Where does recruiting report at your firm? At many firms, it still joins after strategy is set, and advisers are urging a reporting line to the CEO or COO.

We recently worked on a human capital operating partner search and gained insight into how different firms structure the role, its pitfalls, and where it delivers the most value. Below are a few new trends, recent searches, and the 12 human capital moves we tracked.

1. Recruiting Still Joins After Strategy Is Set

Where recruiting sits in the org chart drew a strong response last quarter. At many growth-stage firms, they bring it in after setting the value-creation strategy, even though the plan depends on getting key hires right. Advisers and practitioners recommend reporting it into the C-suite, as high up the chain as possible, to better implement talent strategy in portcos.

  • Key Takeaway: We’d involve recruiting while building the value creation strategy, since the plan depends on getting key hires right.

2. Private Equity Needs Talent Beyond the Deal Team

Private capital now needs a talent base well beyond deal-doers: distribution and secondaries specialists, operating partners, data and AI talent, and people with credit workout experience. Funds are also building AI capability in-house, which will change what they look for at entry level.

  • Key Takeaway: We’d map these roles against the value creation plan early, so searches start before the need is urgent.

3. Interim and Contract Demand Is Rising in PE

Movemeon found that demand for strategy and transformation talent reached its highest level in over two and a half years in the second quarter of this year, driven mainly by contract/interim demand in PE while permanent postings stayed flat. A quarter of new roles on its platform now mention AI, up from roughly one in six a year earlier.

  • Key Takeaway: Interim and contract leaders can cover a specific phase, so we’d plan for flexible talent alongside permanent hires.

4. PE Backed/Portco CFO Hiring: Most Briefs Haven’t Kept Pace with the Role

The private equity portco CFO role was one of our most discussed topics last quarter; most effective PE portco CFOs engage earlier in operational decisions and build an evidence trail that holds up at exit. Movemeon reports the same pressure from the sponsor side: sponsors have more than doubled their operating groups since 2021.

  • Key Takeaway: We’d settle the mandate and authority before the search starts; a recent report says they’re what unlock the full value of the hire, and it estimates roughly half of PE portco CFO appointments leave within 18 months.

Searches we’re working on

  • Human Capital Operating Executive, $3b AUM PE. A top-performing $3b AUM PE firm needed an HR/TA-focused operating executive to build and execute strategy for its portcos, plus the internal organization assessment and design, leadership development and talent acquisition.
  • Operating Advisor, Value Creation (CFO’s Office), $1b AUM LMM/MM PE. The Managing Partner and Head of Portfolio Ops want to expand the team with their first specialist to work with portco CFOs on building high-value finance functions.
  • Portco CFO, Mid-Market PE-Backed Specialty Manufacturer. A portco experiencing rapid growth needed a more senior, multi-time CFO with deep experience in M&A integrations, team building, and leadership to prep the company for exit.
  • Portco CFO, LMM Business Services. A lower middle-market business services company in a “blue collar” business needed a PE-ready CFO to build an elevated finance function that gives the sponsor and executive leadership clarity, insight, and reporting.
  • Portco FP&A Lead, LMM Industrials PortCo. A lower middle market, PE-backed industrials portco needed its first mid/senior-level FP&A hire to establish the function under the CFO and provide the forward-looking analytics the sponsor and executive team require.

Notable Market Moves: Human Capital – Operating Executives & PE HR

  • Margot Langsdorf joins HGGC (AUM $10b+) as Operating Partner, Talent. She previously served as Talent Partner at TCG (The Chernin Group).
  • Jack Beatty joins Percheron Capital (AUM $8b+) as Director, Portfolio Talent. He previously served as Principal at Acertitude, an executive search and leadership advisory firm.
  • Manu Antonio joins Andreessen Horowitz / a16z (AUM ~$106.5b) as Partner, Executive Talent. He previously served as Senior Director, Talent at Norwest Venture Partners.
  • Marie Suesse joins TA Associates (AUM $50b+) as Chief Human Capital Officer. She previously served as Global Head of Human Capital, Communications & Administration at Värde Partners.
  • Alana Zell joins Serent Capital (AUM $6b) as Executive Vice President, Human Capital. She previously served as Executive Director, Talent Acquisition at Vista Equity Partners.
  • Jason O’Briant joins Vision Ridge Partners (AUM ~$5.5b) as Head of Portfolio Talent. He previously served as Founder & President of O’Briant Advisory and, prior to that, as a Managing Director at Blackstone.
  • Allison Shiel Kuziw joins Mill Point Capital (AUM ~$3.5b) as Head of Human Capital. She previously served as Global Human Resources Executive at Marlin Equity Partners.
  • Ben Passafuime joins Battery Ventures (AUM ~$14b) as Talent Partner. He previously served as Vice President at Alpine Investors, where he led executive portfolio and CEO-in-Residence talent acquisition.
  • Teddy Andrews joins Carlson Private Capital Partners as Head of Talent. He previously served as Head of Talent at Sole Source Capital.
  • Joe R. Schuster joins Valor Equity Partners (AUM ~$16b) as Vice President, Talent. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Head of Talent at Tide Rock.
  • Catherine Farrow is promoted to Managing Director & Head of Human Capital at Charlesbank Capital Partners (AUM ~$22b). She joined Charlesbank in 2024 as Head of Human Capital and previously served as Vice President, Talent & Operations at Bain & Company.
  • Wilma Nacion joins One William Street Capital Management (AUM ~$11.3b) as Chief Human Resources Officer. She previously served as Managing Director, Global Head of Human Resources at KPS Capital Partners.