Case Study: CEO Search for Kaleidex Group

A high-growth, PE-backed scale-up needing a CEO who could match the ambition.

Background to the Assignment

Kaleidex is a newly formed, private-equity–backed platform in the medical device manufacturing space. Backed by Ansor LLP, the brief was simple in theory but demanding in practice: find a CEO capable of taking a young platform with early acquisitions and leading it through a fast-paced buy-and-build strategy towards a targeted £(Confidential) revenue and £(Confidential) EBITDA business within five years. The business plan includes significant  acquisitions and ultimately a strategic event inside 4-5 years, carrying on the successful examples of other Ansor backed entities.

The company had already acquired Kirkstall Precision Engineering,  Oracle Precision and OxDevice with further deals underway, giving it a strong foothold in orthopaedic surgical instruments and precision engineering. The incoming CEO needed to:

• Lead a high pace and structured M&A programme

• Integrate multiple founder-led businesses to mutual success (What a great time to join the journey by the way if you are reading this as a Founder of a high potential business needing the support of a larger well backed operation)

• Build structure, capability and commercial momentum quickly

• Bring a modern approach, including advanced manufacturing, automation and AI

• Work closely with investors and represent the group externally

• Build and develop the senior team and set the overall culture

In essence: Kaleidex needed a CEO who could scale at pace, handle complexity, and stay calm and strategic while the business grew around them. Someone capable of stepping into a true platform-building role.

What RMG Did

We ran a full executive search built around the reality of the brief — what the investors needed, what the businesses underneath needed, and what the role would demand day to day.

1. Proper role calibration with the investors

We worked closely with Peter Marson to get absolute clarity on the leadership profile: what good looked like, what the non-negotiables were, and where the role could stretch. That alignment up front meant we only moved forward with candidates who could genuinely deliver on the plan.

2. Mapping the full market, not just the obvious corner of it

Because this wasn’t a standard medical devices CEO brief, we widened the search across:

• Medical device manufacturing

• Precision engineering

• Broader CDMO and regulated manufacturing

• Multi-site industrial and B2B businesses

• High-growth PE-backed environments

This gave Kaleidex access to candidates with the right operational and commercial horsepower, not just those who ticked the sector box.

3. Assessing leadership and strategic capability, not just CV “fit”

The role required a CEO who could hold their nerve, set a clear strategy, build a team, and integrate multiple acquisitions — all while remaining hands-on.
Our assessment focused on:

• Leadership under pressure

• Ability to set and execute strategy

• M&A and integration capability

• Cultural alignment with a PE-backed, fast-moving environment

• Emotional intelligence and people leadership

4. Supporting candidates through a demanding, stretch-role process

The eventual successful candidate, Gavin, represented a positive move outside his obvious career path — which meant he needed straight, objective support throughout. We were transparent about the demands of the role, the investor expectations and the growth plan. That level of preparation made for a clean, aligned final process.

5. Managing the offer and ensuring long-term alignment

We supported the final negotiation stage, including expectations around investment, incentives and long-term value creation — ensuring both sides were completely clear before signing.

Outcome

The search concluded with the appointment of Gavin Meadows as Group CEO. Gavin brought the strategic headroom, leadership style and operational experience the investors were looking for, and his approach resonated strongly with the founder-led businesses already within the group.

The appointment gives Kaleidex the leadership foundation it needs to scale rapidly, integrate acquisitions effectively, and deliver against an ambitious growth and exit strategy.