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Corporate Development Leaders

Trusted by the nation's top private equity firms & Fortune 1000 companies.

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From strategy to execution.

We find Corporate Development leaders who turn strategic vision into lasting enterprise value.

Corporate Development leaders sit at the center of strategic growth – identifying, structuring, and executing the transactions that define a company’s future. They drive mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and partnerships that align with long-term goals while balancing financial discipline and strategic agility.

These professionals combine analytical rigor with deal-making expertise, managing the full lifecycle from sourcing and valuation to negotiation and integration. Many come from consulting or investment banking backgrounds, bringing a unique blend of financial acumen, strategic insight, and cross-functional leadership. Their ability to build consensus and execute with precision makes them essential to sustained growth.

ECA Partners recruits Corporate Development executives who deliver measurable impact. Our candidates drive inorganic and strategic growth across public enterprises, PE-backed portfolio companies, and high-growth ventures. Whether building a new Corp Dev function or expanding a global M&A platform, ECA identifies leaders who move seamlessly from strategy to execution – turning opportunity into enterprise value.

Our Areas of Expertise.

We deliver top executive talent and flexible consulting solutions across high-growth industries.

SECTORS

Private Equity Firms & Portcos

Private Equity Firms & Portcos

We match PE investors with leaders who unlock value.

Healthcare

Healthcare

ECA places leaders who drive growth, compliance, and better care.

Business Services

Business Services

ECA places leaders who unlock efficiency & growth in service models.

Industrials & Natural Resources

Industrials & Natural Resources

We find the savviest operators to optimize manufacturing businesses.

Consumer & Retail

Consumer & Retail

We identify executives who grow consumer brands and market presence.

Technology

Technology

From SaaS to AI, we recruit leaders driving innovation and scale.

Financial Services

Financial Services

ECA secures agile financial leaders to navigate shifting markets.

Meet your Practice Leads

Evan Markgraf

Evan Markgraf

Senior Director

Evan is a Senior Director at ECA Partners focused on Corporate Development and M&A leadership search. He helps private-equity and venture-backed companies hire executives who drive inorganic growth, from pipeline development and diligence to integration and synergy realization. His mandates include permanent, interim, and project-based leadership roles. Before joining ECA, he worked at Korn Ferry in Los Angeles and began his search career recruiting nationally in wealth management. Evan earned a JD from Golden Gate University School of Law and a BA in International Relations from UC Santa Barbara.

Zach Jones

Zach Jones

Senior Director

As Senior Director of Consulting Solutions at ECA Partners, Zach delivers interim and on-demand consulting talent across M&A and Corporate Development. He helps Fortune 1000 and investor-backed companies strengthen their buy-side and integration capabilities by deploying executives and consultants for Head of Corp Dev, M&A Director, IMO/PMO, and Integration Lead roles. Zach brings 15 years of experience building flexible talent models that drive deal execution and post-merger value creation. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Penn State University and is a former Teach For America corps member.

Tony Topoleski, PhD

Tony Topoleski, PhD

Senior Director

Tony is a Senior Director in ECA Partners’ Finance Practice specializing in M&A and Corporate Development leadership search for private-equity–backed companies. He partners with investors and portfolio executives to recruit CFOs, Finance VPs, and transformation leaders who drive inorganic growth through acquisitions, integrations, and strategic partnerships. His work spans manufacturing, services, and consumer sectors, combining finance discipline with strategic insight. Tony holds a PhD from Northwestern University and was a Fulbright Scholar to Russia.

Have a role you'd like to discuss?

Reach out. We’d be delighted to learn about your hiring goals.

Have a corporate development leader role you’d like to discuss?

Reach out. We'd be delighted to learn about your hiring goals.

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