True Acquires Executive Coaching and Assessment Company Bleeker
February 22, 2024 – Global talent provider True has acquired Bleeker, an executive coaching and assessment company. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Bleeker’s assessments, derived from neuroscience, and their inquiry-based coaching services have been rebranded as True Advance and are now part of True’s platform of products and services. “Through integrated assessment and coaching, True has enhanced our comprehensive talent management platform, solidifying our role as strategic partners to businesses building their leadership,” said Joe Riggione, co-founder and CEO of True. “True Advance provides leaders with invaluable insights about themselves, while simultaneously offering companies transparency into prospective hires’ performance and alignment with the existing leadership team dynamics.”
“Integrated assessment and executive coaching solutions is one of the fastest growing segments within executive search,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “This all ties into the integrated human capital models that we’ve been helping our M&A buy-side clients think through and build out. If we look at human capital solutions as a matrix it is easy to see how team building, employee engagement surveys, culture assessments, leadership consulting, and executive coaching all work in unison to provide a highly tiered, strategic approach to talent. It’s been a slow build to this point, but we believe integrated human capital solutions are the new growth platforms for search firms,” he noted.
Co-founders, Cam Snaith and Jay Liddell will remain co-CEOs of True Advance. Their network (boasting former Olympians, PhDs, and entrepreneurial founders) will continue with True Advance to deliver their data-driven, individual and team coaching to clients, which include Nike, Google, Bitly, BlackRock, and One Equity Partners.
Messrs Snaith and Liddell founded Bleeker 11 years ago. “Business was largely ignoring what science already knew about how individuals and groups functioned at a high level, and that frustration led us to explore these human dynamics and how we can unlock the potential of teams,” said Mr. Snaith.
“The magic of our assessment tool is its practicality in removing bias and getting down to a candidate’s true skills and abilities,” said Mr. Liddell. “It’s the launch point for our coaching and advisory, and uncovers the data allowing clients to make effective decisions about the best executive to hire and the existing leadership team’s greatest opportunities for improvement.”
Both the assessments and coaching are available now to clients as part of the True platform’s core offerings. Later in 2024, the assessments will be integrated into the recruitment workflow for all True Search clients.
Working in both the private and public sectors, True Search has offices throughout the U.S. as well as the EMEA and APAC regions. Since the late 1990s, the firm’s founders have refined their search process with a blend of data-centric insights, relationship-building, and experience to produce a methodology that consistently improves hiring decisions and accelerates growth. The firm’s clients include Jet, Work Front, and Summit Partners. True Search is a subsidiary of True Platform, a global portfolio of human capital services and products for high-growth tech and tech-enabled organizations. True recently placed No. 6 on the Hunt Scanlon Media “Top 50 Recruiters” ranking.
Recent M&A Activity
Acquisitions and consolidations continue to make news in the recruiting industry, with a number of notable purchases in recent months. And it’s not just executive search firms. Technology-based outfits have also been in on the action. Here is a sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
Paris-headquartered search firm Alexander Hughes has acquired Chicago-based DSML Executive Search. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “The move marks a significant milestone in Alexander Hughes’ global growth strategy, positioning the firm as the global executive search and leadership firm of choice for businesses and corporations worldwide,” the search firm said. “The acquisition includes two new offices, one in Chicago and one in Boston.” In addition, Alexander Hughes will retain Myriam Le Cannellier, co-founder and director of DSML Executive Search, who becomes the managing partner of Alexander Hughes USA, and her team of experienced executive search professionals. “This acquisition marks a pivotal moment for our group,” said Julien Rozet, CEO of Alexander Hughes. “We are very proud to strengthen our presence in the U.S. and to have Myriam Le Cannellier and her team at the helm. Her expertise aligns perfectly with our commitment to deliver the highest standard of executive search and leadership advisory services globally.”
The Elevate Sports Ventures agency has acquired SRI and launched Elevate Talent, a new executive search and global talent advisory practice. The new firm will recruit senior leaders across sports, entertainment, media, lifestyle, technology, and gaming. Elevate is led by Al Guido, who also serves as president of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Jim Chaplin, formerly CEO of SRI, will become global president of Elevate Talent. In his 14 years at the helm of SRI, Mr. Chaplin and his management team have spearheaded the firm’s transformation from a U.K.-based sports specialist firm to a global company in the executive search space, helping organizations with board structure, governance, and C-suite issues with talent and advisory solutions. “For the team at SRI, becoming part of Elevate feels like a perfect match,” said Mr. Chaplin. “We share a foundation in the world of sports and have used that particular vantage point to deliver for clients across a wide range of consumer-facing sectors. Our common experience, aligned to a rigorous, data-driven approach, gives us the tools to set organizations up for success.”
Sinecure.ai, an SaaS software company dedicated to finding talent through AI and Large Language Model (LLM) innovation, has acquired London-based executive search firm Grace Blue Partnership. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “The most effective hiring outcomes in the future will involve a balance of advanced technology with human understanding and ingenuity,” said Joel Wright, CEO and Co-Founder of Sinecure.ai. “As the global market for talent continues to evolve, Sinecure.ai is meeting the increased demands of our customers with solutions that promise precision, speed and predictability. Our acquisition of Grace Blue Partnership leverages the strengths of both companies, and fortifies the ways organizations will find, engage and retain talent, with lasting effects.”
Russell Reynolds Associates has acquired Savage Partners, a boutique executive search firm that serves growth equity and private equity-backed software companies across North America. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Intrepid Investment Bankers acted as the strategic advisor to Russell Reynolds Associates in the transaction. Hunt Scanlon Ventures, a Connecticut-based human capital M&A advisory firm, served as the strategic advisor to Savage Partners. “Savage Partners is a trophy property and their acquisition by Russell Reynolds Associates will be beneficial to clients across the tech space as the sector continues to evolve with its insatiable demand for senior-level leadership talent,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures, based in Greenwich, Conn. “Bringing Savage Partners on board will further deepen and enhance Russell Reynolds Associates’ core leadership advisory work and capabilities in growth-oriented technology companies,” said Constantine Alexandrakis, CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates.
The Christopher Group, a boutique HR executive search and business solutions recruiting firm, has completed a letter of intent to acquire Six Summit Leadership, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. “We are extremely excited to continue to innovate and add value for our current and prospective clients,” said Nathaniel Schiffer, CEO of The Christopher Group. “This acquisition not only broadens our capabilities but also reinforces our dedication to assisting our clients in nurturing effective leadership and fostering positive change within their organizations. Equally important this acquisition will provide a physical presence in the mountain and western regions from which to build and nurture critical relationships.”
Corsica Partners has acquired Alora Search Partners and appointed its founding partner, Mary Langan as managing director and cybersecurity practice lead. “Alora Search Partners has developed a respected reputation serving public, VC and PE backed software, robotics, and cybersecurity firms,” said Dan Veitkus, managing partner and CEO of Corsica Partners. “Under Mary’s leadership, Alora has carved out a place among the most admired executive search boutiques and I’m delighted to welcome the Alora team, their clients, and candidates into the Corsica Partners’ family. With this acquisition, we extend our capacity to deliver exceptional C-suite talent across every major function of the enterprise.”
Leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds Associates (RRA) has acquired Nvolv, a boutique leadership consulting firm serving CEOs and C-suite executives of global businesses. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Our acquisition of Nvolv represents a powerful opportunity for us to bolster our client offerings and further strengthen our preeminent position as leaders in C-suite leadership advisory services,” said Constantine Alexandrakis, CEO of Russell Reynolds Associates. “Bob and the entire Nvolv team have an enviable track record of building deep relationships and driving extraordinary results at the most senior levels of organizations, and we look forward to joining forces to increase the depth of both firms’ impact in advising and coaching C-suite executives, preparing the next generation of senior executives, supporting new leader integration, de-risking CEO succession, and aligning top teams to deliver on their transformation agendas.”
ZRG, a global talent advisory firm and portfolio company of RFE Investment Partners, has acquired Helbling & Associates, an executive search firm focused on real estate, facilities, and construction. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “The addition of the Helbling team to the ZRG family will bolster our growing real estate practice,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “We’ll have more resources for our clients, including support in the construction sector of the real estate industry. We are very excited to bring even greater depth and breadth of expertise to the companies we serve.” Helbling & Associates, based in Wexford, PA, was established in 1992 by Tom Helbling to meet the recruiting needs of construction contractors and real estate developers. As clients began referring the firm to their professional networks, Helbling’s client base expanded to entities with significant real estate assets and facilities management needs. Today, Helbling’s clients include institutions of education, healthcare, and research, as well as cultural and community organizations. The firm has completed search assignments in 43 states.
Related: Hunt Scanlon Media Launches M&A Advisory Service for Recruiters
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
