PRIVATE EQUITY AND VENTURE CAPITAL
Private Equity and Venture Capital Executive Search in New Zealand
Funds move fast. The leadership decisions stick.
Funds, GPs and the operating teams they back move faster than most. Our Auckland executive search practice partners with New Zealand and Australian PE houses and venture capital firms on retained search for Investment Directors, Operating Partners, portfolio CEOs and the non-executive directors who steward each investment. The board-grade brief is built sponsor-grade from day one.
The Market
PE capital in the New Zealand mid-market has never been deeper, and the operator bench has never been thinner.
Local and trans-Tasman funds are deploying record amounts of capital into New Zealand businesses. Hold periods are shortening. Operating teams are expanding. The talent constraint sits at portfolio CEO and Operating Partner level, where deep functional skill needs to combine with sponsor-grade reporting discipline.
Where the sector is shifting.
Operating Partners are in.
Funds are building dedicated operating benches rather than relying on advisors. Portfolio CEOs are being recruited pre-deal and held for the next investment. Cross-portfolio shared services are normalising.
First-time PE CEOs are hard to find.
Many New Zealand operators have run businesses but not for a fund. Reporting cadence, exit-led KPI design and board management are different in a sponsor environment. Cultural fit across the GP and portfolio is the make-or-break.
Operators who have done it before are in demand.
PE-experienced CEOs and CFOs are commanding premium rewards. Operating Partner roles are attracting senior corporate executives wanting more leverage. Independent chairs with multiple sponsor cycles are highly sought after.
Who We Place
Leadership roles we search across PE and VC funds and their portfolios.
- Investment Director
- Operating Partner
- Portfolio Chief Executive
- Portfolio Chief Financial Officer
- Portfolio Chief Operating Officer
- Independent Chair
- Non-Executive Director
- Head of Investor Relations
- Head of Portfolio Operations
- Investment Committee Member
- Audit and Risk Committee Chair
- Head of M&A and Integration
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
01. Do you recruit across both the fund and the portfolio?
Yes. We recruit across the full PE and VC spectrum. That includes general partners, mid-market PE houses, venture capital firms, family office direct investors, and the companies they back. Our retained search engagements cover both leadership and specialist roles.
02. Can you find chairs and non-executive directors with PE, VC, M&A and operating-partner backgrounds?
Yes. We maintain a curated Board & NED Network that includes operators, finance specialists, governance veterans and senior leaders with deep PE and VC experience. We can build a chair shortlist, refresh a board, or place a single non-executive director.
03. What does an Infinitas PE and VC search engagement look like?
Retained search. Every engagement begins with a board-grade brief covering role architecture, success measures, the operating context and the cultural lens. From there we run a structured market map, a long-list of identified candidates, structured interviews and competency assessment, references and a written shortlist report. Engagements typically run 8 to 12 weeks and are run with sponsor-grade reporting discipline.
04. Where in New Zealand do you operate?
We are based in Auckland and run searches nationally. That includes Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Tauranga, Hamilton, Dunedin and the regions. Where a role requires a trans-Tasman or international map, we extend the search accordingly.
Related Sectors
Where leaders cross over.
Independent chairs, NEDs and successor CEOs for founder-led and private businesses navigating handover, governance and growth.
Managing Partners, Practice Leads and senior advisors who elevate client outcomes across legal, consulting and advisory firms.
GMs, Operations Managers, Production Managers and Manufacturing Directors who lead through complexity.
Ready to Talk
Ready to build your next PE-grade leadership team?
Partner with Infinitas to recruit Investment Directors, Operating Partners and portfolio CEOs who deliver on the thesis.