With capital harder to come by, private equity giants and investment banks are waging a global battle for talent as dealmaking activity ekes out a recovery.
Private equity recruitment accelerated in the first half of 2025, led by fundraising, investor relations and marketing roles, according to a recent report from Magellan Advisory Partners. Broader investment hiring also rebounded after two years of freeze or slowdown.
This hiring spree comes after the private equity sector remained stuck in a holding pattern in recent years, as rising interest rates and market volatility put the brakes on dealmaking. Fund managers were left with an expanding pipeline of companies they couldn’t sell, with exits postponed.
In the first quarter of 2025, buyout activity picked up, but the momentum faded quickly in the next quarter as tariff turbulence unsettled investors and stalled deal pipelines, according to Bain & Company. Global buyout deal value in April was 24% lower than the first-quarter monthly average, while deal count slipped 22%, according to Bain analysis.
“While deal flow is cyclical, the need to secure capital is permanent — firms are investing ahead of the curve,” said Sasha Jensen, founder and CEO of Jensen Partners, a global executive recruitment firm.
