Bespoke Partners Achieves Record Commercial Results, Launches Alliances Program and Leader Community to Boost Value Creation for Clients

May 07, 2024 at 15:58 PM EDT

Bespoke Partners, the largest retained executive search firm for software and SaaS companies, today announced commercial performance in the first quarter that exceeded all targets and the launch of its private equity-focused Alliances Program and the Bespoke Leader Community.

Bespoke’s outperformance included winning a record number of searches to recruit executives in software and SaaS companies with private equity sponsors, bucking the industry trend.

“Deal flow is a chief driver of executive searches in companies backed by private equity. Even though deal flow remains depressed, we handily beat all our commercial targets in first quarter and are on the path to another record year,” said Eric Walczykowski, CEO of Bespoke Partners. “The reason we are succeeding is simple. We are true partners to our clients and the only firm that understands talent’s impact on value creation across all functional areas and market segments.”

Underscoring its commitment to private equity clients, Bespoke launched its Alliances Program in the first quarter to curate content and services from select third-party firms that are proven to boost growth and profitability in portfolio companies.

“Our success is based on the performance of the executives we place and the clock starts ticking the moment a deal closes,” said Adelaide Maffey, Bespoke’s Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. “Value creation needs to start immediately to put the portfolio company on the path to achieving an investment thesis. That’s why we partner with firms that deliver best-in-class guidance and support to senior leaders we recruit.”

Alliance partners provide plan templates, execution guides and other best practice materials covering the full range of senior leadership roles, including CEO and GMs, finance, go-to-market roles, technology leader roles, and people and talent leader roles.

Also in the first quarter, Bespoke launched its Bespoke Leader Community, a peer network of senior executives the firm has placed.

“We are honored to work with the most impactful executives in the software and SaaS space,” said Morgan Kuwashima, Manager of the Bespoke Leader Community. “These are leaders who have cracked the code on value creation and have led their companies to produce outsized returns for their private equity sponsors.”

An invitation-only network of peers, the Bespoke Leader Community offers members exclusive networking opportunities and access to a curated library of resources contributed by Bespoke alliance partners. Members also receive early access to Bespoke’s talent market trend research, an essential tool for effective team build-out and talent management.

“Our job does not end at placement but continues throughout the hold period and our placed executive's tenure,” said Matt Sommi, Senior Vice President, Private Equity Programs at Bespoke. “Both the new Alliances Program and the Leader Community provide unique, tailored resources and access to leadership best practices that increase the likelihood of success for the leaders we place.”

Bespoke continues to set records in days-to-close for searches, with numerous placements of top executives taking place in less than 60 days and NPS scores averaging above 9.5.

“Not only do our search teams close searches faster than anyone else, but our placed executives are guaranteed to be the right fit,” said Adam Boone, Bespoke’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Even when searches become challenging, our teams never ‘quiet quit’ like so many other search firms do. We structure our fees to ensure we have ‘skin in the game’ that ties our success to client success.”

Bespoke doubles down on its partnership with clients by offering guarantees on executive placements, including up to a 2-year guarantee for clients under Master Services Agreements.

“If your search firm gives you only a 6-month guarantee on placements, then you are working with someone that does not have your best interests at heart,” Boone said. “We recommend moving on to work with a firm that takes your success seriously.”

Bespoke also recently published its latest Private Equity Talent Report, providing trend and benchmarking data on executive compensation, leadership turnover and exit readiness. Copies are available at: www.bespokepartners.com/private-equity-talent-report/

About Bespoke Partners

Bespoke Partners is the largest firm focused exclusively on executive recruiting and leadership advisory services for software and SaaS companies in the United States. Bespoke-placed executives have orchestrated exits and more than 425 acquisitions by their companies, totaling more than $135 billion in value.

The firm is the leadership talent partner of choice for public, private, private equity, and venture-backed software companies. Bespoke has recruited more than 1,000 top-performing leaders into private equity portfolio companies, including CEOs, CFOs, CROs, CMOs, CPOs, CTOs, CIOs, CHROs, Board Members, Operating Partners, Vice Presidents, and many more.

Bespoke’s unique, data-driven services complete searches in typically half the industry average time with a 95% placement success rate. The firm’s unique methodology identifies leaders who will accelerate growth and cuts the risk of C-suite mis-hiring.

Learn more at www.bespokepartners.com.