Which PE Headhunters Cover Which Funds? KKR, Blackstone, Apollo and More

Last updated Oct 2026.

"Which headhunter covers KKR?" is one of the most common questions in PE recruiting, because funds tend to run associate searches through particular recruiters. This page answers it for every fund in the OnCycle directory: 117 funds named in publicly reported coverage for 24 headhunting firms. Every entry links to the headhunter's profile, where you'll find the underlying sources.

Read this first. Coverage lists are dated (each entry shows its as-of date) and incomplete. Transacted, one of our main sources, warns that client lists change rapidly and that each firm likely has many more clients than the ones listed. Coverage can also differ by group or office within a fund. Use this to decide whom to meet, then ask each headhunter directly which searches they run.

How to read the entries

• Plain entries are recruiters that, in our data, run investment-team searches (associate and above).
• "Executive search" entries are firms in our directory whose work is mainly senior hires or leadership roles at portfolio companies. They show the fund is a client, but they are not usually the route to a junior deal role.
• As-of dates come from the source: "Aug 2022" items come from 2022 reporting; "2022–2025" items were reported across that period; "Oct 2026" items come from firm websites, press and industry lists checked in October 2026.
• Where sources used slightly different names for the same fund (for example "Ares" and "Ares Management"), we merged them and show the original wording.

Quick answers: the most-asked funds

• KKR: Henkel Search Partners (HSP) (2022–2025), Gold Coast Search Partners (2022–2025), CarterPierce (2022–2025); executive search: Redgrave Search (Oct 2026).
• Blackstone: SG Partners (Aug 2022), CarterPierce (2022–2025), Ferguson Partners (Oct 2026), Fairfax (Oct 2026); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026).
• Apollo: Ratio Advisors (Aug 2022); executive search: Lancor (Oct 2026).
• Carlyle: Henkel Search Partners (HSP) (2022–2025).
• TPG: Henkel Search Partners (HSP) (2022–2025), Gold Coast Search Partners (2022–2025, listed as “TPG Capital”); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026).
• Bain Capital: Amity Search Partners (2022–2025), CarterPierce (2022–2025).
• Warburg Pincus: Henkel Search Partners (HSP) (2022–2025).
• Thoma Bravo: Gold Coast Search Partners (2022–2025); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026), Assembly Group (Oct 2026).
• Silver Lake: CPI (Aug 2022).
• Hellman & Friedman: CPI (Aug 2022).
• General Atlantic: Ratio Advisors (Aug 2022).
• Vista Equity: Henkel Search Partners (HSP) (2022–2025); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026).
• EQT: CPI (Aug 2022), Gold Coast Search Partners (2022–2025), Fairfax (Oct 2026); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026).
• Advent International: CPI (Aug 2022), Gold Coast Search Partners (2022–2025, listed as “Advent”); executive search: Assembly Group (Oct 2026).
• Ares Management: CPI (Aug 2022), CarterPierce (2022–2025, listed as “Ares”), One Search (Oct 2026).
• Brookfield: CPI (Aug 2022).
• CD&R: Henkel Search Partners (HSP) (2022–2025).
• Sixth Street: SG Partners (Aug 2022), CarterPierce (2022–2025); executive search: Acertitude (Oct 2026).
• TA Associates: CPI (Aug 2022); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026), Assembly Group (Oct 2026).
• Clearlake: Amity Search Partners (2022–2025); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026).
• GTCR: Dynamics Search Partners (Aug 2022); executive search: Lancor (Oct 2026).
• Leonard Green: Dynamics Search Partners (Aug 2022).

Two patterns stand out in the data. First, most large funds appear under just one investment-team recruiter in our sources, which fits the common practice of funds using a particular headhunter for associate searches (our interpretation, not reported). Second, several of the "most covered" names, such as Blackstone, EQT and Thoma Bravo, owe part of their count to executive-search firms placing portfolio-company leaders, not junior deal-team hires.

Funds with more than one reported headhunter

26 funds appear under two or more firms in our data.

All 117 funds, A–Z

Use your browser's find (Ctrl/Cmd+F) to jump to a fund. Each row has its own link, so you can share, for example, the KKR row.

Your fund isn't listed?

That doesn't mean no headhunter covers it, only that we haven't found public reporting. 37 of the 61 firms in our directory have no verified coverage yet. A few options: check the full headhunters list for firms focused on that fund's size or strategy (for example the real estate recruiters), ask analysts a year ahead of you who placed them, or ask a headhunter in your intro meeting. If you know a relationship first-hand, tell us anonymously and we'll verify it before publishing anything.

How to use this in your search

Coverage is a map, not a mandate. The useful habit is to turn target funds into a short list of recruiters, then prepare before you meet them.

1. Write down 10–15 target funds, with a short note on why each one (strategy, sector, city).
2. Look each one up here and jot down the recruiters and as-of dates.
3. Prioritize the headhunters that cover several of your targets; meet them once your story and technicals are ready (see how PE headhunters work).
4. In the intro meeting, ask which of your targets they currently run searches for. Treat the answer as current; our data may be older.
5. Prepare for the screen with our paper LBO example and track timing on the on-cycle timeline.

If you are a consultant rather than a banker, the same lookup applies, but most of your processes will be off-cycle: see consulting to private equity and off-cycle recruiting. For real estate funds specifically, start with the REPE headhunters guide.

FAQ

Which headhunter covers KKR?

In our data: Henkel Search Partners (HSP) (2022–2025), Gold Coast Search Partners (2022–2025), CarterPierce (2022–2025); executive search: Redgrave Search (Oct 2026).

Which headhunter covers Blackstone?

In our data: SG Partners (Aug 2022), CarterPierce (2022–2025), Ferguson Partners (Oct 2026), Fairfax (Oct 2026); executive search: Bespoke Partners (Oct 2026).

Which headhunter covers Apollo?

In our data: Ratio Advisors (Aug 2022); executive search: Lancor (Oct 2026).

How current is this headhunter coverage?

Each entry shows its as-of date. Some lists date from 2022, so confirm with the headhunter before relying on them.

Does executive-search coverage mean the firm hires associates for that fund?

Usually not. Executive-search firms mostly place senior executives or portfolio-company leaders.

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