Unlock Value. Faster

At Operating Talent Partners, we connect Private Equity and Fund-backed businesses with the right leadership at pace.

Specialists in Private
Equity and Funds

Hiring in PE environments is different. You’re scaling fast, under pressure, and often working within complex stakeholder frameworks. You need partners who understand that pace cannot come at the expense of quality, and that every hire must deliver real value.

At Operating Talent Partners, we specialise exclusively in Private Equity and Fund-backed organisations, providing:

Leadership and transformation hires across portfolio businesses.
Talent for high-impact commercial, operational, and technical functions.
Rapid access to pre-qualified candidates through our deep specialist network.

Our reach spans the UK, US, Germany, and beyond, allowing us to deliver cross-border expertise with a global outlook and a personal approach.

Our Solution

About us

Operating Talent Partners combines a surgical approach, robust candidate diligence and the professional network to deliver rapid, reliable, high-impact hiring.

We're experts at identifying, engaging with, vetting and securing talented operating partners and C & C-1 Level executives for our investor and portfolio clients.

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Your Challenge.
Our Solution

Challenge

You need results fast, and traditional hiring cycles are too slow for portfolio timelines.

Solution

We move at your speed. Rapid shortlists, clear communication, and decisive delivery, without sacrificing quality.

You’ve outgrown your network, circulating the same contacts and referrals, with limited reach.

We provide access to a fresh, rigorously vetted talent pool spanning multiple markets and specialisms.

You’re managing multiple stakeholders, including investors, boards and portfolio leadership.

You’ve been burned by staffing partners before, with speed over quality, over-promising and under-delivering.

We act as a single point of clarity, managing expectations, aligning stakeholders, and keeping decisions moving.

We’re different. We don’t sell shortcuts; we deliver precision. Every shortlist is built with care and accountability.

Our Approach. Speed Meets Substance

Discovery

We quickly get under the skin of your business, understanding the mandate, culture, and success metrics before the search begins.

Market Mapping

We leverage data, market insight, and our extensive network reach to identify the right candidates, not just available ones.

Shortlist in Days

Expect targeted profiles, not volume. Every candidate is
pre-qualified, interviewed, and benchmarked before they reach you.

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Our Work in Practice

Every search tells a story of growth, transformation, and the impact the right hire can make.

From portfolio CFOs driving financial control to Chief Revenue Officers unlocking new market potential, our work supports every stage of the investment journey.

We partner with Funds and Portfolio businesses to deliver leadership and functional hires that create value quickly, stabilise operations, and accelerate performance.

Whether it’s strengthening finance functions post-acquisition, building out data and digital capability, or supporting leadership transitions, our focus remains the same, delivering exceptional people who make an immediate difference.

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Is it time to upgrade our sales capability?

We help businesses across the UK & Europe hire sales leaders to deliver new revenue and build high-performing teams.

How important is succession planning?

A replacement GC hired in good time for an effective handover, eliminating any transitional legal exposure or risk.

What's the best way to supercharge value?

We place industry leaders into Operating Partner roles where they apply wisdom and credibility to ignite value.

What does a great transformation look like?

It depends, so we listen and then advise our clients for every assignment, helping us find you the perfect candidate.

How can we eliminate hiring risk?

We comprehensive candidate biographies - backed by structured peer-referencing - conducted before we shortlist.

How can we boost investor credibility?

We place specialist Operating Partners across Digital, ESG, Data Supply Chain, Finance and other disciplines.

Should we go outside to reboot a hire?

We save clients more time and money by building exceptional shortlists at pace to rescue challenging hiring projects.

What's the secret to a great launch?

We place visionary leaders who drive revenue holistically, bringing teams and strategy together to deliver rapid results.

Head of Sales

PE-Backed PropTech, UK

A driven Head of Sales pinpointed to reinvigorate the sales team following private equity investment.

Shortlisting: 5 weeks

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Meet The Team

Operating Talent Partners is built on experience, collaboration, and trust.
Our consultants combine deep market knowledge with a hands-on, partnership-led approach, working closely with Private Equity and Fund clients to deliver fast, accurate results. From initial brief to final placement, we operate as an extension of your business, ensuring every hire strengthens your long-term performance.

CEO & Founder

Simon Bowden

Simon has over 27 years' executive recruiting expertise across UK, European and US private markets and continues to take an end-to-end role in Finance, Legal and Value-Creation executive search mandates.

Partnering with PE Fund and Portfolio Clients across the UK & Europe, Simon leverages several years working in the booming Californian market running high-touch leadership searches for Silicon Valley Tech Scale-Ups.

Chief Operating Officer

Christina Willis

Christina is Operating Talent's Chief Operating Officer, where she plays a fundamental role in overseeing a host of back-office functions, including finance, operations, and internal processes.

With a background in accounting and business administration, Christina brings with her over 20 years of experience, underpinned by a meticulous approach in managing the day-to-day workings of our business, specifically around driving efficiency and future scalability.

Associate Director

Ben Henry

Ben is Associate Director and Research Leader, conducting in-dpeth market analysis to support our client mandates and leading recruitment across HR, Talent Acquisition, Technology, and Sales. Ben's career spans agency, in-house, and HR consulting roles across the UK, US, and global markets.

Ben’s approach is commercial and open-minded, bringing clarity, curiosity, and extensive expertise in HR systems, process improvement, and talent strategy.

Advisor, Board of Directors

Naomi Kent

Naomi Kent has spent more than 23 years working with boards of directors and supporting professionals who aspire to serve on corporate boards. She helps individuals build meaningful non-executive director careers, both before and after retirement.

Working globally across the UK, USA, Europe, and the Middle East, Naomi guides professionals through the transition into board roles and equips them with the insight and structure needed to succeed at this level.

Get in Touch

2nd & 3rd Floors

Northgate House

Upper Borough Walls

Bath

BA1 1RG

United Kingdom

0203 0113 808

operatingtalent.com