Driving Business Transformation: A Case Study in Strategic Staffing & Change Management Success

Written By Patrick Jolicoeur

Case Study — Executive Leadership & Organizational Transformation for a PE-Owned Company

Context: Private Equity Value Creation Framework

Post-acquisition, private equity firms execute a transformation playbook designed to increase enterprise value and accelerate returns. This typically includes:

  • Operational optimization: Efficiency, process improvement, revenue enhancement

  • Strategic expansion: New markets, product diversification, bolt-on acquisitions

  • Leadership evolution: Reinforcing or restructuring management to match the strategic vision

  • Capital restructuring: Leveraged buyout debt introduces urgency for performance uplift

Success depends on the quality of leadership and the ability to build operational depth beneath them.

Client Overview

A Canadian SME specializing in wholesale machinery, advanced monitoring systems, and scientific instrumentation, with:

  • 80+ years of industry track record

  • 185 employees nationwide

  • $50–$60M in annual revenue

  • Recently acquired by Private Equity, with a new CEO appointed

  • Mandated to drive rapid growth, acquisition readiness, and commercial expansion

Challenge

To execute the PE growth strategy, the organization required immediate executive leadership reinforcements and operational bandwidth to sustain expansion.

Key Roles Filled:

Vice President, Sales

  • To lead & elevate a team of 50+ sales professionals

  • Expand revenue across regions & integrate future acquisitions

  • Compensation: $170K–$200K + performance-linked bonus

Director of Marketing

  • To architect revenue-aligned marketing strategy

  • Enhance lead generation & brand positioning nationally

  • Compensation: $150K+ with incentive upside

Timeline:

Mandatory placement completion before March–April 2024, ahead of key investment initiatives and strategic rollouts.

Hunter Sheppard’s Execution Strategy

1️⃣ Global Targeted Head-Hunting

International search across industrial, technical, and scientific B2B environments.

2️⃣ Executive & Organizational Alignment

Assessed leadership capabilities for transformation suitability (PE experience, scaling mindset, acquisition integration).

3️⃣ Compensation Optimization

Collaborated with ownership to fine-tune packages tied to EBITDA and value creation, ensuring top-talent engagement.

4️⃣ Precision & Velocity

Compressed delivery timeline without compromising quality, executing dedicated search sprints.

Compressed delivery timeline without compromising quality, executing dedicated search sprints.

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Results (Within 3 Months)

Placement Category Impact

Executive Roles Successfully placed VP of Sales and Director of Marketing, both with proven track records in scaling B2B organizations.

Organizational Depth Additionally placed 20 high-performing candidates across multiple departments, strengthening operational capacity and supporting the transformation strategy.

Measured Impact (First 90 Days Post Placement)

Sales Leadership Boost

• New VP generated a scalable pipeline within 60 days

• Launched standardized sales process and implemented KPI-driven performance systems

Marketing Optimization

• Strategic campaigns improved lead conversion by 15% within one quarter

Transformation Support Across the Business

• Additional 20 placements provided critical operational support, enabling the company to absorb growth and integration demands

• Enhanced departmental capability increased readiness for regional expansion and acquisition integrations

Private Equity Growth Alignment

• Executive and department-level placements exceeded investor expectations on timeline and readiness

• Leadership and workforce now aligned with PE growth blueprint

Patrick Jolicoeur