REASON FOR THE SEARCH

Blue Wire Capital needed an Investment Manager due to the growing focus on new opportunities in the tech and fund investment sectors. The firm sought someone who could help continue their existing strategy and dedicate time to driving their business forward. The team was looking for a candidate who could bring both strong technical skills and a deep understanding of venture capital and private equity, particularly in the tech space.

THE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM

Blue Wire Capital, founded in 2013, is a small, close-knit team of 10 professionals. They are known for partnering with bold entrepreneurs in defining emerging sectors. Their investment approach is characterized by offering fast and flexible support to portfolio companies over many years. The firm invests across multiple rounds and in a variety of formats.

The three main strategies they focus on are:

1. Invest in venture funds
2. Direct investments
3. Special focus lending

THE SEARCH REQUIREMENTS

The firm’s Investment Manager search required the following qualifications:

• Financial Analyst background
• Venture Capital or Private Equity experience
• Strong data and analytical skills
• Proficient in financial modeling
• Excellent communication skills
• Based in London

WHY RAW SELECTION

Blue Wire Capital had reached out to a few people within their network but realized the urgency of the search. They approached Raw Selection to secure a high-quality shortlist in a much shorter timeframe.

Andrei, the partner, set a two-month deadline for delivering a shortlist of candidates. However, Raw Selection managed to fill the role within just 8 days, delivering results ahead of schedule.

THE PROCESS

To find the best candidate, Raw Selection followed our comprehensive 15-step search process. This process ensures a thorough and precise match for every role.

Steps included:

• Initial discussions to fully understand the firm's culture and the role requirements
• Identifying 329 potential candidates through an extensive talent pool
• Conducting over 75 screening calls and 13 in-depth interviews
• Creating a shortlist of high-quality candidates

Due to the efficiency of this process, we were able to deliver the shortlist nearly 1.5 months ahead of the original deadline.

THE RESULTS

As a result, Blue Wire Capital was so impressed with the speed and quality of the shortlist that they hired two candidates, even though only one position was initially intended to be filled.

Two standout candidates were chosen:

• Bertie Highmore: Previously at Blenheim Chalcot, where he focused on seed and growth-stage investments in the tech industry.
• Harley Green: Worked at Seedrs, investing in early-stage companies (Series A & B) across Europe, particularly in the tech space.

Both candidates brought the right industry experience, a track record of closing investments, and the ability to run the deal process, making them excellent fits for the role.

WHAT OUR CANDIDATES THINK

Bertie Highmore, Investment Manager at Blue Wire Capital:

"Alex was incredibly helpful throughout the interview process for my new role, keeping me up to date with everything that was going on from start to finish."

Harley Green, Investment Manager at Blue Wire Capital:

"Alex was a great recruiter and very helpful throughout the interview process. I'd thoroughly recommend him to anyone else in VC/PE. He was very attentive and followed up at every stage, ensuring I was fully informed of the progress."

OUR THOUGHTS ON THE SEARCH

We were very pleased with the results of this search. It was particularly challenging due to the high demand for talent in the VC market, which led to many irrelevant profiles. However, proactive outreach to VC investment professionals helped us secure candidates like Bertie and Harley.

Blue Wire Capital was a relatively unknown firm in London at the time, but their founders had an impressive entrepreneurial background. We leveraged this and their investment thesis to promote the firm and broaden awareness in the market. This not only helped in securing the right talent but will likely benefit the firm in the long run as they continue to invest in new companies.

Alex Rawlings, Founder of Raw Selection

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GET IN TOUCH

If you are looking for new talent, get in touch with Alex Rawlings at alex.rawlings@raw-selection.com