ZRG Acquires Bravanti

“As organizations come to view their relationship with employees as interdependent, they are focusing more on measuring, improving, understanding, unlocking and driving engagement,” said Scott A. Scanlon, founding partner of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “This acquisition brings ZRG one step closer to creating a fully integrated human capital solutions portfolio with coaching, leadership development and culture at its core.” Let’s go inside the latest deal!

September 19, 2024 – ZRG, a global talent advisory firm and portfolio company of RFE Investment Partners, has acquired Bravanti, a Chicago-based advisory firm specializing in services including executive coaching, executive team coaching, developing leaders, and outplacement/career transition services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Bravanti brings expertise in three key areas: executive coaching, leadership acceleration, and outplacement career transition,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “Bravanti’s global cadre of highly experienced coaches helps unlock the potential of executives up through C-level who deliver powerful business results and exceptional return on their company’s investments in their development.”

“As organizations come to view their relationship with employees at all levels as interdependent, they are focusing more on measuring, improving, understanding, unlocking and driving engagement with workers,” said Scott A. Scanlon, founding partner of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “This acquisition brings ZRG one step closer to creating a fully integrated human capital solutions portfolio with coaching, leadership development and culture at its core.”

“This strategic move aims to establish ZRG’s presence in this niche by adding a firm that specializes in helping executives lead and accomplish goals in today’s pressure packed world,” the search firm said. “With this acquisition, ZRG significantly enhances its leadership development services brand by adding an experienced worldwide team of leadership coaches and consultants, who serve corporate clients, PE firms and corporate boards.”

“I am thrilled to have Bravanti join ZRG,” said Michelle Stuntz, president of ZRG’s Consulting & Advisory Services division. “Having gone through their leadership development training , I know from first-hand experience how effective they are at helping executives build their leadership skills from early stage career to C-suite level.”

“This combination within the ZRG consulting division will enhance our ability to deliver innovative talent solutions to clients worldwide,” said Susan Gallagher, president and CEO. “With more than 300 highly accomplished and credentialed executive coaches, leadership development experts, and career transition coaches, we’re eager to provide even more of our high-impact solutions for our clients’ toughest challenges.”

Ms. Gallagher and the entire Bravanti leadership team will continue with the business. Headquartered in Chicago, Bravanti’s services include executive coaching, executive team coaching, new leader and team acceleration, leadership acceleration– and outplacement/career transition, including executive advisory, internal mobility, and Next Act.

The acquisition comes on the heels of ZRG completing a $120 million debt raise with Main Street Capital, underscoring the firm’s commitment to growth and its mission to be a disruptive force in the talent advisory and executive recruiting sector. “This significant funding will bolster ZRG’s growth initiatives and enhance its ability to deliver innovative talent solutions to clients worldwide,” the firm said. “It is a great time to acquire niche talent advisory and management businesses and build out our capabilities across executive search, interim, RPO, and consulting,” said Mr. Hartmann. “This additional financing from Main Street Capital, combined with our recent equity raise with a consortium of investors, positions us strongly to achieve our strategic objectives.”

Related: ZRG Acquires Ignata Finance Group in the U.K.

ZRG, founded in 1999, is a mid-sized global executive search firm and one of the fastest growing in the search industry. It provides a full suite of executive, middle management, and customized search solutions through its offices in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The firm finds leaders across a broad spectrum of business markets, including aerospace, consumer, education, healthcare services, and solutions, industrial, life sciences, non-profit, private equity and venture capital, and technology. ZRG is based in Rochelle Park, NJ.

Recent Acquisitions

ZRG just recently acquired Linked4HR Solutions’ executive interim & HR advisory services in the Middle East and Africa (MENA) region. With the acquisition the firm added Hicham Hachkal as managing director for interim and HR advisory. “We are thrilled to have Hicham Hachkal join our team at ZRG,” said Mr. Hartmann. “His extensive experience, strong educational background, and successful track record in HR leadership and interim executive placement will be invaluable as we expand our presence and capabilities in the Middle East and Africa. Hicham’s leadership and vision align perfectly with our commitment to delivering world-class talent solutions to our clients.”


Inside The Deal: CEO Larry Hartmann Opens Up On ZRG’s Latest Strategic Acquisition

Larry Hartmann is a seasoned veteran of the people business. As the chief executive of ZRG, he leads one of the fastest growing, global talent management hubs in the human capital sector. It wasn’t always this way. Larry founded ZRG 24 years ago on the core principle of building a better recruiting platform. Simple enough. Today, that vision has extended to a $230 million data-driven suite of talent and consulting offerings, including culture transformation, leadership assessment, executive coaching, strategic communications, RPO, and interim solutions. 


Mr. Hachkal is a seasoned human resources executive with a career spanning over 25 years, marked by leadership in diverse, multinational environments. As the founder and CEO of Linked4HR, he has leveraged his expertise to drive HR consulting and interim executive placements across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

In July, 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. Hunt Scanlon Ventures, a Greenwich, Connecticut-based human capital M&A advisory firm, served as an advisor to ZRG. “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.

“The acquisition of Jamesbeck is a game-changer for ZRG,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “This takes us to a new level in financial services and more specifically investment management and enhances our ability to support private markets firms at both the portfolio company level and the management company level. Our goal is to be a leading partner in all talent matters for private markets firms globally, and this acquisition is a significant step in that direction.”

Related: ZRG Acquires Ignata Finance Group in the U.K.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media

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