As executive leadership becomes a primary lever for value creation, the intersection of private equity and leadership advisory is tightening. Scott A. Scanlon, CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures, unpacks KKR’s minority investment in ghSMART and what it means for the evolving talent ecosystem.
In a deal announced this week, ghSMART, the global leadership advisory firm, secured a significant minority investment from private equity powerhouse KKR. The investment comes via KKR’s Ascendant Fund and marks a strategic growth inflection point as ghSMART celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Founded in 1995 by Dr. Geoff Smart, ghSMART has advised CEOs, boards, and investors on nearly 30,000 leadership assessments and 5,000 C-suite engagements, boasting a 98% client satisfaction rate.
The firm’s current leadership team, led by CEO Jeff McLean, will remain in place, and ghSMART employees will continue to hold a majority stake in the business.
Investor Confidence
The deal is more than financial. It reinforces growing investor confidence in the leadership advisory sector as mission-critical infrastructure – especially as organizations face mounting succession challenges, transformation mandates, and cultural integration hurdles.
“This deal is validation that leadership advisory is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity.”
KKR sees opportunity in ghSMART’s high-impact model. It also plans to further invest in the company’s digital product offerings and AI platform which could be a gamechanger in the leadership assessment space.
“At KKR, we have long recognized that talent is the foundation upon which companies create value for their stakeholders,” said KKR partner Chris Harrington. “The company stood out to us due to its incredibly high customer satisfaction, proving that ghSMART is synonymous with leadership excellence.”
That alignment underscores why leadership science is increasingly being viewed as a long-term value lever – not just a tactical support function.
For ghSMART, the partnership with KKR will help expand digital offerings, grow its client base, and broaden its employee ownership program – part of a wider trend across KKR portfolio companies that emphasizes culture, performance, and equity alignment.
“Leadership isn’t just part of the equation – it is becoming the fundamental driver.”
“This deal is validation that leadership advisory is no longer a luxury – it is a necessity,” said Scott A. Scanlon, CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures. “KKR’s investment reflects a broader shift: firms are realizing that leadership due diligence and C-suite strategy are fundamental to driving transformation and unlocking value.”
As more private equity firms reevaluate how they build and assess leadership at scale, this transaction highlights a clear trend: “Leadership isn’t just part of the equation – it is becoming the fundamental driver,” said Mr. Scanlon.
Article By
Scott A. Scanlon
Scott A. Scanlon is Co-CEO of Hunt Scanlon Ventures, which was formed to assist human capital firms realize their full investment potential. Scott has spent the last three years building the firm’s M&A advisory unit, which now offers a full range of critical solutions to guide founders and their management teams to successful exits. Connect with Scott.
