Phelps Acquires Gallagher’s Canadian Executive Search Practice
April 15, 2025 – Executive search firm Phelps has acquired Gallagher’s Canadian executive search practice, a strategic move that strengthens the company’s national presence and expands operations in Calgary, Edmonton, and Montreal. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “The addition of this team brings a legacy of executive search excellence, long-standing client relationships, and deep regional insight—enhancing the Phelps network with proven expertise and a shared commitment to excellence,” the company said. “This acquisition represents a meaningful step in our firm’s evolution,” said Heather Phelps, managing partner. “It enhances our regional insight and capacity, allowing us to serve clients more effectively across the country while staying true to our bespoke, high-touch model.”
“We’ve long admired the professionalism and values this team brings to the industry,” said Jayson Phelps, senior partner. “What makes this especially exciting is how naturally our cultures align—client- and candidate-focused, values-led, and committed to excellence. The team will continue to operate with local leadership and deep regional knowledge—ensuring continuity for long-standing clients while integrating into Phelps’ national, customized search platform.”
Phelps is the Canadian partner of Panorama. This acquisition follows a wave of momentum across the Panorama global network, including its U.S. partner Buffkin / Baker’s acquisition of the U.S. recruiting business of Gallagher Executive Search, which included Frederickson Partners.
“The acquisition of Gallagher’s U.S. Executive Search team will enhance the depth and breadth of our capabilities and provide a more comprehensive national presence,” said Craig Buffkin, managing partner. “By leveraging synergies in our core industry verticals healthcare, private equity, technology, higher education and consumer as well as deepening a broad functional reach, we aim to deliver even greater value to our clients and candidates. We are excited to welcome these search professionals to our growing team.”
“These strategic expansions strengthen Panorama’s presence across North America and reinforce the network’s commitment to delivering exceptional leadership solutions across borders,” Phelps said.
Recent Deals
Hunt Scanlon Ventures has been at forefront of a handful of recent deals in recent months. Here is a look at a few:
Talento Human Capital has acquired R2 Global, a highly respected technology recruitment and staffing firm known for its niche expertise across cloud & data, business systems, and e-commerce. This strategic move will expand TalentoHC’s existing footprint in the technology sector and launch, as well as strengthen, its technology search & staffing service lines. “The combination of TalentoHC’s talent acquisition expertise with R2’s deep technical focus marks an exciting new chapter for both organizations,” said Juan Gaitan, CEO of TalentoHC, based in Coral Gables, FL. “R2’s agile approach to technology staffing and recruiting aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver tailored recruitment solutions. Together, as R2 Powered by Talento, we are positioned to become a premier go-to partner for IT talent and innovation,” he added. “TalentoHC and R2 Global customers will benefit tremendously from the portfolio of human capital offerings that the combined organizations now provide,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO and co-founder of Hunt Scanlon Ventures.
Global talent advisory firm ZRG has acquired Aspen Leadership Group, a search firm focused on placing and supporting top fundraising leaders and executive talent in educational institutions and the broader non-profit sector. “The addition of Aspen Leadership Group is nothing short of transformative,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “Their expertise in development and advancement is the perfect complement to our growing education practice, and as we roll into 2025 we are unlocking the collective power of these exceptional niche businesses under the unified banner of ZRG’s education practice, creating unmatched solutions for academic and non-profit leadership.” Aspen Leadership Group, established in 2013, conducts a wide range of searches across the fundraising, education and non-profit sector and is widely considered the eminent leader in its field. Its clients include Brown University, PBS, Robin Hood, the Humane Society of the United States, the Leakey Foundation, Carnegie Mellon University, and the Denver Zoological Foundation, among others.
Talento Human Capital (TalentoHC) has acquired The PeterSan Group and PeterSan Legal Staffing. The merger brings expertise in legal recruiting to TalentoHC’s customer experience model and comprehensive human capital services, including retained executive search, professional and management recruiting, RPO, staff augmentation, and human capital consulting. Managing partners Peter Gosule, Peter Goldfeder, and Sandy Friedman of The PeterSan Group will lead the TalentoLegal business unit from New York City, where the firm has been rooted for three decades. “The PeterSan transaction fits in well with our platform strategy as we build onto our customer-centric model and expand our industry and functional vertical focus,” said Juan Gaitan, CEO of TalentoHC, based in Coral Gables, FL. “The intersection of these two approaches will create opportunities for continued growth and value for our customers, candidates, associates and shareholders.”
ZRG acquired Jamesbeck, a New York City-based recruitment firm specializing in senior-level talent for the broad investment management community across private market and traditional firms. “This strategic move aims to establish ZRG’s presence in asset management and will support the firm’s existing private markets clients by adding a new channel for senior roles at the management company level across investments, product, and fundraising,” said ZRG. “Jamesbeck has been at the forefront of decisive changes that have impacted asset management leadership for more than two decades,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “The firm’s acquisition by ZRG will be beneficial to clients across the global investment management space who have come to rely on its network, judgment and guidance around senior-level leadership talent,” he noted. Jamesbeck specializes in the investment management industry across public and private markets. The firm recruits senior-level talent across investing, distribution, product and C-suite positions on behalf of a range of clients from boutiques to the largest multi-product organizations. Jamesbeck’s Melissa Norris, managing partner, and Beth Rustin, founding partner, will become the co-heads of asset management search at ZRG.
Related: Hunt Scanlon Media Launches M&A Advisory Service for Recruiters
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
