Data science leadership build for a PE investor
Data science operating team build for a global private equity investor
Our client is one of the world's largest private equity investors, with over €200bn in assets under management and a track record across private equity (PE), infrastructure, real estate, growth equity and venture capital (VC).
It set out to build a dedicated applied data science and analytics team, focused on driving technology-led value creation inside its portfolio companies. The team sits within the firm's digital value creation function, as part of its wider operating partner approach.
InX was retained to find and place the team's inaugural European Data Science Lead and APAC Data Science Lead. Both roles combine data science expertise with advanced AI techniques, helping portfolio companies address their most pressing challenges in line with their strategic objectives.
The challenge: data talent who can adapt beyond Big Tech
The brief required excellent technical capability paired with experience applying it across sectors. The harder requirement was the data environments inside private equity portfolio companies. Many have grown through acquisition and run disparate ERP systems, which leaves data quality and availability as a daily constraint.
Many funds have hired data scientists straight from Big Tech, only to see them struggle to adapt to this difference. The client needed leaders who had already overcome these issues, not specialists trained only in data-rich settings.
The InX solution: a four-pronged search across the data talent market
InX ran a market research and engagement programme across four talent pools:
Advanced analytics and data science teams in consulting
Leading commercial data analytics teams across industry
Big Tech and digital native brands
Investment firms with active data analytics capabilities
Within these pools, InX identified 150 individuals with the required skills and experience, then prioritised and approached the strongest directly.
The result: first-choice leaders in under three months
All shortlists were delivered within three to six weeks, and the client’s first-choice hires were secured in under three months from search kick-off. With European and APAC data science leads in place to anchor the team, the client was positioned to build out its wider capability.
Partner with InX
Building a data or AI capability inside a portfolio and need leaders who can deliver in imperfect data environments? InX combines structured market mapping with direct access to talent that big tech hiring often misses. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your next hire.