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Slade Kobran
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Recent Posts
The Data Visibility Gap
The New PE Value Creation Playbook: Part Four
The Data Visibility Gap
In the previous blog, we explored the need for trusted data to run a commercial engine. This article will dive into it deeper because it’s that important.
The interesting challenge is that many portfolio companies have more data than ever. And yet, they have less clarity than they need.
PE Value Drivers Series: An Interview with a Private Equity Operating Partner Experienced in Value Creation
Apr 15, 2021, 3:29:41 PM — This episode features an interview with Nick Martino, former Operating Partner at High Road Capital Partners, and current CEO at High Road portfolio company John Henry Foster. Mr. Martino brings an extensive operating career doing turnarounds on distressed assets at the Riverside Company. He then served as a Group President for ITW, managing 37 companies in 17 countries before returning to private equity at High Road Capital.
Welcome to PE Value Drivers – Interviews with Private Equity Professionals Driving Value for their Portfolio Companies and Investors
Mar 19, 2021, 12:01:18 PM — This episode features an interview with Everett Hill, Managing Director at ICV Partners. Mr. Hill had an extensive operating career at Coca-Cola Enterprises, where he honed his functional expertise in field sales, inside sales, and distribution, and led technology-enabled corporate transformations. His largest P&L was $250 million. Mr. Hill began his sales career carrying a bag in Rohm and Haas spinoff companies. He is on the board of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and has a BSE in chemical engineering from Princeton University and a Masters in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. Below are key takeaways from our conversation. Be sure to view the whole conversation for more details and insights.
Private Equity Portfolio Triage During COVID-19 – Are Investors Missing Something Big?
May 4, 2020, 11:38:28 AM — By now, most if not all Private equity firms have done some level of triage on their portfolios as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As expected, much of the focus has been on determining which companies are at most risk financially and operationally, and steps have been taken to shore up liquidity and protect supply chains among other things. However, scant attention has been spent on assessing the ability of holdings across the portfolio to restart commercial engines post crisis. This shortcoming jeopardizes the ability to take advantage of what may be transformative growth opportunities in my opinion. It also puts overall fund performance at risk in the long-term.
Top 5 Challenges Portfolio Company CEOs Face
May 6, 2019, 3:15:59 PM — Chief Outsiders does a lot of work with private equity, which means I’m usually talking with at least 3-4 private equity investors each week. At the same time, I often talk with an equal number of PE-backed portfolio execs each week, mostly CEOs. While these discussions have given me insights into their business needs, challenges, and strategies to create value in pursuit of outsized returns, we haven’t spent much time talking about the opportunities and challenges they face in working with each other. I recently attended an operating partner-focused conference and got to hear a lot on the topic from the private equity side. You can read about that in my blog post, “What Operating Partners Have To Say About Working With Their Portfolio Companies.” As I did not have a similar forum to get the other side of the coin - how portfolio company executives feel about working with private equity, I reached out to a group of PE-backed CEOs and asked them. While my outreach was not a scientific survey, it was instructive in highlighting portfolio executives’ thoughts on working with Private Equity.