Phil Crawford

About Phil Crawford

I partner with private equity firms and their portfolio companies to build leadership teams that drive measurable value creation.My work centers on CFO, Strategy, Transformation, and operating leadership searches for middle-market and growth-oriented businesses. I collaborate closely with investors and CEOs across pre-deal, post-close, and scale-up situations — aligning leadership talent with investment thesis, operational improvement initiatives, and exit strategy.Clients rely on me when the hire truly matters — whether stabilizing performance, professionalizing infrastructure, accelerating growth, or preparing for a transaction.Since joining ZRG Partners in 2021, I’ve been a core member of the firm’s Private Equity, Strategy & Transformation, and Financial Officers practices.Prior to ZRG, I led C-level searches for middle-market, PE-backed companies at an international executive search firm, supporting both pre- and post-transaction leadership builds.Based in Cleveland. Partnering nationally.

Experience

1. Principal

   ZRG

   Jun 2022 — Present · Cleveland, OH, US

   Lead executive searches for private equity firms and portfolio companies, with a focus on:• Chief Financial Officers• Chief Strategy & Transformation Officers• Operational finance and value creation leadership• Pre- and post-transaction executive buildsPartner directly with investors, boards, and CEOs to assess leadership gaps, align talent to investment thesis, and build management teams positioned for growth and exit.

Education

• John Carroll University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Business Administration; Finance

  2009 — 2012

Skills

• Recruiting
• Management
• Competitive Analysis
• Management Consulting
• Private Equity
• Market Research
• Business Development
• Financial Analysis
• Corporate Finance
• Search
• Strategic Planning
• Research
• Customer Service
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Strategic Partnerships
• New Business Development
• Analytics
• Business Strategy
• Leadership