Why Successful C-Suite Executives Work With Bespoke Partners on Their Next Moves

Authored By Matt Sommi

We’ve all seen the analysis on how tight the market is for top portfolio executive talent in the private equity sector.

It’s a “seller’s market” through and through, with seasoned executives in the driver’s seat. Many of them are fielding multiple recruiter inquires at any given moment.

Our Private Equity Talent Benchmark Report has been documenting the trend
(get your copy here).

So given all the interest in these executives, why do so many of them work with Bespoke Partners to evaluate their next C-suite roles?

They have the option to work with any recruiting firm. But with our specialization in private equity and our singular focus on software and SaaS, we are the choice of both private equity firms and the candidates they are looking for.

In this posting, I’ll detail a few of the reasons that top executives want to partner with us.

1.    Functional Specialization

Bespoke Partners is a dedicated team of professionals with extensive knowledge and experience in the software industry
that C-suite candidates can trust.

Our partners’ functional alignments allow them to intimately understand the market for positions they are recruiting for and build relationships within that industry vertical. We go deep on all leadership functions, including CEO, Finance, Go-to-Market, Product & Technology, and People & Talent.

. 

2. Our Client Partnerships

Bespoke has been committed to the software industry from the start. Our hyper-focus on software and SaaS businesses is not the only thing that sets us apart in the competitive market when reaching out to candidates and placing them at top-tier companies.

It is also our track record of partnering with leading private equity firms. We have worked with the most active software investors in the world, placing more than 1,000 top executives in their portfolio companies. Thoma Bravo, Insight Partners, Francisco Partners, Vista Equity, TA Associates and many other blue chip private equity firms have trusted Bespoke to execute on their talent strategies.

3. Our One-of-a-Kind Software & SaaS Network

Our reputation and focus has allowed us to build a network of the most qualified C-suite candidates with exceptional track records in software and SaaS.

Our network of software and SaaS executives who can be considered for a senior leadership role exceeds 100,000 members. Our expanded software executive pool includes another 700,000 executives in adjacent markets and in lower-level roles, who may make great Step-Up candidates or who may have skills that can transfer into private equity portfolio companies from other sectors.

In short, we give clients unmatched visibility into the talent market for the roles they need to fill that are central to growth and achieving the investment thesis. For candidates, joining our network means riding the inside track to be considered for these mission-critical roles.

In fact, now software and SaaS companies and their private equity sponsors can access our unbeatable network directly to connect with
C-suite executives. Our Strategic Resourcing Group (SRG) is an introduction service that delivers continuous introductions to hard-to-reach candidates for software and SaaS companies. It allows firms to gain curated access to our network, get real-time visibility into the talent market, and cut weeks or months from typical search times.

4. Our Process

When we conduct our uniquely focused and data-driven search process, we make sure to meet the needs of both the candidates and our clients.

One way we do this is by restricting our recruiters to a maximum of six searches at any given time. This approach lets our clients benefit from a concentrated and dedicated engagement, while candidates enjoy an extremely high touch, personalized experience with frequent communication and updates. Our goal is to ensure candidates are aligned and enthusiastic about the opportunities we bring to them.

The result is a search that closes more quickly but also has a much higher chance of being the right fit. Both these benefits are crucial for a software or SaaS company that is executing on value creation plans and cannot waste time.

We especially prioritize spending ample time early in the search process with the client, working through the scorecard and job specification. Our advanced scorecarding provides a comprehensive view of the candidate fit with the role, while our FIT Profile™ uses management science, state-of-the-art tools and behavioral assessments to generate a holistic view of the candidate and his or her fit with the company and executive team.

The results speak for themselves — we are proud to operate with an industry-leading 95% success rate on our new executive placements. We’re so confident that our process will result in a great fit for both the candidate and the hiring company, we back it with an industry best Two-Year Guarantee on executive placements.

Are you a private equity firm or talent professional looking for the best leadership for a portfolio company? Or are you an experienced C-suite operator looking to make your next move?

Get in touch and let’s explore the possibilities: www.bespokepartners.com/contact/

Share this article: