REASON FOR THE SEARCH

LBO France needed to urgently fill the position of Investor Relations Director after the previous director handed in their notice and began their notice period. Given the importance of this role, which is central to their business strategy, the firm wanted to avoid any gaps in their team during a critical period of fundraising. LBO France raises 3-5 funds every year, making this a crucial hire for maintaining momentum and supporting investor relations effectively.

THE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM

LBO France has developed long-standing relationships with hundreds of investors, including French and foreign institutions, family offices, and entrepreneurs.

The Investor Relations (IR) team plays a critical role as the first point of contact for investors. The team offers tailored responses and maintains long-term partnerships with investors, regardless of their profile or size. Given LBO France's ongoing fundraising activities, IR is vital to their operations, especially as they raise 3-5 funds annually.

THE SEARCH REQUIREMENTS

The position of Investor Relations Director required the following qualifications:

• 3-5 years of experience in Investor Relations
• Strong network of LPs (Institutional Investors & Family Offices) in France
• Commercially astute with strong sales abilities
• Track record of successfully winning new investors
• Experience raising at least €500M

WHY RAW SELECTION

Due to the urgency of the hire, Alex Rawlings and his team went above and beyond to identify a top-tier candidate quickly. This was especially challenging as the search was conducted amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it difficult for candidates to demonstrate a strong network in France, particularly with institutional investors.

Despite these challenges, Raw Selection was able to complete the search in just 1 week, quickly identifying the perfect candidate for LBO France.

THE PROCESS

Raw Selection used its 15-step search process to thoroughly assess candidates and ensure the best fit for LBO France's requirements.

Key steps included:

• Initial discussions with LBO France to understand the role and its requirements, including a need for a French-speaking profile
• Market mapping to identify potential candidates, focusing on profiles from Private Equity, Placement Agents, and banks
• Screening over 75 candidates and conducting 37 interviews
• Shortlisting 11 candidates, all of whom had been vetted for cultural fit and relevant experience

After careful consideration, Raw Selection identified a strong profile from Rothschild, with extensive experience raising capital and managing investor relationships. The chosen candidate, Thibaud Nonotte-Varly, had a proven track record of raising over €700M in the past 5 years and held a robust network of LPs across institutional investors, insurance companies, and pension funds.

THE CANDIDATE

Thibaud Nonotte-Varly was an excellent match for the role, thanks to his experience at Rothschild, where he worked across various investment strategies, including Private Equity. Thibaud’s diverse experience, combined with a strong capital raise track record and a vast network of LPs, made him a standout candidate for LBO France. He had raised over €700M in the last five years and demonstrated the ability to secure new LPs and expand capital lines. Moreover, Thibaud was a perfect cultural fit for LBO France.

WHAT THE CANDIDATE THOUGHT

"Working with Alex was a real pleasure. I can't stress enough how key his role was in helping me secure my future position. Alex showed commitment throughout the entire recruitment process, ensuring effective communication and addressing concerns. This level of service was even more valuable during the COVID-19 lockdown period. In a nutshell: proactive approach, fantastic results. A great asset to any team!"

Thibaud Nonotte-Varly, Investor Relations Director at LBO France

WHAT THE CLIENT THOUGHT

"We worked with Alex and Raw Selection to secure an Investor Relations Director for our PE firm. Alex thoroughly discussed the search with us and provided a great shortlist of profiles from various financial services backgrounds. The first profile was sent to us within just 7 days of Alex taking on the search, and this is the candidate we ended up hiring. I appreciated Alex’s attention to detail and how he managed to keep the process on track, even during the pandemic. I would have no hesitations working with Alex again in the future or recommending him to other PE firms."

Sophie Chateau, Head of Investor Relations at LBO France:

OUR THOUGHTS ON THE SEARCH

Capital raising is a highly focused and consistent effort, especially for a multi-strategy firm like LBO France. Their Investor Relations team plays a central role in raising capital for the firm’s various investment strategies, which include Venture, Real Estate, LBO, and Infrastructure.

When hiring for such a crucial role, it was essential to find a candidate with not only the right network but also the ability to manage relationships and effectively "sell" the firm's investment strategy. Through extensive outreach and interviews with over 35 candidates, we were able to narrow down the search to a highly qualified shortlist.

LBO France was clear about their requirements and had a solid understanding of the type of profile they were looking for—someone with the right relationships, commercial acumen, and cultural fit.

GET IN TOUCH

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