James Kenyon

Urgency, results, and precision: Why Interim Executives are the right fit for Private Equity Private Equity firms operate with tight timelines. There are ambitious growth targets, value creation strategies to execute, and exit goals that demand speed and precision. In my experience, Executive Interim Leaders excel in exactly this type of challenges. They are engaged when a portfolio company needs to shift course, navigate complexity, or achieve significant outcomes under pressure. That might involve stabilizing a weak finance function, driving international growth, or turn an underperforming division around. What sets these professionals apart is their approach: they’re not there to maintain the status quo, they’re catalysts for transformation. They know how to mobilize teams, make critical decisions, and generate measurable results fast, and they don't require on-boarding time. Executive Interim Managers operate independently, take full ownership, and are aligned with the organizations’ goals from day one. For PE-firms, this means injecting high-impact leadership into portfolio companies without delays or long-term commitments. It’s leadership as a value-creation tool, just when and where you need it. #PrivateEquity #transitionmanagement #Interimmanagement #InterimExecutive #CFO #CEO #Transformation

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Leaving PE: why so many turn to the independent sponsor route When experienced investors step away from a traditional fund, the next chapter often isn’t a straight line to another GP seat. Increasingly, people are exploring variations of the independent sponsor model - and many others are getting curious. I’m often asked how it works. The reality is it takes different forms, shaped by your background, risk appetite, finances, network, and values. 🔹 Search funds vs. independent sponsors A lot of the confusion comes from terminology: • Search funds (more common in the US) raise search capital first - enough to cover living and diligence costs for 2–3 years. Once an acquisition target is found and an LOI signed, they go back to investors to raise the acquisition equity. • Independent sponsors usually flip this around. They identify a deal first, then syndicate LP/investor capital around it. Some have anchor relationships or soft commitments, but it’s essentially a deal-first, capital-later model. 🔹 The mini-fund / platform route Another approach is raising capital or commitments for a mini-fund or company platform. Here, investors buy into a theme and approximate targets, committing capital to be drawn as needed. This addresses one of the biggest challenges of deal-by-deal - credibility and exclusivity - which are hard to secure without committed capital. 🔹 The family office path More senior professionals, especially those who’ve been co-investing alongside their careers, often set up a lean family office structure to deploy their own capital. The intent is to keep it small and flexible. The reality: deal flow, portfolio oversight, and value creation inevitably pull them toward building a team and infrastructure. —— These “non-fund” models are no longer temporary stop-gaps. They’re becoming credible alternatives to the traditional PE career path. The lines between investor, entrepreneur, and operator continue to blur - and many LPs are diversifying into select strategies of their own, rather than trusting GPs to do it all for them. That said, with the sheer scale of institutional capital, there remains strong appetite for the largest managers who can offer LPs size, products, and platforms under one roof. A lot of innovation (and opportunity) is happening in this middle ground. For those considering this path - happy to share notes #privateequity #independentsponsor #searchfirm

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This executive was closing hundreds of millions in M&A deals. Then he walked away from it. Here’s why it made his career. In his mid-20s, he was an energy executive acquiring assets left and right. Complex regulatory work. Big negotiations. Prestige. Then he realised: “I still have no idea what actually makes or breaks a business.” So he left the boardroom and went to run portfolios instead. For the next 12 years he managed P&Ls, safety, compliance, PPAs, KPIs… Learning exactly how each part of a business survives and scales. When he returned to development, he wasn’t just moving money. He understood every line item in the deal. Too many people in their 20s chase the “sexy” roles, M&A, strategy, consulting… without ever running anything. They can model a business on paper but have no idea how it works in practice. So his operational years weren’t a detour. They were a move to build a new foundation. Today, he leads one of the most successful renewable development teams in the country. Not because he chased prestige early. Because he learned the work from the inside out. You can’t shape a business strategy if you’ve never been accountable for delivering it. The best decisions… They’re from people who’ve carried the responsibility themselves.

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Episode 4 of the Merger Talks Podcast is now live! We sat down with Michel Lowy, co-founder of SC LOWY, a $1.3bn Hong Kong based Private Credit fund. We covered a variety of topics including: - Why M&A and IPO market slowdowns are fuelling private credit deals. - How he set up his own credit fund and the challenges he faced. - Investor mindset. What is it and what does good look like? - The differences between a career in PE and Private Credit. We hope you enjoy the episode! 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 - https://lnkd.in/eU7tVpVg 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 - https://lnkd.in/ev83uU6y #MergerTalks #InvestmentBanking #MergersAndAcquisitions #Podcast #CorporateFinance #mergertalkspodcast #Dealmakers #PrivateEquity #WallStreet #privatecredit #investing

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As the week comes to a close, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 45 aspiring Non-Executive Directors who joined us at last night's Executive Heads event. A special thanks to Jeremy Canning for sharing such insightful and inspiring perspectives. Three key takeaways that stood out for me: 1️⃣ There is a growing demand for Non-Executive Directors to help businesses navigate the increasing complexity and uncertainty of the business landscape in 2025 and beyond. 2️⃣ NEDs are no longer just custodians of governance—they are strategic partners who bring independent perspective, challenge assumptions, and help shape long-term direction 3️⃣ It’s never too early to start thinking about the transition from executive to Non-Executive Director. The journey starts with mindset and intention. Huge thanks again to Jeremy and the Actuate Global team for their insights and inspiration. I am looking forward to seeing how these conversations shape future boardrooms. #Leadership #NonExecutiveDirector #ExecutiveHeads #ActuateGlobal #BoardroomExcellence #CareerTransition

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For PE firms, driving value in their Portfolio Companies with AI has never been easier.........although it's still not easy. Here are some practical steps to follow for Operating Partners & Operators, featuring Tim Kiely from BayPine .

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