Alex Rawlings

Founder and Managing Partner

Alex is the driving force behind the focus on excellence and mastery and the name behind Raw Selection.

Alex Rawlings is the Founder and Managing Partner of Raw Selection, an executive search firm he launched in 2017 to provide Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies with a rigorous, process-driven approach to identifying and securing exceptional talent. With over a decade in executive search, Alex has built a reputation for de-risking executive search by focusing on repeatable, high-impact search processes that consistently deliver the right leaders for investor-backed businesses.

A true student of business and leadership, Alex is the author of How to Hire and a firm believer in continuous self-development. His extensive personal library is filled with books on leadership, management, and performance, with Patrick Lencioni ranking as his favourite author. Alex applies these insights daily, ensuring Raw Selection operates at the highest level of effectiveness and client service.

He also shares his expertise as the host of The Private Equity Podcast, a leading industry podcast with over 100 episodes, where he interviews top Private Equity professionals and portfolio executives to extract actionable insights on leadership, hiring, and value creation.

When he’s not working—which is rare—Alex can be found spending time with his wife Lucy, son Theodore, and dog Toby, or watching the rugby with a glass of spiced rum from his extensive collection.

If you’re looking for a highly effective, no-nonsense approach to executive search, Alex and the team at Raw Selection are ready to help.

A testimonial from Paul Doyle Managing Partner at Blackford Capital post working with Alex.

Over the years, I have worked with many recruiting and staffing agencies, and there are a few key qualities I consistently look for in professional partners. As you read my criteria, I want you to know that Alex Rawlings and the team at Raw Selection have exemplified all these qualities at an exceptional level.

1. True Partnership: I value recruiting partners who are genuinely invested in finding the best person to serve my organization—not just someone to fill a role. This means taking the time to deeply understand my company, its objectives, strategies, and, most importantly, its culture. Alex and his team have done this remarkably well.

2. Determination, Grit, and Follow-Through: I look for partners who are relentless in their mission to achieve results. It's not just about the hours they put in; it’s about their unwavering focus on accomplishing the task. Raw Selection embodies this mindset.

3. Professional Competence: While essential, I rank this last among my criteria because I take it as a given. That said, Alex and his team excel in their market knowledge, their ability to identify top talent, and their rigorous screening process. They consistently present only the most qualified candidates, saving me an incredible amount of time and ensuring we meet our hiring goals.

In summary, Alex Rawlings and Raw Selection are outstanding recruiting partners. I highly recommend them to anyone seeking to hire senior executives in the private equity space.

Paul Doyle, Managing Partner, Blackford Capital