A Strategic CEO Placement to Drive Growth​

A private equity investor was seeking a new CEO for a $100M+ hospitality management portfolio company with regional locations around the United States. The company focused on acquiring and integrating vacation rental management enterprises, providing clients with consummate investments with transparency, efficiency, and respect for the legacies of their businesses. ​

The investor sought a new CEO from outside the vacation rental management industry with a strong operational background to help develop a platform for sustained organic growth and future acquisition strategies. The goal was to professionalize the business by thoughtfully collaborating with the founder on the CEO transition, streamlining internal processes, and enhancing the current platform to support future acquisitions. This involved evaluating the business’s current state, including its marketing and technology capabilities, while also identifying new acquisition opportunities outside of its existing geography.

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The investor engaged JM Search as their retained search partner. JM Search vetted over 160 candidates, which ultimately resulted identifying a CEO with the right blend of M&A expertise, vision, and skills to lead the organization to the next level of growth. Once in the seat, the new CEO successfully integrated all four businesses across the U.S., streamlining operations while hiring and integrating team members to enhance continuity. He played a key role in transitioning the company from a founder-led environment to a professional, private equity-backed organization. Additionally, he transformed the marketing strategy and introduced new technologies to drive efficiencies. After two years with the business, the CEO recently led a successful sale of the company. He will remain on as CEO, focusing on identifying new geographies and acquisition targets for future growth.