March Consultants
Executive search and talent advisory for Alternative Investment firms and their Portfolio Companies

Case studies

Building the senior Asia team for a Private Debt Fund

Building the senior Asia team for a Private Debt Fund

A US-based investment firm which specialises in private debt was looking to expand into Asia.

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Hiring a CFO for a Secondaries Private Equity Fund

Hiring a CFO for a Secondaries Private Equity Fund

This spin-off from a major European bank was established 15 years ago and had nurtured a very close-knit, collaborative culture.

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Finding a Head of Data for a Debt Fund

Finding a Head of Data for a Debt Fund

An international investment firm with AUM of €44 bn was looking to hire a Head of Data for the Debt side of its business.

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 Recruiting a global Head of HR for a PE Advisory firm

Recruiting a global Head of HR for a PE Advisory firm

A leading private equity advisory firm was growing rapidly and experiencing a number of employee relations challenges as a result.

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Searching for a PE firm’s Chief Compliance Officer

Searching for a PE firm’s Chief Compliance Officer

A US private equity firm with $80 bn of AUM was looking for a Head of Compliance for its UK operations, reporting into its European Head of Compliance.

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Finding an Operating Partner – CP to beef out

Senior Investment Director Search for a Private Equity Firm

European PE firm was looking to add a Investment Director to their UK team. As part of the project they were also looking to understand compensation innovation.

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Building the senior Asia team for a Private Debt Fund

 

The Challenge

A US-based investment firm which specialises in private debt was looking to expand into Asia. They asked March Consultants to search for two senior investment directors to head up their new offices in Hong Kong and Australia.

The Process

In order to identify senior debt specialists who understood these respective markets, we undertook a comprehensive market-mapping exercise, to identify a diverse pool potential candidates. To arrive at a long list, we carefully sifted through each professional’s credentials focusing on their investment track-record, with a view to pinpointing those who precisely fitted the client’s specific business criteria, culture, and vision for the future.

From this, we chose a selection of candidates – per role – to interview. Having taken the time to get ‘under the skin’ of our client’s business strategy, we were able to deliver this complex team-build search in just under three months.

The Result

We found two very experienced people who were exactly the right fit for this organisation. Key to our achievement was successfully convincing these highly accomplished candidates that joining this newcomer to the Asian market would be extremely beneficial to their careers.

Building the senior Asia team for a Private Debt Fund

Success with these initial mandates has resulted in March Consultants establishing a strong ongoing relationship with this American client.

Hiring a CFO for a Secondaries Private Equity Fund

 

The Challenge

This spin-off from a major European bank was established 15 years ago and had nurtured a very close-knit, collaborative culture. The CFO position was their first senior external hire and the client was exacting in their requirements, particularly when it came to cultural fit, but also identifying someone who could grow with the firm.

The Process

March Consultants spent considerable time with the COO and CIO gaining a deep appreciation of the priorities and culture of this fast-growing business. We then forensically researched CFOs across the UK and European Private Equity and Private Debt sector with a focus on firms in the Secondaries market. This process resulted in our meeting 45 potential candidates, both up-and-coming talent as well as more experienced professionals. Our client had instructed us that finding the right fit, rather than the outright pace of this assignment was the critical factor for them.

The Result

We found a candidate who was able to demonstrate they had both the technical and personal attributes to lead the finance function in this hugely ambitious firm.  The client was confident this person would successfully grow and develop, matching the firm’s impressive trajectory, as well as adding immediate value. We performed this search during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, but by demonstrating patience and tenacity, and tapping into our comprehensive network of contacts, we successfully found a CFO who was the ideal cultural match.

Hiring a CFO for a Secondaries Private Equity Fund

Finding a Head of Data for a Debt Fund

 

The Challenge

An international investment firm with AUM in excess of €40bn was looking to hire a Head of Data for the Debt side of its business. The talent pool for such professionals is small, with the best candidates being in very high demand. Our brief, in addition to finding a Head of Data, was to educate the client’s team about what these professionals do, how they operate, and the challenges they face.

The Process

We began by informing our client about the Data capabilities of their competitors as well as outlining the delicate nature of a search for this particular role. As part of the pre-search exercise, we also presented three benchmarking candidates, so our client could frame the role. We then introduced six further short-listed candidates who represented the finest available talent, according to our extensive research.

The Result

We found a candidate who had been doing the same Head of Data role for a larger competitor. Not only had they been on precisely the same journey at their previous firm, but they were able to demonstrate that they would be able to undertake a larger role for our client’s business in the future. Critically, the successful candidate also demonstrated exceptional communication skills and a natural ability to present complex technical terms in ‘everyday language’ to both stakeholders and leadership.

Finding a Head of Data for a Debt Fund

Recruiting a global Head of HR for a PE Advisory firm

 

The Challenge

A leading private equity advisory firm was growing rapidly and experiencing a number of employee relations challenges as a result. Our client realised that they needed to replace their part-time HR person with a senior professional who would elevate their HR capability. This new role required an experienced HR leader with a blend of strategic and operational expertise.

The Process

Our challenge was to identify an individual who possessed both the gravitas to manage senior stakeholders, but was also comfortable operating ‘in the detail’ – yet without the resources or the structure of a big firm. The business leaders had high expectations for the hire, and wanted someone who had worked for a firm with an excellent reputation for HR practices. We built a longlist of 170 HR professionals and interviewed over 70 in depth.

The Result

Our client chose a high-potential candidate who met all their stringent requirements. The senior HR professional we found was highly adept at dealing at Board level as well as translating HR concepts into business language. Importantly, they also relished operating in fast-paced, changing environments and was the ideal person to grow with our client as they advance on their fast-track journey.

 Recruiting a global Head of HR for a PE Advisory firm

Searching for a PE firm’s Chief Compliance Officer

 

The Challenge

A US private equity firm with $80 bn of AUM was looking for a Head of Compliance for its UK operations, reporting into its European Head of Compliance. Although the position was to be based in the UK, there was a significant international element to the role, as the Sales and Marketing team were very active in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

The Process

Due to the market conditions being incredibly competitive for compliance talent, we promptly approached the Heads and Deputy Heads of Compliance of all our client’s UK competitors. Given the strength and reputation of this client’s brand, there was significant interest, calling upon our considerable interview expertise to discriminate between some very strong contenders. Having met with the most impressive candidates, we drew up a short list of five to present to the client.

The Result

Fortunately, our client heard the feedback from the market and was able to act at pace to secure their preferred candidate. We were able to provide the client with 360 feedback to ensure they could progress with confidence to onboard an important member of their C-suite.

Searching for a PE firm’s Chief Compliance Officer

 Senior Investment Director Search for a PE Firm

 

The Challenge

A European private equity firm was looking to add a Senior Investment Director to their UK team. As part of the project they were also looking to understand how their competitors were innovating both in terms of team structure and from a compensation perspective. They retained March Consultants to approach the market on their behalf to attract the best talent whilst also gathering vital market intelligence to help future proof the investment team.

The Process

Over a two-month period, we spoke in detail to around 50 senior investment professionals within our client’s competitors. We then collated this information into a detailed report and presented it to our client over a series of targeted meetings. We then worked with the client to proactively target a small selection individuals which is an ongoing process.

The Result

Our client is now in possession of detailed ‘inside intelligence’ to help them strategize, hire and retain the right people into their investment teams, ensure that these professionals remain happy in their roles and that they are performing optimally in a rapidly evolving market. They are currently in advanced discussions with a Senior leader which will be finalised in the coming months.

Finding an Operating Partner – CP to beef out