Traditional playbooks for value creation are under pressure. Compressed timelines, increased competition, and rising LP expectations are reshaping how private equity firms drive returns. Talent and resource augmentation is emerging as a central lever for delivering sustainable and impactful value.
The Talent Imperative
Top-performing PE investors understand that superior talent is not a supporting factor—it’s a foundational driver of results. E78’s work across dozens of portfolio companies reveals a consistent pattern: gaps in leadership and capabilities—particularly in finance, technology, and operations—are among the biggest obstacles to scaling performance and executing the investment thesis.
Finance leaders in particular, are being asked to do more than deliver clean financials. They must enable data-driven decision-making, drive working capital efficiency, and implement scalable processes that support rapid growth. Similar demands are reshaping expectations across technology, product, and commercial functions.
Human Capital as a Performance Multiplier
Recognizing this, forward-looking sponsors are making intentional investments in talent and organizational effectiveness. These efforts often include:
- Replacing or upgrading leadership with proven transformation executives
- Redesigning organizational structures to improve speed and accountability
- Aligning compensation with key performance drivers
- Building succession plans that preserve momentum and mitigate risk
In our work with PE-backed companies, those that prioritize human capital initiatives consistently outperform their peers—often achieving EBITDA growth 20–30% higher than companies focused solely on operational levers.
E78’s Approach to Talent Optimization
E78 supports PE firms and portfolio leadership with tailored, pragmatic solutions to address capability and leadership challenges across the investment lifecycle:
Interim Executive Solutions
We deploy seasoned operators into critical roles when leadership gaps could threaten momentum. These interim leaders are transformation-tested and bring immediate stability, clear action plans, and mentorship to internal teams.
Capability Building Programs
Rather than simply identifying gaps, we embed programs that institutionalize knowledge, streamline processes, and develop internal capacity. Our programs are designed with PE timeframes and exit strategies in mind, delivering measurable progress in accelerated windows.
Specialized Functional Support
Our team brings targeted expertise across finance and technology—areas where capability constraints most often hinder execution. Whether it’s finance transformation, ERP implementation, or revenue operations, we match specialized talent to your highest-impact initiatives.
Transforming Talent into a Competitive Advantage
The most effective PE sponsors no longer treat human capital as a cost center—they view it as a strategic asset. By investing in the right people, building scalable capabilities, and deploying targeted resources, portfolio companies unlock faster execution and more predictable outcomes.
E78 partners with sponsors and management teams to turn talent challenges into opportunities for value creation. Our focus is simple: deliver functional expertise, deploy proven leaders, and accelerate organizational maturity—so clients can focus on growth, not gaps.
In today’s environment, human capital may be the most underutilized value lever in private equity—and one of the most powerful.
