Private Equity Professionals to Know 2025

Private-equity-trained fractional CFO & exit-prep firm for founder-led businesses. We convert to accrual, build MFRs and KPI dashboards, run forecasting, and package for diligence to lift EBITDA and multiples across trades, e-commerce, tech, and professional services. 35+ clients Serial Founder in Health Tech, Veterinary Medicine, Plumbing, CPGs, Consulting, SaaS. Scaled from 0-2MM, sold or stabilized.

Founder & Principal | Real Estate PR, IR & Placement Strategist Manou Estates is a boutique consulting firm offering integrated PR, Investor Relations, and Capital Placement solutions for real estate funds, land developers, GPs, and family offices.

Over a decade of experience creating successful teams, exceeding sales goals, and developing effective marketing strategies for the private investment space. Through lead generation, networking, and various marketing tools, Kelly has helped raise over $500 million dollars of capital from individual private investors for several industries. She is an innovative problem solver and a natural leader focused on the big picture.

Expertise in Consumer Finance, Marketing, Real Estate, and E-commerce. Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, which develops productive working relationships with individuals at all levels. Dedicated and motivated manager, who easily manages individuals and teams to produce optimum results. Strategic and analytical with experience developing and executing marketing plans, and managing digital and social media production. Creative writer with expertise in developing copy material, press materials, scripts, and content. Strong financial skills in managing P& L. Specialties: real estate, contract negotiation, banking and finance,marketing, merchandising, e-commerce,mortgage sales, recruiting, copy-writing,

Jay Sunde is an accomplished entrepreneur with deep experience across multiple industries. He began his career in financial analysis, producing complex forecasts and strategic projections for regional and national companies in commercial real estate, residential real estate, and healthcare. Driven by an entrepreneurial mindset, Jay founded a custom homebuilding company in his mid-20s and grew it into a multi-million-dollar business, developing both custom and speculative homes throughout central North Carolina. During the 2008 housing crisis, he successfully pivoted by acquiring two pool and spa retail and service companies. He scaled both operations, overseeing all aspects of the businesses, and later exited through sales in 2012 and 2018. Since 2009, Jay and his wife, Danielle, have partnered to launch, grow, and acquire preschools, daycares, and elementary schools across the Southeast. Along the way, they also acquired the commercial real estate occupied by their schools and built a growing portfolio of residential real estate holdings. Today, their education platform generates more than $5 million in annual revenue, employs over 70 team members, and serves nearly 500 families. Jay is active in numerous entrepreneurial and small business organizations and, for the past eight years, has consistently mentored and advised founders, business buyers and sellers, and individuals seeking greater financial and time freedom through business ownership.

Gaurav Shah is the Managing Partner at Arete Ventures, advising founders, early-stage teams, and institutional investors across the US, EU, UK and India, with extensive experience in the Silicon Valley ecosystem. Over the past 19+ years, he has worked across the full spectrum of entrepreneurship and private capital; from guiding startups on market signals, traction, fundraising, and scaling decisions to supporting investment firms on due diligence, M&A, portfolio value creation, and performance improvement. He brings a blended operator–investor perspective, having evaluated hundreds of companies for institutional investors (PE, VC, hedge funds, and family offices) while also working directly with investor backed entrepreneurs on strategy, product-market fit, and execution. His pattern-recognition across both sides of the table allows him to translate real market truths into practical, founder-ready insights. He further serves on the investment committee (IC) for venture capital firms and advises board members actively across US & EU. Focus Areas Entrepreneurship & Startup Advisory: product-market fit, early traction, market validation, GTM strategy, fundraising readiness, founder coaching Institutional Investor Advisory (buy side): commercial & technical due diligence, M&A strategy, competitive intelligence, investment memos, portfolio performance improvement Sectors: AI, SaaS, fintech, blockchain, climate-tech, renewable energy, Web 3.0, deeptech, life sciences and other frontier technologies

Raising capital is broken for most teams: investor lists are random, decks read like brochures, and leadership spends months in “fundraising mode” without leverage or real investor demand. Whether you’re a startup, a private company, a listed business or a fund, the outcome is the same: Weak terms, dragged‑out timelines and an uncomfortable dependence on luck and introductions. As Partner at spectup, a capital advisory firm with $120M+ raised across startups, private and public companies and funds, the focus is to fix exactly that. What I do: → Structure capital raises and private placements so the deal is clear, credible and easy to underwrite → Build institutional‑grade materials (pitch decks, memos, narratives) that stand up in IC rooms → Run targeted investor outreach using a tech‑enabled engine and an active capital network My background: → Operator side: worked inside a unicorn (N26) and with BMW’s startup / innovation programs, seeing how growth and corporate decision‑making actually work → Capital side: years of working directly on fundraising, investor materials and dealflow for companies and funds across multiple stages This mix means your story, numbers and “fundability” are pressure‑tested before you walk into high‑stakes investor conversations. I’m also the host of Deal Makers (& Fakers): → A podcast where founders, operators and fund managers unpack the real stories behind their raises → Deals that closed, deals that died, and the signals serious capital actually responds to right now

Brad A. Galbraith is the Managing Partner at GW Law, PLLC’s Naples and Indianapolis offices. He focuses on providing creative, cutting-edge estate, tax, and business planning advice to business owners and other wealthy individuals. Brad is board certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates by The Florida Bar Association. Brad began his professional career as a Certified Public Accountant. After switching to the practice of law and seeing the ineffectiveness and inefficiency of traditional planning methods, he endeavored to find a better way to assist his clients with estate, tax and business planning. As an estate planning attorney, he developed a model designed to provide clients with comprehensive, personalized estate, tax and business succession plans that withstand the test of time. Brad maintains an Indiana CPA license and has taught estate and tax planning to CPAs and attorneys at conferences and continuing education events throughout the United States. Additionally, Brad is the co-author of an extensive continuing education program for CPAs which has been published and distributed nationally. That program, entitled Estate Planning for CPAs, has also been presented to thousands of CPAs throughout the United States. Brad is also the author of several books, including: Intentionally Defective Grantor Trusts Line By Line, Family Limited Partnership Agreement Line By Line, Family LLC Operating Agreements Line By Line, and is co-author of Disinherit The IRS, Don’t Die Until You’ve Read This Book, The Four Corners: Where Your Estate Plan Becomes A Living Legacy, and The Florida Domicile Handbook.

Gavin Nathan is the CEO of Novitas Inc, where he is leading the charge to disrupt private equity and capital raising with liquidity solutions. With over 15 years of business, finance, aviation, asset management and private equity experience and a background in UK Military, Law Enforcement and Government, Gavin has a reputation for solving complex problems and finding growth opportunities. Under his leadership Novitas has structured over $500m in institutional grade assets and raised over $2.5b in private equity deals. The Novitas Inversion Model™ uses tokenization and risk management to speed up fundraising, unlock early liquidity and create transparent strategies that align with investor interests. Gavin is a thought leader in finance, investments, venture capital, leadership and capital markets and is dedicated to breaking down the barriers that hold businesses and investors back so they can achieve long term success in a fast changing financial world.

Greg Reese is the Founder, President, and CEO of AmeriEstate Legal Plan, Inc. and Reef Point, LLC. With more than 25 years of experience in estate planning, he specializes in helping individuals and families protect their assets, preserve wealth, and create comprehensive legacy strategies. Through AmeriEstate, Greg has built a national network dedicated to making estate and asset protection planning accessible and effective. At Reef Point, he focuses on advanced planning solutions and tax-efficient strategies designed to help clients structure and transition highly appreciated assets. Greg is recognized for his expertise in estate planning, asset protection, and wealth preservation, and is a frequent speaker on trust strategies and long-term financial planning.

I’m a fee-only fiduciary financial adviser, chief investment officer and founder of Cedar Point Capital Partners, where I help executives, business owners, and affluent families navigate complex financial decisions with clarity and discipline. I regularly comment on investment strategy, retirement planning, tax-aware wealth management, and how households actually manage cash, risk, and returns in real-world markets. My perspective centers on long-term thinking, realistic return expectations, and minimizing the practical risks that often drive outcomes during periods of market stress or transition. I’ve been featured in national and regional media on topics including retirement policy, savings strategies, and fiduciary excellence. As you may expect given my role, I am registered as an Investment Adviser Representative with Cedar Point Capital Partners LLC, a registered investment adviser. The perspectives I share here or in any media I provide commentary in are general in nature and not intended as individualized investment advice. For more information, please visit: https://www.cedarpointcap.com/disclaimers-disclosures/

Gerard “Ged” Ward is a highly accomplished finance broker and founder of Platinum Global Bridging Finance, an award-winning firm specializing in bespoke asset-backed lending solutions for high-net-worth individuals, expats, and corporate clients. With over two decades of experience in international finance, Ged has built a strong reputation for structuring complex cross-border funding solutions, including bridging loans, stock loans, private equity finance, and expat mortgages across the US, UK, and Western Europe. Starting his career as an accountant, Ged transitioned into mortgage and asset finance, where his analytical background and client-first approach set him apart. Under his leadership, Platinum Global Bridging Finance was recognized as a featured Bridging Finance Broker and appeared in IBS Intelligence among leading lending platforms in the US. Ged’s expertise lies in identifying undervalued lending opportunities, negotiating flexible terms for clients, and developing bespoke funding models that preserve liquidity while unlocking growth capital. His approach combines disciplined financial structuring with global market insight, ensuring clients receive intelligent, transparent, and secure finance solutions. Beyond finance, Ged’s background in competitive Thai boxing—where he was ranked sixth in Europe—reflects his tenacity, focus, and drive for excellence, traits that continue to shape his professional success today.

Over a decade of experience creating successful teams, exceeding sales goals, and developing effective marketing strategies for the private investment space. Through lead generation, networking, and various marketing tools, Kelly has helped raise over $500 million dollars of capital from individual private investors for several industries. She is an innovative problem solver and a natural leader focused on the big picture.

Dana is an investment management executive with 20+ years of experience in product structuring, marketing, fundraising, investor relations and corporate communications. Before spending the last few years building LUXUS in WealthTech, Dana worked as a Managing Director at Blackstone, Harbinger and with other prominent hedge funds and family offices. She began her career as a lawyer at Schulte Roth & Zabel. Dana has a BA from the University of Vermont and a JD from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Dr. Igor Ryabenkiy is an author, entrepreneur and investor. He signed his first angel check in 1998 and founded AltalR Capital in 2005 to support early stage companies across the US, Europe and Israel. With $600 million in AUM, AltaIR Capital has invested in over 400 tech companies across B2B SaaS, Future of Work, FinTech, InsureTech, and Digital Health. Its portfolio includes 10+ unicorns, most of which (Miro, Deel, PandaDoc, OpenWeb, Socure, Turing, Fundamental, etc.) were backed at an early stage. In 2025, AltaIR Capital was ranked among the Top 2.5% venture capital firms in EMEA by Dealroom as part of its Power Law Investor Ranking, which evaluates over 22,000 investors based on portfolio outcomes. Igor Ryabenkiy also founded AltaClub, a global investor community, and AltaLab, a program that helps founders think clearly and build better. He is the author of books Adventures in Venture Capital and Unicorn Focus.

Passive real estate investor focused on multi-family, mobile home, storage, and ATM asset classes. Co-Host of The Gentle Art of Crushing It Podcast, and Founder for Impact Equity.

John T. Patton is a business school graduate of St. John’s University in New York City and has lived and worked in Florida for over 36 years. He began his real estate career in 2006 as a real estate auctioneer with one of the most established auction firms in the United States. During that time, John worked closely with real estate developers, banks, and homeowners, helping them market and sell properties using the accelerated auction method. When the housing market stabilized in 2010, John transitioned out of the auction industry and began acquiring bank-owned properties and single-family homes directly from homeowners. He also oversaw the acquisition, renovation, and leasing of both single-family and multifamily properties for a regional rental housing company specializing in clean, professionally managed, and affordable housing across South Florida and Toledo, Ohio. John holds an active real estate license in the State of Florida and is a proud member of the Central Florida Real Estate Investors Association (CFRI) and the Dade Real Estate Investors Association (DREIA). He is passionate about helping individuals and families overcome personal or financial challenges by providing fast, effective solutions to sell their homes. Whether you’re facing a difficult situation or simply ready for a change, John is committed to helping you sell your property and move forward with confidence.

Max Avery, a dynamic business development executive at Digital Ascension Group, drives growth across industries with a sharp focus on market leadership. His deep knowledge of traditional and emerging financial markets, backed by certifications like Capital Markets & Securities Analyst (CMSA)® and FinTech Industry Professional (FTIP)™, informs his strategic approach. Since 2016, he has excelled in raising capital and structuring deals in private equity and real estate. Appointed to the District Export Council by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in 2018, and a member of the National Small Business Association’s Economic Development Committee, Avery shapes policies for business growth. Guided by a philosophy of excellence, he turns complex challenges into practical solutions, establishing himself as a trusted strategist committed to lasting impact.

I’m Blake Renda, an entrepreneur, investor, and co-CEO of Veedor Holdings LLC, based in Naples, FL, with a satellite office in Santa Monica, CA. At Veedor Holdings LLC, we not only make strategic investments but also own and operate Dragon Horse Agency, Dragon Horse Publishing, and Moxie Creed. My professional journey began as an intern at NBC Studios while I was studying at the University of Southern California, which led to a full-time position after graduation. I then transitioned into law and finance, which ultimately brought me to Wall Street in 1996. There, I was part of a small team in Palo Alto, CA, managing over $20 billion in technology-sector assets at J. & W. Seligman & Co. In 2000, I was recognized as one of Institutional Investor Magazine’s “Best of the Buy Side.” In 2006, I joined the New Dimensions Growth Team at American Express Asset Management in La Jolla, CA, serving as the T/M/T manager across six growth funds with over $40 billion in assets under management. I was also nominated for Institutional Investor Magazine's "Best of the Buy Side" in 2004. These experiences taught me the importance of rigorously vetting opportunities and leading with foresight—skills I have consistently applied to every entrepreneurial venture. From 2011 to 2015, I played a key role in transforming a boutique skincare startup in Florida into a nationally recognized, multi-award-winning brand, culminating in its eventual public listing after my tenure. Following my exit from that company, I co-founded Veedor Holdings LLC with Julie Koester. Today, we own and operate Dragon Horse Agency, a multi-award-winning bi-coastal agency known for providing comprehensive business strategy and marketing services to global clients. Additionally, we own Dragon Horse Publishing, an award-winning publishing company, and Moxie Creed, a wellness lifestyle e-commerce platform. Beyond accolades and successes, I hold a deep belief in resilience, mentorship, and shared success. I’m a proud father, a former youth volleyball coach, and a passionate advocate of Ubuntu—meaning "I am because we are." Whether scaling startups, navigating global markets, or building culture, I bring the same competitive spirit and collaborative ethos to every endeavor. Success is not just about accolades; it’s about legacy, community, and the courage to keep moving forward. As Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”

I’m the founder and owner of Carolina Home Relief, a North Carolina-based real estate investment company that specializes in acquiring and improving off-market properties. I graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and served in the U.S. Army before transitioning into real estate investment at the start of the pandemic. I built Carolina Home Relief around transparency, efficiency, and high-quality renovation standards, helping homeowners in difficult situations sell their properties quickly while improving the overall quality of housing across North Carolina.