Sheffield Haworth Adds Private Equity & Growth Venture Portfolio Assets Veteran
September 18, 2026 – Global leadership advisory and executive search firm Sheffield Haworth has expanded with the addition of Michael McDonnell as managing director, private equity and growth venture portfolio assets. He is based in the New York office and works within the technology sector practice. “We are thrilled to welcome Michael to the team,” said Paul Gillespie, managing director of the technology sector practice. “He is a highly respected name in executive search, and he has run search projects on both sides of the Atlantic. He knows how culture fit and functional expertise shape a business. That is rarer than it sounds, and it maps directly onto how we work at Sheffield Haworth. We could not be more pleased to have him with us.”
“Private equity and venture-backed businesses face intense competition for executive talent across their portfolios as artificial intelligence reshapes how companies compete,” the firm explained. “The appointment reflects Sheffield Haworth’s commitment to supporting those clients through a period of rapid change in the United States and internationally.”
Mr. McDonnell leads C-level searches across technology, commercial, and financial functions for private equity-owned assets and growth venture-funded businesses. He began his career in executive search at Christian & Timbers and later held recruiting leadership roles at Ernst & Young / Capgemini. Mr. McDonnell joins Sheffield Haworth from True Search, where he was a Global Partner and co-led the firm’s Nordics business before returning to the U.S. in 2022, and was previously with Renovata Partners.
In addition, Mr. McDonnell has also held senior operating roles in people and talent, serving as vice president, global talent acquisition at TOA Technologies (acquired by Oracle) and as chief people officer at Aver Informatics.
A dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, he has lived and worked in both European and US markets and has led extensive cross-border work with European and Nordic founders, CEOs, and investors hiring in the US. That experience underpins Sheffield Haworth’s ability to support clients hiring senior leadership across global markets.
In the new role, Mr. McDonnell leads Sheffield Haworth’s coverage of private equity and growth venture portfolio companies across the U.S. and Europe.
“Very excited to join Sheffield Haworth and to be working alongside a team of this caliber,” said Mr. McDonnell. “Sponsors and operators are competing hard for leaders who can turn rapid change into lasting advantage. Having sat inside growth-stage businesses myself, as well as run executive searches for them, I have seen how the right hire can impact shareholder value, what it does for a company, and what the wrong one costs it. I look forward to helping our clients build what’s next.”
Sheffield Haworth, founded in 1993, is a global executive search, talent advisory, and interim consulting firm. The organization partners with clients around the world to provide tailored solutions for their business and talent needs at the senior management level. The firm has 10 offices throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. It serves clients in the financial services, business and professional services, and technology industries.
Recent Addition
During the summer, Sheffield Haworth named Sun-Sun de Swaan as managing director of the real estate practice in the U.S. She works closely with Sheffield Haworth’s international real estate teams to build and strengthen the firm’s global search and advisory practice. “We are delighted to welcome Sun-Sun to Sheffield Haworth,” said Alex Cormack, CEO of Sheffield Haworth. “The real estate sector is a priority area for the firm, and Sun-Sun is exactly the leader to further grow our practice.”
“Her deep sector knowledge, her track record in real estate search, and the strength of her relationships across the market will be invaluable as we grow our capabilities in the United States and internationally,” Mr. Cormack added. “The appointment reflects Sheffield Haworth’s commitment to strengthening its real estate coverage, capabilities, and market position in the United States and internationally.”
“Sun-Sun’s arrival is excellent news for our clients across the Americas,” said Julian Bell, global head of banking and markets and head of Americas at Sheffield Haworth. “Real assets is a significant growth opportunity in the region, and her sector knowledge and market relationships will strengthen what we offer from New York. I look forward to working with her as we continue to build the practice here and connect it to our wider global platform.”
Ms. de Swaan brings more than 25 years of real estate experience and works with clients across the sector, including firms involved in investment, development, financing, and property management. She has held roles across a range of functions in the industry, shaping her expertise and her ability to deliver exceptional talent to her clients. Ms. de Swaan joins from McDermott + Bull, where she was a partner in the New York office leading the firm’s real estate practice, and brings more than a decade of experience leading real estate practices in executive search.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
