Team/Doug Smith

Doug Smith

Doug Smith

Managing Partner

“I thrive on helping clients navigate complexity and change. There’s nothing more rewarding than building high-performing teams that drive real transformation and growth.”

Doug Smith

Managing Partner

As Managing Partner at Roo Partners, Doug applies a keen eye for exceptional talent to help clients build and scale leadership teams across the digital health, healthcare services, consumer and retail technology, life sciences, and managed care sectors. He brings deep functional and industry expertise, enabling him to move quickly on critical assignments, and has a proven track record spanning multiple industry verticals and functional areas. Doug is particularly adept at navigating complexity and change, having built leadership teams for organizations undergoing transition, including startups, high-growth companies, and turnarounds.

 

Doug brings nearly a decade of experience in healthcare recruitment and consulting. Prior to joining Roo Partners, he served as a Principal at a leading healthcare executive search firm, where he built and led a practice focused on C-suite searches for private equity– and venture capital–backed companies. Earlier, he was an Associate Director at a national healthcare recruitment firm, driving results for strategic accounts across the country. Before entering executive search, Doug spent six years with a global professional services firm, where he was promoted twice to Director and tasked with opening a new healthcare office and delivering clinical workforce solutions.

 

When he is not working, you can find Doug spending time with his Golden Retriever (Mango) and wife. On the weekends, Doug enjoys nothing more than playing a round of golf with friends.

INSIGHTS

Tech acumen is no longer optional: AI and digital fluency redefine executive roles

The profile of C-suite leadership in 2025 has dramatically evolved, shaped by the accelerating pace of tech innovation, especially in AI, automation, and data analytics. Private equity firms across healthcare, technology, and business services are now prioritizing leaders with a deeper understanding of these emerging technologies and a robust digital acumen. Operational or financial expertise alone is no longer sufficient; today’s most valuable executives are those who can strategically deploy technology to unlock growth, improve decision-making, and drive sustainable value across portfolio companies.