Private Equity Executive Search Firm

Cowen Partners is a leader among the nation’s top private equity executive search firms. Nothing drives results and creates value for our private equity clients like finding them their next leader. Our hands-on private equity executive recruiters have deep experience working with M&A, middle market companies, and pre-IPO growth, providing top talent and diverse candidates to fit an array of C-suite and VP leadership recruitment needs.

RANKED AS ONE OF THE NATION’S TOP PRIVATE EQUITY EXECUTIVE

 SEARCH FIRMS

Clients are typically $10 million plus in revenue and successful placements span the entire C-Suite (CEO, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Operating Partner, etc.) and include vice president human resources, sales & marketing, and director level leadership roles.

With our well-established recruitment processes and guaranteed results, we have successfully placed hundreds of candidates in industries including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, financial services, and real estate.

Interested in learning more? Let’s talk. Our partner-owned model is the guarantee you need to get the qualified candidates you require. We deliver on our guarantee by matching an experienced senior partner to every engagement, from first call to final placement. Start the journey to find and place your next executive by filling out the contact form.

SELECT PRIVATE EQUITY CLIENTS

Private Equity Executive Search Examples

Few private equity search firms offer the impressive breadth of experience, talent, and resources that Cowen Partners does. Here are some of the most recent placements successfully completed by our executive recruiters. We have developed some of the most effective private equity recruiting strategies to expedite the process of placing top talent at private equity portfolio companies across the nation.

B2B SaaS Sales Executive Search

Retained to headhunt, proven sales people with established C-Suite contacts at Fortune 1000s nationally for a fast-growing, private equity-backed software company. Minneapolis, MN

Private Equity Chief Legal Officer

Placed an experienced General Counsel with deep intellectual property (IP) experience in the software space. San Francisco, CA

Chief Technology Officer

Retained by a pre-IPO $400m consumer services company to recruit a Chief Technology Officer to provide advanced integration and communication of 600+ locations and digital customer acquisition.

Chief Marketing Officer

Retained by a global private equity backed manufacturer of OEM automotive parts to identify a Chief Marketing Officer for the USA.

Chief Financial Officer

Took over an unsuccessful CFO search for an industry-leading private equity-owned $100M referral services company. New York City, New York

Employee Engagement App IPO

Successfully placed an IPO and public company experienced Corporate Controller for a $40M employee engagement software company with an IPO in two months. Seattle, WA

Martech VP Sales & Marketing

Recruited a proven VP of Sales & Marketing and built a team of SDR’s and Account Executives for a well-known mid-market private equity-backed marketing software company. Portland, Oregon

eCommerce Chief Marketing Officer

Built the marketing function of a recently acquired private equity portfolio company, including Chief Marketing Officer and Customer Success Manager. Atlanta, Georgia

Why Expertise Matters in Private Equity

Private equity professionals need a diverse array of interdisciplinary skills. The right blend of vision, passion, and drive — paired with a strong instinct for picking the right investment opportunities — is critical to a firm’s success. 

Our 12-step due diligence process, backed by our senior partners’ years of experience, allows our private equity clients to leverage intricate knowledge of the industry and locate the right talent across disparate pools. 

We don’t find executives for our clients — we curate them. Our long-standing connections within the private equity circles allow us to connect with world-class leaders and place them in your leadership-ready roles. 

A Cowen Partners search goes beyond database recruiting. We provide invaluable industry insights that dig deeper into the precise talent pool necessary for a private equity-focused environment. 

Private Equity Now Runs on Talent

Professionalism with a Personal Touch

The private equity industry is highly specialized with many complex organizational structures. Portfolio companies must find transformational talents to guide their firms through the transition phase and onward to future success. Finding a proven executive search company is a critical step toward connecting with the incredible team of experts who will drive your company’s future growth. 

Our clients remain our top priority, so we extend that personalized service to each of them. When you work with Cowen Partners, we start by getting to know your general company culture and specific position needs. We believe that great leaders emerge from excellent relationships, not job postings. You can rely on our professional headhunters to get elite talent into your fold. 

Private Equity CEO Recruiting Strategies

Find the Right Leader, Invest in Success

Human capital is a critical piece of the puzzle for the success of any private equity enterprise. Management’s values, motivation, and vision determine how smoothly operations run. Our top executive search experts can assist you in identifying talented individuals with:

• Interdisciplinary skill sets
• Emotional intelligence
• Managerial competence 
• Intercultural acclimatization

Cowen Partners’ private equity executive recruiters have widespread experience working with clients involved in mergers and acquisitions, pre-IPO private-equity-backed operations, and middle-market activities. Our search results will help cement your position as a powerhouse in the industry with the right team at the helm. 

Functional Leadership Placements 

A private equity management team requires a delicate balance of interpersonal skills and strengths. This balance is essential to providing the necessary leadership to steady the organization through any transitory period. Finding it means locating exceptional candidates who can easily pick up roles without any contractual or fundamental delays. 

Whether you’re looking for a private equity CEO, CFO, CMO, CIO, CHRO, or any other executive, Cowen Partners will find the perfect candidate for your opportunity. 

Guaranteed Client Satisfaction

Greater minds translate into superior results for our private equity clients. You need the peace of mind that any professionals you pick will match your vision for your firm and will drive the best outcome possible. 

The Cowen Partners team works tirelessly to ensure that our clients are satisfied with our services. It doesn’t matter what your hiring needs are — we will find you candidates who will exceed your expectations and do so expeditiously. Our average turnaround when filling executive positions is 38 days. 

We’re committed to providing reliable services that have a lasting impact on our clients’ bottom lines. Our team strives to be transparent, honest, and ethical in our dealings, which is one of the reasons why Cowen Partners boasts of a 99% client retention rate. If you feel dissatisfied with our executive recruitment services, you have a 365-day replacement guarantee. We can assist you in finding a better candidate to fill your leadership role. Our experts will go above and beyond to ensure you are satisfied with your choice. 

Making the Right Connections

Tapping the right talent pool may require casting a wider net. Sometimes, that’s how you bring in skilled and experienced leaders who can kick start immediately. Leveraging our cross-border connections and four-step verification process can ensure you get access to choice, curated candidates. 

Our global networks can deliver a wider and more in-depth search for your new executives. Whatever your talent needs are, Cowen Partners can help you find, vet, and recommend the ideal candidates for the job. 

Are you ready to kickstart your journey to find incredible talent for your private equity firm? Get in touch with us using our email form today and speak to an expert about your hiring dilemma.

National Private Equity Executive Search Firm | How Our Private Equity Executive Recruiters Help

Our hands-on private equity executive recruiters have extensive experience working with private equity-backed companies. Clients are typically $50 million in revenue to Fortune 1000’s. Successful placements span the entire C-Suite – CEO, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, and include vice president sales, general counsel, operating partners, and other director-level leadership roles.

Cowen Partners delivers 3X more qualified candidates than the competition. Through our proven retained executive search process, our private equity executive recruiters find, vet, and deliver the top 1% of candidates for positions across the C-suite. Our process works for all industries, including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, real estate, financial service, and more.

Learn how we deliver top private equity talent, no matter the need, with our industry-leading research and resources. Discover the strategy that made Cowen Partners the top executive search firm in New York, Indianapolis, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and beyond.

Insightful Private Equity Executive Resources

• How to Identify the Right CEO Candidates for Private Equity Firms
• How to Find Exceptional Private Equity Operating Partners
• How CEO Turnover Can Hurt Private Equity Investments
• How Much Do Private Equity CEOs Earn?
• How to Find the Right Private Equity Healthcare CFO
• The Making of a Private Equity Portfolio Company CEO
• What Private Equity Firms Want CFOs to Know
• Operating Models for Private Equity Firms
• Blurred Lines Between Private Equity & Executive Search

More Private Equity Leadership Resources

• The Ultimate Private Equity Leadership Guide
• Private Equity Now Runs on Talent
• Fastest-Growing C-Suite Roles in 2023
• What Makes a Great Chief Operating Officer
• Chief Marketing Officer | Ultimate Hiring Guide
• The Difference Between a Chief Legal Officer and a General Counsel
• The Role of the Modern CHRO: Unlocking the Value of Human Capital
• Chief Information Officer vs. Chief Technology Officer
• From Theory to Practice in Executive Diversity Recruiting