Private Equity Transformation Search
Placing senior transformation leaders across Europe for a leading private equity firm
Our client, a global private equity firm, engaged InX to build a Europe-wide pipeline of transformation talent as part of a multi-year recruitment initiative. The mandate spanned both the firm’s internal operating team as well as its portfolio companies.
The challenge: Delivering transformation talent at scale
Due to the firm’s broad investment thesis across multiple geographies and sectors, the search needed to cover all key markets and surface executives with multilingual capabilities and relevant industry experience. The goal was to identify individuals skilled at influencing and delivering transformation initiatives at board level across mid to large-cap enterprises.
Key hiring requirements included:
VP, Director and Operating Partner-level talent for the firm’s internal operating team: These individuals typically perform stand-in roles within portfolio businesses, such as Chief Transformation Officer, Chief of Staff, COO or interim CEO.
C-Suite and VP-level transformation specialists into portfolio companies, with titles ranging from Chief Transformation Officer and Head of Value Creation to Chief of Staff and Special Projects Director.
The InX solution: Curating a high-impact executive talent pool
We launched a comprehensive market research and engagement programme across Europe, focused on executives who met the following criteria:
10–20 years of experience, with a foundation in top-tier consulting before transitioning to industry.
Relevant sector experience in organisations of suitable size, complexity and EBITDA profile.
A generalist skill set, rather than function-specific expertise.
Able to set direction based on rigorous analysis, deliver sustainable results, be an agent of change, drive exceptional performance within project teams and build peer-level trust with CEOs and ExCom teams.
The experienced InX team mapped over 1,000 executives across Europe, including top performers from consulting and other relevant industry backgrounds, before filtering and prioritising the most impressive and aligned leaders.
The result: 10 hires made, with 50% diversity across the cohort
InX successfully placed 10 senior executives, in roles such as Chief Transformation Officer, across the client’s operating team and portfolio companies, spanning the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordics. The search delivered a highly diverse pipeline, with 50% of the final hires — and the overall candidate shortlist — representing talent from diverse backgrounds.
Looking to build a high-impact leadership team to accelerate transformation and value creation? InX supports PE firms and their portfolio companies with proven talent solutions across the full investment lifecycle. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your next hire.