Private Equity · Executive Search
Executive search for private equity portfolios.
In private equity-backed companies, leadership is closely tied to the investment thesis, value creation and the time horizon. CEO and CFO appointments therefore have to fit more than functionally. What matters is whether the leader understands the specific value creation agenda and can deliver it under high accountability for results.
Deriving leadership from the investment thesis
Before a search, I clarify together with the relevant stakeholders which levers are at the centre: growth, internationalisation, operational improvement, M&A, professionalisation, transformation, restructuring or exit preparation. This results in a role profile that reflects the actual demands of the holding period and the company’s phase.
A CV with PE experience is not in itself a mark of quality. What matters is which decisions a leader has actually owned, how they work with owners and the board, and whether they can combine speed with sustainable organisational development.
Across the ownership cycle: Private Equity Advisory for portfolio leadership, management assessment, CEO/CFO succession, board & governance and leadership along the ownership cycle.
Typical mandate situations
- Post-acquisition rebuilding of the management team
- CEO/CFO succession in private equity – planned or situational succession at CEO or CFO level
- Growth and international scaling
- Transformation and performance programmes
- Buy-and-build or integration situations
- Restructuring or operational stabilisation
- Exit preparation and professionalisation of structures
More detail on the two most common roles can be found under CEO Search and CFO Search.
What makes PE leadership different
- Pace: decisions often have to be taken and implemented faster than in long-established corporate structures.
- Transparency: performance, cash, operational levers and risks must be presented clearly and robustly to owners.
- Value creation: strategy must be translated into concrete initiatives, responsibilities and measurable results.
- Stakeholder competence: CEO and CFO must work confidently with the sponsor, board, management team, banks and other stakeholders.
- Capacity for change: structures and teams often have to be developed in parallel with the ongoing business.
CEO and CFO as a complementary leadership system
In a portfolio company in particular, the CEO and CFO roles should not be viewed in isolation. The CEO owns strategy, market and organisation; the CFO translates value drivers into steering, capital allocation and transparency. The specific division of tasks depends on the business model and the management team.
In a comprehensive realignment, it can make sense to look at both roles and the governance structure together. For this, Executive Search is combined with Board Advisory where needed.
A search process with clear ownership structure and expectations
I lead selected PE mandates personally. After role clarification, target markets and relevant peer companies are defined. Direct search focuses on leaders whose experience fits the investment thesis and the company’s phase – not merely on candidates with a general PE label.
The assessment focuses on entrepreneurial impact, delivery of change, accountability for results, speed, leadership quality and collaboration with owners. The shortlist is meant to give the decision-making body a clear choice, not the longest possible list of candidates.
AI leadership as a value creation topic
When AI becomes part of the investment thesis or the value creation plan, the leadership question arises immediately: who owns prioritisation, scaling and P&L impact? See also: AI in private equity: why leadership becomes a value creation lever and AI Leadership Search.
When time is a critical factor
After an unexpected departure or in a critical transformation phase, a classic search timeline can be too long. For selected situations I offer a focused approach under Emergency Executive Search. This requires clear decision-making paths and a high priority for the mandate on both sides.
Frequently asked questions
Must a candidate have worked in private equity before?
Not necessarily. What matters is whether there is experience with comparable accountability for results, speed, transformation and ownership structure and expectations. Depending on the situation, however, direct PE experience can be an important advantage.
How strongly does the investment thesis shape the search?
Very strongly. The role profile should reflect the most important value creation levers and risks of the investment. Otherwise the search becomes too generic.
Do you also work with the management team and the board?
Yes, insofar as it is useful for role clarification and the decision. The decision-making circle is deliberately kept clearly defined to ensure speed and discretion.
DACH EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP BRIEF
See the signals before they turn into a vacancy.
Every Monday: the most important CEO, CFO, private equity and governance developments in the DACH market – with a brief assessment for owners, boards and executives.