CVCA Member Profile: McDermott + Bull

We’re continuing to profile unique organizations that make up our membership. This is an opportunity to learn how they contribute to our community and advance the ecosystem.

This week we’re excited to find out more about McDermott + Bull.

The CVCA caught up with McDermott + Bull to learn more about their thesis, team, and what they’re excited about.

Tell us about McDermott + Bull.

McDermott + Bull Canada is a Canadian-owned member of McDermott + Bull, an international executive search firm with offices in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Founded in 2001, we value a personalized service model while having the resources and capabilities of the world’s largest search firms. We are one of North America’s top 25 search firms, offering specialized solutions, including executive search, interim leaders, and the McDermott + Bull Executive Network. 

Leveraging deep vertical experience, innovative thinking, and proven time-saving methodologies, we thrive in the recruitment of difficult-to-find, culture-critical executive talent. Our firm’s practice leaders have significant executive-level experience and expertise in their respective industries. We bring high-touch, consultative solutions to assist clients in addressing their unique leadership requirements. With over 100 employees globally, our executive search professionals work across a diverse array of industries, functional disciplines, and markets and are highly effective at identifying and engaging best-in-class talent.

What is McDermott + Bull’s focus?

Our firm has a broad geographic and industry focus, but one of our largest and most established practices supports North America’s private equity and venture capital industry. In the last three years, we have placed critical executive-level talent for over 200 portfolio companies across North America and have partnered with over 100 private equity firms. Our Private Equity and Venture Capital Practice is comprised of an international group of search professionals with deep expertise and experience partnering with venture capital and private equity firms, family offices, and their respective portfolio companies. 

Our Canadian team partners with organizations with national or international investments in diverse companies throughout industries such as food, industrial and manufacturing, financial services, consumer products, business services, real estate, and retail. We partner with businesses poised for growth that require leaders with proven success professionalizing and scaling businesses. 

We understand the unique demands facing private equity and venture capital firms and have proven success performing under tight timelines. With significant experience servicing family offices, private equity firms, and venture capital firms across North America, we are uniquely positioned to recognize, qualify, and deliver exceptional talent suited to the distinct needs of our clients.

Who are the key people at McDermott + Bull?

Paul Gibbons, Managing Partner, and Dan O’Day, Partner, lead our Canadian Private Equity and Venture Capital Executive Search Practice.

Before joining McDermott + Bull, Paul served as the Managing Director of a well-established management consulting firm with offices across Canada. He is the past President of the Hong Kong Canada Business Association, a bilateral trade organization focused on increasing trade between Asia and Canada. He started his executive-level talent acquisition career working in the financial services industry with a leading Canadian insurance company and has more than two decades of extensive search experience.

Prior to joining McDermott + Bull, Dan was a Partner/​Owner of another search firm. Starting with two offices, the company scaled to 8 offices nationally and established and exited a multi-office US division when he sold his position. Throughout his 22-year career in search, Dan has built successful search practices in life sciences, consumer packaged goods, and food and beverage. Dan brings a breadth of experience to McDermott + Bull’s private equity clients and the variety of their portfolio companies. 

What is McDermott + Bull excited about for the future?

With record levels of excess dry powder available for acquisitions and other investments and a fiercely competitive landscape driven by international demand for Canadian companies, private equity firms have adjusted their investment thesis to include low-mid market companies. With greater investment in low-mid market companies and the desire to professionalize leadership teams within them, there has been increasing pressure in demand, and therefore supply, of top executive-level talent across diverse industries. While the pace of fundraising is expected to slow in 2023, thereby alleviating some of the pressure to deploy cash, this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. 

We have played a pivotal role in helping Canadian private equity and venture capital firms navigate the changed landscape and identifying and delivering best-in-class talent to enhance their portfolio companies’ and businesses’ professionalization and growth. Paul and Dan are excited to meet with the members of CVCA to discuss how the changed landscape has impacted their business and provide strategic input on navigating and solving the challenges of today’s labour market.