Bradley Winstanley

Hi, my name is Bradley and I'm a Partner operating within 3Search’s Executive Search team.  

In my role, I support Private Equity - Venture Capital and privately-backed firms - as well as their portfolio companies with their search for go-to-market senior leadership hires. With over 20 years of experience across the industry, I am a trusted partner and advisor to some of the most innovative clients, helping them identify, acquire and retain top talent. 

Hiring the right leader isn’t just important for VC/PE and privately backed early-stage businesses - its fundamental. The earliest executive hires set the tone for culture, drive the go-to-market strategy, and directly influence investor confidence. A single exceptional hire can accelerate growth and scale, and this excites me. 

The competition for proven GTM and Product leadership is intensifying. VC and PE funds are pushing portfolio companies to secure senior revenue and product leaders earlier in the growth cycle to accelerate scale and de-risk investment. What does this mean for the competition? 

• Speed matters: Top-tier candidates are in multiple processes at once 
• Clarity wins: A well-defined mandate and compelling equity story attract the best leaders 
• Partnering early: Engaging search specialists who know the VC/PE landscape ensures faster access to credible, pre-vetted talent

Competition for CRO, CCO, and VP of Sales talent is fierce and candidates are weighing equity stories, speed of process, and leadership culture as much as compensation.  

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a new role, I recommend focusing on: 

• Impact: Owning commercial strategy at a pivotal stage 
• Equity: Strong upside with meaningful skin in the game 
• Trajectory: Success here opens doors to portfolio-wide and board roles 

If you can show success scaling ARR (£5M → £50M+) and building teams internationally, you will certainly be in high demand. 

Want to discuss your talent needs in more detail? Get in touch!