Hunt Scanlon Media: “2021 Global Private Equity Talent Leadership Report”

There’s a transformative shift happening in private equity recruiting with firms placing more of an emphasis on culture, DEI, and employee engagement than ever before. In the  2021 Global Private Equity Talent Leadership Report by Hunt Scanlon Media, our Founder & CEO, Dan Hawkins, says the trauma of the pandemic has put pressure on private equity hiring managers to get the right people on the management team much earlier in the hold period, and has made it vital to have a greater focus on building a company’s culture.

“The deal making activity is absolutely frenetic right now,” Hawkins says. “There’s a lot of capital to deploy, impatient investors and valuations are probably overheated. Everyone is in very active deal making mode – more active than it has been in a couple decades.” Recruiting has been robust, Hawkins says, but a shortage of talent is affecting everyone. “Hiring managers are moving faster to get the right people on the management team early in the hold period than ever before,” says Hawkins.

“Speediness has become critical when putting the value-creation plan, management team, and talent strategy in place. Previously, getting the talent and human capital plans in place was a nice to-have, or maybe it was even addressed in year two. But it is now seen as much more critical, and it is happening in the first 90 to 120 days.” 

Read more of Mr. Hawkins’ insights on how private equity hiring managers can unleash higher levels of leadership performance to drive value, growth, and results in Hunt Scanlon’s annual PE leadership report here.