Council Advisors

"Relationships build trust. Trust enables adoption. Adoption creates scale." In the latest installment of our Leadership Spotlight series, John Rodgers, COO and Managing Partner at SSA & Company, shares his perspective on what it takes to lead through disruption and deliver results. In the interview, John explains why:  ▪️ AI represents a new category of disruption that compresses competitive advantage ▪️ Unlocking AI's full potential depends less on tools and more on leadership, data discipline, and the ability to manage change at scale. ▪️ The next era of operational excellence is about activating existing capability, not building new infrastructure Read the full conversation. #Leadership #Transformation

Next week’s Private Equity International Operating Partners Forum New York (October 29–30) will tackle one of the most challenging issues in today’s market: how to sustain performance amid shifting market conditions and rising execution pressures.   On October 29 (2:20–3:00 PM, Track 1), our colleague Courtney H. Hamilton, Senior Managing Director at The Miles Group, will moderate “Building high-performance teams: alignment, accountability, and results” with Stephanie Caspar (Summa Equity), Jonas Leddington (Snapdragon Capital Partners), and Randy Patterson (Blackstone).   Our colleagues Matt Katz, Frederick Asbeck, and Andrew B. Solar of SSA & Company will also take part in the forum.   For more on how firms are connecting leadership, operating discipline, and technology to drive results, read our new paper "Where Talent Meets Execution: How GenAI Is Rewriting the Private Equity Playbook": https://lnkd.in/gyDtt5AA   #PrivateEquity #Leadership

AI doesn’t just require organizations to shift workflows. From roles to reporting lines, leaders must adapt structures and systems to support both performance and resilience. That means rethinking traditional approaches: building capacity for today’s demands while preparing for tomorrow’s disruption.  Our new AI playbook, published in partnership with Charter, “Leading in the Age of AI: Practices for the New Era,” shows how leading executives are already redesigning management models to integrate AI — balancing innovation with governance, and agility with accountability. Where in your organization could certain practices be reimagined for the AI era? It’s questions like these that we focus on at Council Advisors, SSA & Company, The Miles Group, and High Lantern Group helping teams put changes into practice and build systems that support performance and resilience in a shifting environment. #Leadership #AI

Welcome to the team, Lindsay Singleton and Alexis Diaz!

As market conditions tighten for private equity, operating partners are rethinking how teams align, perform, and adapt to new technologies. We’re proud to sponsor Private Equity International’s Operating Partners Forum New York (October 29–30), where our colleague Courtney H. Hamilton, Senior Managing Director at The Miles Group, will moderate a panel on how operating partners can build high-performance teams that sustain performance and deliver results over time. Also joining the PEI Operating Partners Forum are Matt Katz, Frederick Asbeck, and Andrew B. Solar of SSA & Company. For more on how firms are connecting leadership, operating discipline, and technology to drive results, read our latest paper: "Where Talent Meets Execution: How GenAI Is Rewriting the Private Equity Playbook” https://lnkd.in/gyDtt5AA #PrivateEquity

Teams want clarity on how AI will shape their work. Leaders don’t need to have every answer, but they do need to share a framework that outlines how the organization is approaching the change and what teams and leaders anticipate leading together.    This kind of disciplined, clear communication builds both confidence and trust. Our new AI playbook, “Leading in the Age of AI: Practices for the New Era,” published in partnership with Charter, explains how leaders can have conversations about AI with clarity and transparency.   What’s the most effective way you’ve seen leaders talk about AI uncertainty?   That kind of disciplined communication is at the center of our work at Council Advisors, SSA & Company, The Miles Group, and High Lantern Group.   https://lnkd.in/gyDtt5AA #Leadership #AI #CouncilAdvisors

C.J. Prince’s latest for Corporate Board Member explores how boards can stay future-ready through director succession planning, skills matrix updates, and the willingness to refresh when needed.   In the article, our colleague Taylor M. Griffin of The Miles Group shares her perspective on what makes the most effective directors today: the ability to balance deep expertise with enterprise-wide perspective and adaptability.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/g__-zYZS   #Boards #Governance

Where Talent Meets Execution: How GenAI Is Rewriting the Private Equity Playbook   Private equity is entering a new era. Higher capital costs, longer hold periods, and sharper LP expectations are reshaping the rules of value creation.    Combine these pressures with the rapid rise of GenAI, and the case for rethinking the traditional value creation playbook is hard to ignore.   Our new paper - “Where Talent Meets Execution; How GenAI Is Rewriting the Private Equity Playbook” - introduces a practical operating model for the GenAI era – one that aligns leadership, workflows, incentives, data, and technology across the deal cycle to create lasting value.   Inside, we outline five core components of AI-enabled transformation, how to apply them from diligence to exit, and a case study on reviving a stalled mid-hold asset.   Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gyDtt5AA    #PrivateEquity #GenAI #Leadership 

As holding periods lengthen and market dynamics shift, operating partners face new pressure to build teams that can adapt, stay aligned, and execute over time.   As a sponsor of Private Equity International’s Operating Partners Forum in New York, we look forward to the conversation on how leadership and team dynamics drive lasting performance.   Our colleague Courtney H. Hamilton, Senior Managing Director at The Miles Group, will moderate the session “Building high-performance teams: alignment, accountability, and results” on October 29 from 2:20–3:00 PM (Track 1). She’ll be joined by Stephanie Caspar (Summa Equity), Jonas Leddington (Snapdragon Capital Partners), Randy Patterson (Blackstone), and Karina Sobieski (Clearlake Capital Group).   Also attending the forum are our colleagues Matt Katz, Frederick Asbeck, and Andrew B. Solar from SSA & Company.   Learn more or register: https://lnkd.in/e-843bmQ   #PrivateEquity #ValueCreation

In our latest leadership spotlight, our colleague Drew Holzapfel, Managing Partner at High Lantern Group, shares his perspective on what it takes to drive impact in healthcare and beyond. The biggest opportunity for healthcare leaders is to bring people together — from scientists and policymakers to advocates and patients — to turn medical progress into real-world impact. From leading initiatives on Alzheimer’s and mental health to shaping how policy and public understanding evolve, Drew highlights the importance of coalition-building and aligning incentives across stakeholders. Read the full spotlight. #Leadership #Healthcare