Hunt Scanlon Ventures

2025 Mid-Year Executive Search M&A Report

Hunt Scanlon Ventures has just released its inaugural 2025 Mid-Year Executive Search M&A Report! Download the free PDF to explore the latest trends, notable transactions, and market signals shaping the talent and leadership advisory industry.

Here is a sampling of some of what you’ll find when you open up this latest issue:

Amid ongoing economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility, M&A activity has remained resilient across the human capital sector. More than half of executive search firm founders polled by Hunt Scanlon are open to exploring a transaction.

Strategic acquirers and private equity sponsors continue to pursue specialized, scalable platforms with recurring revenue, embedded client relationships, and sector-specific expertise.

Founders and their management teams are expressing cautious optimism heading into the second half of 2025.

Hunt Scanlon is seeing a surge in interim and advisory talent models as well as rapid integration of AI technologies across the human capital sector.

We highlight several notable M&A transactions, including Hunt Scanlon Ventures’ advisory role in Egon Zehnder’s acquisition earlier this month of The Prince Houston Group — a landmark deal in asset and wealth management recruiting that points to deepening consolidation among search firms and the big bet that global human capital solutions firms are placing on growth in U.S. markets.

Whether you’re evaluating a potential acquisition, preparing for a capital event, or monitoring broader market activity, this report delivers timely intelligence and actionable trends shaping one of the fastest growth segments of professional services.