ABOUT
During my career, I have had the opportunity to work with more than 25 different PE shops as they have sought out Operating Partner talent around the world. I’ve interviewed thousands of sitting and prospective Operating Partners; and have also spoken with hundreds of the GPs and LPs who are reliant on their contribution.
In fact, it is only over the course of the last decade that it seems to have gained more widespread adoption across the asset class. As with anything new, we don’t yet have any uniform agreement on exactly what an Operating Partner does. Defining the role remains tricky particularly because so many firms see it as meaning vastly different things.
a relatively new creation.
THE ROLE OF THE OPERATING PARTNER IN PRIVATE EQUITY IS
THE ROLE OF THE OPERATING PARTNER IN PRIVATE EQUITY IS
ABOUT THE OPERATING PARTNER
I hope that this blog can serve the community of Operating Partners in PE as it sheds light on some of the various issues that people deal with in that chosen career. Perhaps it can be a resource for aspiring Ops Partners and occasionally bring some value to those with more tenure in the actual role. As always, I invite your comment and contribution as we explore these topics. Don’t be shy about giving me your point of view or suggesting topical areas to cover.
Chris' executive search practice at Lancor is principally dedicated to serving private equity firms in North America and Europe. For the last ten years, he has focused on operating partner and other fund administration roles, and on C-suite roles for those firms’ portfolio companies, located around the world. He leads Lancor's Private Equity Practice and coordinates the firm’s coverage model in serving its clientele. He has spoken at various conferences on the role of the operating partner and, in 2008, BusinessWeek magazine recognized Chris as one of the “Top 100 World’s Most Influential Headhunters.”
Prior to Lancor, Chris was a Partner with CTPartners (formerly Christian & Timbers), and was also a member of the firm’s operating committee. Spending nine years on that platform, he was a founding member of its Technology, Media and Telecommunications Practice, and worked extensively to build the firm's footprint in private equity. Prior to his career in executive search, Chris was a practicing attorney with Ulmer & Berne.
Chris earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from John Carroll University.
CHRIS CONTI
behind the blog
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