Private Equity & Growth Equity
Executive Search Firm
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Executive Search Built for Private Equity & Growth Investors
We partner directly with investors to place CEOs, CFOs, board members, operating partners and commercial leaders who drive transformation across the investment lifecycle.
Our partner-led model is designed for:
- Speed without sacrificing quality
- Alignment with value creation plans
- Leadership hires that scale through exit
We operate as an extension of your investment team. Whether supporting a transformational CEO search, building a full executive bench for a newly acquired platform, or placing internal operators within the fund, ON Partners has delivered thousands of agile leaders who can scale companies, navigate change, and deliver strong outcomes for investors.
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Partner-Led. High Touch. Built for Outcomes.
Every search is led by a senior partner who remains accountable from kickoff through close. Our boutique structure enables speed, precision, and direct access - ensuring a deep understanding of each investment thesis and leadership mandate.
With experience spanning the full investment lifecycle - from first institutional capital to exit- we understand the leadership profiles that drive performance and liquidity outcomes.
Welcome to the most referred name in executive search.
and the numbers back it up
%
of our clients return for a second search
%
of new business comes from referrals
out of 5 star rating from clients and candidates
Role-Specific Search Capabilities
CEO, CFO & Board Search for Private Equity
We conduct private equity CEO search, CFO search, and board search for portfolio companies navigating scale, transformation, and liquidity events. Our work supports founder transitions, leadership professionalization, and late-stage upgrades aligned to value creation plans and exit strategy.
Commercial & Go-To-Market Leadership Search
ON Partners supports private equity and growth equity firms with commercial and go-to-market executive search, placing senior revenue leaders who professionalize growth, improve revenue quality, and scale execution – often post-close or pre-exit when predictable performance and alignment matter most.
Operating Partner & Portfolio Leadership Search
We partner with investors on operating partner and portfolio leadership searches, placing executives who lead transformation and execute value creation initiatives across functional and enterprise priorities. Our experience spans integration, operational scale, and performance improvement across PE-backed portfolios.
A human-first executive search experience.
Our Expertise across Industries:
Our Work
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about executive search for private equity and growth equity investors.
What makes ON Partners different from other private equity executive search firms?
ON Partners is a partner-led executive search firm built for private equity environments where outcomes matter more than process. Every search is led by senior partners who bring direct market expertise – not junior execution layers.
We work as an extension of your investment team, aligning leadership decisions with value creation plans, timing, and exit strategy. Our partners collaborate across industries and functions to deliver broader perspective, deeper networks, and faster access to proven operators.
What types of executive roles does ON Partners place for PE-backed companies?
We place CEOs, CFOs, board members, operating partners, and senior commercial leaders for PE-backed companies across the full investment lifecycle. This includes go-to-market leadership such as CROs, CMOs, and Heads of Sales.
Our searches often support inflection points such as first institutional hires, founder transitions, post-acquisition integration, professionalization phases, and pre-exit leadership upgrades – always aligned to where the business is and where it needs to go.
How does ON Partners support private equity value creation?
We focus on placing leaders who can execute value creation, not just manage the business. Our partners evaluate candidates through the lens of PE ownership; prioritizing execution ability, decision-making under pressure, and alignment with the investment thesis.
Many of the leaders we place build commercial infrastructure, professionalize teams, and drive predictable performance during critical ownership windows.
How involved are ON Partners’ partners in each executive search?
Partners lead every search from start to finish. At ON Partners, there is no handoff to junior teams. The partner you engage remains accountable throughout the process, from role definition to finalist selection to close.
This model delivers consistency, responsiveness, and senior-level judgment—especially when timelines are tight and the stakes are high.
Why do private equity firms continue to partner with ON Partners?
Most of our work comes from repeat clients and referrals because we deliver leaders who perform. Private equity firms return to ON Partners because our searches are disciplined, efficient, and outcome-driven.
We prioritize trust, transparency, and long-term partnership – earning repeat mandates across portfolios and fund lifecycles.
Summary: ON Partners is a partner-led executive search firm specializing in leadership placements for private equity and growth equity–backed companies. We place CEOs, CFOs, board members, operating partners, and commercial leaders who support value creation across the investment lifecycle.