Client: a boutique PE technology advisory firm, London-headquartered, hiring across Europe.
The brief
A VP to lead technology value creation and carve-out delivery for private equity sponsors from Germany. The client’s profile is specific and hard to find: consulting craft from a top firm, sitting on top of real hands-on delivery, usually ERP. Advisers who have only assessed technology are ruled out, and so are delivery managers who have never faced a sponsor. In Germany the role also needs native German and the right to work locally, which narrows an already small population.
What we did
We mapped around 400 profiles across the German market and approached 30, concentrating on people who had moved into strategy or transactions from delivery rather than the other way round.
What we found
The strongest people in this market are not actively looking, and they are rarely considering only one opportunity. Candidates at this level typically run two or three processes at once, so speed and honest communication matter more than a long shortlist. We kept the client informed of competing timelines throughout, rather than presenting a candidate and hoping.
The outcome
An offer was made six weeks from instruction.