staffing practice. “The acquisition is a response to increased and consistent requests from FSP clients to lead technology and product searches,” the search firm said.

“I’m so excited for this new partnership” said Mr. Bruce. “Team Flatiron Search Partners clearly shares the same core values and commitment to delivery. Together we will be able to provide a full suite of search services across all corporate functions.”

Boutique Search Firm

Established in 2018, Flatiron Search Partners is a boutique executive search and growth advisory firm with offices in New York City and Denver. The firm leverages a cross-industry network to focus on key sectors: beauty, business services, consumer products/ services, consumer healthcare, education and training, experiential/ specialty retail, food and beverage/ restaurants, franchising, health and wellness/ active lifestyle, hospitality and nightlife, and technology and SaaS. Flatiron leads recruitment efforts for CEOs and presidents, as well as executives and functional leads overseeing operations, customer experience, sales/revenue, marketing, training, HR, finance, product, technology, and real estate/development.

Mr. Stauffer has spent the past 20 years scaling brands at various growth stages across the consumer, food and beverage, and healthcare sectors. He has experience working with founders, boards of directors, executive teams, and private equity/ venture capital sponsors.

Mr. Miller has spent the last 10 years driving scalable business strategies for high-growth companies in the branded consumer space. He has a background in cross-functional management and financial analysis, and a track record of attracting and managing winning teams, driving operational execution, and achieving growth targets.

Recent Acquisitions

Acquisitions and consolidations continue to make news in the recruiting industry, with a number of notable purchases in recent months. Here is a sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:

ON Partners has acquired Olympus Search Partners and added its founder, Ashley Estes, as senior partner to further expand its market growth in both PE-backed health and wellness, and TMT. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Ashley brings in over 14 years of executive search experience to our team in the areas of both PE-backed healthcare and software,” said Matt Mooney, co-president at ON Partners. “Over the last few years, ON Partners has expanded in the overall health and wellness market, specifically as it pertains to private equity-backed healthcare, IT healthcare systems, and overall health-tech. We see considerable demand and opportunity in this sector and Ashley is a wonderful addition to the team. Both her leadership and expertise will be extremely valuable.”

Private equity-backed Kingsley Gate Partners has acquired London-headquartered The Omerta Group (TOG), an executive search firm specializing in financial services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “To have a truly global financial services practice, you must be in three locations: New York, London, and Hong Kong,” said Umesh Ramakrishnan, CEO of Kingsley Gate Partners. “This acquisition strengthens our position in these key markets.” The Omerta Group will complement Kingsley Gate Partners’ strength in the U.S. and will accelerate the firm’s growing footprint across the U.K., continental Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. The acquisition brings the addition of 50 experienced global financial services specialists and also builds on Kingsley Gate Partners’ existing financial services expertise, particularly in asset management.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., one of the world’s largest consulting and risk management companies, has acquired global HR search firm Frederickson Partners. Frederickson Partners has locations in a dozen cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Nashville, and also serves global tech hubs in London, Berlin, Paris, Mexico City, Bogota, Seoul, and São Paulo. Founder Valerie Frederickson and her team will continue to operate under the direction of Scott Hamilton, global managing director, human resources and compensation consulting for Gallagher’s employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations. “Frederickson Partners will expand Gallagher’s executive search capabilities across all industries and offers us significant opportunities for collaboration and growth,” said J. Patrick Gallagher Jr., chairman, president and CEO. “I am very excited to welcome Valerie and her team to our growing, global company.”

Diversified Search Group (DSG), a leading search firm backed by private equity firm ShoreView Industries, has acquired Alta Associates, a Flemington, NJ-based search firm founded by Joyce Brocaglia specializing in cybersecurity, IT risk management, and data privacy. Hunt Scanlon Ventures, based in Greenwich, Conn., facilitated the introduction and transaction between both organizations. “This is a strategic acquisition that will add significantly to our business offering in a key field that touches every client we serve,” said Aileen Alexander, CEO of Diversified Search Group. “Cybersecurity, data privacy, and resiliency are top priorities for boards and senior leadership across every sector of our economy.

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

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media