Private equity and venture firms are competing harder than ever for the same small pool of leaders. Longer hold periods and a sharper focus on operational value creation have changed what investors need from the executives they back.
Operators in demand
Portfolio companies increasingly want leaders who have run businesses through a full ownership cycle: building the plan, delivering it under scrutiny and preparing for an exit. Candidates who can show that experience, with numbers to match, are being approached by several firms at once.
What this means for hiring
Firms that move quickly, run a disciplined process and are candid about the role and the equity on offer are winning the best candidates. Those that treat search as a transaction rather than a relationship are finding their shortlists thinner each year.
