Venari Partners

What could a second Trump presidency mean for private equity? It can be difficult to make predictions about such a singular politician, but one thing is certain: the change of leadership in the U.S. will have dramatic effects on a number of industries, including private equity and other high-growth sectors like AI and tech. In this article, Spencer Tarrant, our Finance Executive Search Lead, looks at the potential impact of Trump 2.0 on private equity and high-growth industries stateside. Check out the link for Spencer's thoughts: https://lnkd.in/e3EPAuXg

Before Christmas, we shared an end-of-year report from our Hospitality Lead, Sean Tribull, which focused on C-suite moves in his sector in 2024. Now, you can find the names of all 107 hospitality leaders—plus details of their new titles—in the below document. Check it out to find out more:

A warm welcome to Felix Meller!   We have some exciting news to share: Felix has joined Venari Partners as Managing Director. He will work closely with our leadership team to drive the growth of the firm and will play a key role in both the company’s day-to-day operations and development for the future.   Felix has a strong background in growing businesses in both corporate and start-up environments. He has worked in the talent space for over 20 years, specialising in executive search for commercial leadership and investors with a particular spike in the consumer sectors. We will share more details on his role and vision soon, but for now please join us in welcoming Felix to Venari Partners. #execsearch #leadership #talent

Do you need to make informed hiring decisions, but are unsure how to proceed? With Venari Partners’ market mapping service, you will receive up-to-the-minute data and analysis of your chosen candidate pool. We provide bespoke models that allow you to examine prospective talent by sector and/or functional specialism, ensuring you make the right hire to drive innovation and success. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/d9pwmavJ #marketmapping #talent #execsearch #leadership

Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) play a vital role in helping organisations achieve their sustainability and energy transition goals. So, why are they underrepresented on executive boards – despite growing evidence that empowered CSOs can have a positive effect on value creation? Read this report by Alex Hyde, who leads Venari Partners’ Sustainability, Energy Transition & Circularity practice, to find out more about the evolution of the CSO role, sustainability appointments at board level, and recent hiring trends in his sector. #sustainability #cso #energytransition #esg #leadership #talent

How did retailers fare over the festive season in 2024? In retail, Q4 is often referred to as the ‘Golden Quarter’, and with good reason. Christmas can have a huge impact on P&L and consumer confidence – so now that results for last quarter’s retail shopping are in, what can we take from these as we look towards the market in 2025? Mark Collins, Head of our Retail & Consumer Goods practice, has highlighted some choice findings from the Golden Quarter 2024, plus what these might mean for businesses and talent alike this year. Did Christmas disappoint, meet or exceed expectations? Find out via the link below:  https://lnkd.in/e9kmD6uv

So, 2024... After a challenging 2023, we experienced a rebounding year with a notable resurgence in 2024. #PrivateEquity buyout activity increased by 36% in value compared to 2023, marking the most active period since a two-year lull. The technology sector attracted significant PE interest, accounting for 40% of PE deployment by value in Q3 2024, up from 34% in Q1. Global M&A deal volumes increased by 15% to $3.45 trillion in 2024, rebounding from a decade-low in 2023. The technology sector led M&A activity, with a total of $534 billion in deals. Still with it's challenges, and the hangover of 2023, #interimmanagement made it's return. C-suite leadership requirements were up 78%, however the biggest surge was for sector specialists to manage transitions, integrations, carve-outs, and transformations (#ERP in particular!), with #infrastructure, #manufacturing, #retail, #healthcare, and #technology showing the highest demand. #CEO departures hit a record high in 2024, with over 1,800 exits by October 2024, up 19% from the previous year, marking the highest year-to-date figure since 2002. High turnover reflects mounting performance pressures as boards hold CEOs accountable for profits. In Q3 2024, 67% of incoming CEOs were internal hires, a decline from 74% in Q3 2023, indicating a growing preference for external candidates to bring fresh perspectives, thereby driving #executivesearch mandates. Average CEO tenure is declining, and we are now seeing a growing demand for leaders adept at navigating macro complexities, such as tech transformation, sustainability, and geopolitical crises. This trend signals a rising appetite for bold leadership in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Q1 to Q3 of 2024 witnessed 224 new #CFO appointments, closely matching the record turnover of 233 in the same period in 2023. This sustained high turnover reflects the critical role CFOs play in navigating financial complexities during periods of increased deal activity. The global trend of CFOs ascending to CEO roles continued, with 24% of S&P 500 CFOs who changed jobs moving to CEO or president positions in 2024. Although slightly down from 33% in 2022, this remains significantly higher than 8.8% in 2021, underscoring the strategic importance of financial expertise in top leadership roles. Overall, 2024 marked a year of recovery and growth, with technology, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure leading deal activity and expectations of continued momentum into 2025. Lower interest rates and a stabilising macroeconomic environment will continue to drive deal-making. That said, the implications of Trump 2.0 for PE in both North America and Europe are difficult to predict. Key areas worth watching include taxes, deregulation, tariffs, trade, and inflation. And to my network - a massive thank you to all clients and candidates, both old and new. Thank you for your trust and confidence, it's been a pleasure working with you. Happy holidays everyone! ❤️ Bring on #2025!

Passenger demand is back at pre-COVID levels – so what has this meant for the airports and aerospace sectors? Adam Fell, our Principal Consultant for these markets, shares his thoughts on 2024’s hiring trends, the need to balance growth with sustainability, and the impact of world events on the industry. Click below for the report: https://lnkd.in/edhvtXjg

Our Director, James Parker, recently shared his end-of-year report for Venari Partners' Aviation practice. As ever, it’s full of insights about everything from CEO appointments and airline consolidation, to international hiring strategies and the demand for digital talent from outside the industry. In case you missed it first time around, check out James’s summary of the year that was in aviation, as well as his predictions for 2025: https://lnkd.in/eRuz4ihc #aviation #talent #leadership #execsearch #marketinsight #hiring

📢 Last call for nominations for our Charity Secret Santa initiative! We’ve made it a yearly tradition to ask our network for suggestions for charities to support. Can you think of an organisation you’d like us to donate to? Click the link below to find out more and nominate your chosen charity today: https://lnkd.in/eggv73mK #csrn #givingtuesday #donate #charity