In this video, David Kirby reveals the differences between the responsibilities of a Chief Marketing Officer and the responsibilities of an Operatin...
In this video, David Kirby reveals the differences between the responsibilities of a Chief Marketing Officer and the responsibilities of an Operating Partner.
For more information, read our key takeaways from our event, 'How to become an Operating Partner'.
So, one of the biggest changes that you will find if you've been in an operating role, as a Chief Marketing Officer or similar, to going into an Operating Partner role is that there is no managing anymore - there's just influencing.
You're going to work with businesses in the portfolio companies of your funds and you're going to be helping them to tackle problems that you've seen before many times and that they're dealing with for the first time. And, of course, you could just jump straight in there do everything for them. I'm sure they'd be very happy but the day that you walk away or the day that maybe your fund decides to exit that company, that capability will no longer exist.
So, really your job is to build that capability within the companies that you're working with. It's about using your influence to help set the direction and then building the capability inside those companies.
David Kirby is the CEO and Founder of Coppett Hill, a technology-enabled advisory business to investor-backed companies. In this capacity, he is advising a number of private equity-backed businesses on growth and customer acquisition.
Before this, David spent six years at Livingbridge, the mid-market private equity fund where he led the Growth Acceleration Team, partnering with both management and investor teams to support strategic decision making. He also led the new investment team focused on tech-enabled services. David believes that people-based businesses which are underpinned by technology are going to be the long-term winners.
There are lots of opportunities for Chief Marketing Officers to continue growing their career. From becoming Non-Executive Directors to exploring the Operating Partner opportunity. For more career advice, get in touch with our dedicated digital and marketing Executive Search practice - 3Search Executive.
