A Conversation with Ed Chamberlain on the Integration of Altus Partners into the LCap Group and the Future

Interviewer: Samuel Robberts, Chief Strategy Officer, LCap Group 
Interviewee: Ed Chamberlain, CEO and Founder of Altus Partners 

Samuel Robberts: Ed, it’s now been two years since Altus Partners joined the LCap Group. What reflections do you have on the journey so far? 
Ed Chamberlain: It’s been a transformational period. What began as a strategic integration has evolved into a genuine evolution, both for the Altus brand and for me. We’ve seen tangible growth in every area. Client relationships have deepened, new introductions across our 130-person group have led to cross-practice mandates, and we’ve delivered Chair and Partner-level searches for some of Europe’s most prominent funds. Commercially, we’ve grown revenues by 40% year-on-year, a result of strong collaboration, shared values, and a clear strategic direction. 

Samuel Robberts: And now the brand is evolving again. Can you walk us through the changes? 
Ed Chamberlain: Of course. Within the LCap Group, we are aligning all C-suite and functional specialisms under the Drax brand, the group’s central executive search platform. As such, the Corporate Development, M&A, and C-1 functions are formally moving under the Drax Executive umbrella, as part of the Finance Officers Practice, which also encompasses CFO and Interim search. 

Meanwhile, our Investor Practice, with its 15-plus-year heritage, will retain its distinct identity. It will now operate as Drax Altus, a co-branded name that acknowledges both the deep specialism we’ve developed and the broader platform we are now part of. It’s a way to honour our legacy while scaling our impact. 

Samuel Robberts: What have been the biggest benefits of joining the wider group? 
Ed Chamberlain: Two stand out. First, the sheer access to deep sector and functional expertise. Whether it’s our CTO practice in Drax Affinity or our leadership work across Healthcare, Technology, or Services, we now bring a broader bench to every mandate. Second, the integration of functions, particularly how seamlessly our C-1 team now works with the CFO function. We’re increasingly supporting CFOs we’ve placed to build out their own finance teams, creating a virtuous cycle of trust and delivery within portfolio companies, whilst helping them bring the same level of rigour to their succession hires as we do for their C-suite hires. 

Samuel Robberts: How has the integration shaped your approach to client work? 
Ed Chamberlain: Quite profoundly. Having gone through an M&A process ourselves, and now, with LCap becoming a private equity portfolio company through our partnership with Three Hills, we have direct experience of what many of our clients are navigating. It gives us empathy, insight, and credibility when advising on leadership through growth, integration, and capital deployment. It’s also sharpened our view on the value of pace, precision, and cultural fit in every search. 

Samuel Robberts: You mentioned earlier the growth in M&A and Corporate Development roles. What’s driving that? 
Ed Chamberlain: It’s a direct reflection of what’s happening in the market. While many businesses have faced headwinds in achieving organic growth, our clients, especially in private equity, are pursuing buy-and-build strategies at pace. Our embedded relationships across funds and their portfolios mean we’re being brought in earlier and more frequently to help structure and scale M&A and Corporate Development teams. It’s become one of the fastest-growing areas of our practice. 

Samuel Robberts: And what excites you about the future? 
Ed Chamberlain: Several things. But to pick up on a couple, the acquisition of Confidas People, the MDD and referencing specialists, is a fantastic addition to the group. It brings another layer of rigour and risk mitigation to our client offering. Then there’s PACE, our proprietary behavioural psychometric, which has become a white-label product. The potential to embed that deeper into investor evaluation, leadership assessment, and team dynamics is huge. 

 
But most of all, I’m excited about what we’ve learned and how we apply it. The past two years have taught us that integration, done well, unlocks capability and culture in equal measure. The next phase, under the Drax and Drax Altus banners, is about taking those lessons and offering even greater strategic value to our clients. 

Samuel Robberts: Any final reflections? 
Ed Chamberlain: Gratitude, for the trust our clients have placed in us. For the talent across LCap, that we now call colleagues. And for the opportunity to shape the next chapter, not just as search professionals, but as partners in value creation.