Private Equity/Venture Capital

Canadian private equity/venture capital industry insights

CVCA reported Q3 2025 private equity invested CAD $25.4 billion across 151 Canadian deals (source).
Onex Partners closed sale of a 25% WestJet stake on October 23, 2025 (source).
Warburg Pincus led investor group agreed November 13, 2025 to acquire ECN Capital (source).
CPP Investments agreed December 24, 2025 to invest up to US$1.05 billion in Castrol (source).
OSFI is consulting on draft 2027 capital adequacy rules, with feedback due February 18, 2026 (source).

Your private equity/venture capital recruitment agency

Private equity and venture capital investment firms have unique recruiting needs. Along with hiring investment professionals and leaders for their own teams, they often need to find talent for their portfolio companies. This can include critical executive search services for leadership roles like CEO, where they need candidates who have both operational experience and the business acumen to develop smart growth strategies. While these searches are always a challenge, they are especially so for PE and VC investors, who often don’t have hands-on expertise in the industries of the businesses they fund.

Lock Search Group is the ideal executive search firm to help with all of these recruitment needs. Our recruiters have a deep knowledge of both the financial landscape and sectors like technology, biotech, life sciences, engineering, and other areas where private equity and venture capital firms often invest their funds. As a recruiting firm, we have a track record of success hiring for organizations of all stages and sizes, from seed-round startups to multinational corporations. At the start of each search, we take the time to get to the heart of the client’s hiring challenges and tailor our recruitment process to match, while our extensive candidate network gives our clients access to top talent from across the United States. Whatever the industry or role, Lock Search is a dedicated partner to bring your company the skills you need on your team.

We fill a variety of private equity/venture capital roles

CFO
COO
Director Investments
Managing Director

Principal
Relationship Manager
Senior Analyst

Taxation Specialist
VP Investor Relations
VP Legal/Restructuring

What our clients say about our recruiters

As the Managing Partner at 1440, I had the pleasure of working with Lock Search Group. We were impressed with their responsiveness and the quality of candidates presented to us. The process was smooth, and we ultimately found a fit for the organization. I highly recommend Lock Search Group for their professionalism and effective service.

Brian Mergelas

Managing Partner, 1440 Capital

The responsiveness and customer centricity when you have Ben Lamarche in your corner are par none. I have used Lock for high-performing C-level candidates, to be placed in challenging situations and locations. Lock's perseverance, resourcefulness, and pursuit of excellence, no matter the interim setbacks, delivers those unique candidates. They are a pleasure to work with, and their professionalism is a breath of fresh air in this industry.

Dev Bhangui

Principal, Investments, Third Eye Capital

Lock offers a range of services to meet your business needs

Executive Search

Lock Search Group’s distinctive “contained” executive search model combines the thoroughness of traditional retained search with performance-based accountability to deliver exceptional C-suite and senior leadership talent. Our proven three-phase methodology, led by experienced Senior Consultants and backed by dedicated industry-specific recruitment teams, ensures comprehensive coverage of the executive talent market. We leverage our national network and extensive research capabilities to track industry movements, mergers, acquisitions, and leadership changes, providing clients with real-time market intelligence. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles ensures we source the absolute best available talent without bias, maintaining a fair and equitable search process. Our track record speaks for itself, with successful placements including Board Members, CEOs, CFOs, Presidents, and numerous Vice Presidents across multiple functions and industries.

Retained Search

Our Retained Search service establishes an exclusive partnership with organizations seeking to fill critical senior and mid-level positions through a comprehensive, priority-based approach. By dedicating our full resources and attention to your search, we conduct extensive market mapping and develop robust talent pipelines that ensure access to the highest caliber candidates. Our team provides regular progress updates and detailed market intelligence reports, keeping you informed throughout the entire search process. We manage everything from initial candidate assessment through final offer negotiation, ensuring a smooth and professional experience for both clients and candidates. This service includes post-placement integration support to ensure successful onboarding and long-term success of placed candidates.

Contingency Search

Our Contingency Search service offers a flexible, success-based recruiting solution designed to efficiently fill professional and technical positions with qualified talent. Organizations benefit from immediate access to our extensive candidate database and network, with payment required only upon successful placement. Our streamlined recruitment process focuses on quick response times and efficient candidate presentation, making it ideal for time-sensitive placements and organizations with variable hiring needs. We handle all aspects of the recruitment process, from initial screening through offer negotiation, while maintaining the flexibility to work alongside other agencies if desired. This results-driven approach ensures we remain highly motivated to identify and secure the right talent for your organization while minimizing your upfront investment.