Former Chief Analytics & AI Officer at Universal Music Group to Support New Investments and Portfolio Value Creation Efforts

New York – May 28, 2025 — Warburg Pincus, the pioneer of private equity global growth investing, today announced the appointment of SK Sharma as a Senior Advisor, working with the firm’s Technology group. In his role, Dr. Sharma will assist Warburg Pincus in identifying, evaluating and supporting new investment opportunities and advise portfolio companies on value creation initiatives with a focus on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).

Dr. Sharma was previously Chief Analytics & AI Officer at Universal Music Group, where he led a global team of AI researchers, data scientists and strategists to develop innovative products and services focusing on listener engagement, audience growth and marketing analytics technology. He also has deep expertise in creating and bringing companies through the growth stage and to exit, having served as a co-founder or operating partner for four different companies, three of which were acquired by strategic buyers.

“We are thrilled to welcome SK, who has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation and real-world application, to Warburg Pincus. SK will be an invaluable resource to our investment thesis generation and portfolio company value creation,” said Michael Ding, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus.

“I am excited to be joining Warburg Pincus, which has been synonymous with growth investing since its start and has an impressive track record in the technology space,” said SK Sharma. “GenAI is creating incredible opportunities, and I look forward to working with the team to identify and evaluate new investments and support value creation for the firm’s impressive portfolio companies.”

Dr. Sharma currently serves as Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of California San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry and Chemical Physics from Caltech. He has authored four artificial intelligence patents as lead inventor.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is the pioneer of private equity global growth investing. A private partnership since 1966, the firm has the flexibility and experience to focus on helping investors and management teams achieve enduring success across market cycles. Today, the firm has more than $87 billion in assets under management, and more than 220 companies in its active portfolio, diversified across stages, sectors, and geographies. Warburg Pincus has invested in more than 1,000 companies across its private equity, real estate, and capital solutions strategies.

The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact

Kerrie Cohen

Global Head of Communications & Marketing

kerrie.cohen@warburgpincus.com

NPM participation Conclusion has appointed Daniëlle Graat as director of Hot ITem Conclusion, an operating company within the Conclusion ecosystem specialized in data-driven performance improvement. Graat, who has been involved with Conclusion since 2015, will also remain responsible for Conclusion Low Code Company, which she helped build into a successful organization with over fifty consultants specializing in Mendix.

With Graat’s appointment, Hot ITem Conclusion gains an experienced leader at the helm. The Amsterdam-based organization has over 200 employees and is one of the largest players in the Netherlands in the field of business intelligence, data analytics and data-driven process improvement. Within the Conclusion ecosystem, Hot ITem works closely with other labels under the banner of Conclusion Intelligence.

According to Graat, what makes Hot ITem unique is the integrated approach to technology, data and process improvement from a business perspective. “Real breakthroughs are rarely realized without insight in the value of data as well as people. By providing that insight, we can take meaningful steps with clients,” said Graat.

Geesje Boon, director of Conclusion Intelligence, calls Graat’s appointment a logical step: “Daniëlle has proven to build and lead companies with vision and energy. With her experience and people-oriented approach, she is the right person to lead Hot ITem Conclusion to further growth.”

LONDON, 19 May, 2025 – Advent, a leading global private equity investor, today announced the appointment of Mike Ettling as an Operating Partner. Mike will play an active role in helping identify new investment opportunities in the enterprise technology sector, oversee portfolio company initiatives, and will work closely with the Advent team on broader leadership and culture activities.

“We have had the privilege of working with Mike for over a decade and we are delighted to welcome him as an Operating Partner. Mike has a rare blend of deep enterprise software expertise and hands-on leadership experience. He has not only guided companies through complex transformations, but helped them scale with clarity and purpose,” said Eric Wei, Managing Director at Advent. “His ability to balance product strategy, customer focus, and revenue growth, while also prioritizing continuous improvement, will help support the high-performing companies that we continue to build across our technology portfolio. More broadly, Mike is a thoughtful, globally minded leader who brings a supportive coaching and mentorship style that truly resonates with founders and teams alike.”

Mike is a globally recognized leader in the enterprise software industry, with over three decades of experience. He is the Executive Chairman of SYSPRO, a leading provider of digital manufacturing technology, recently acquired by Advent. Previously, Mike was CEO of Unit4, a global cloud ERP software vendor, formerly owned by Advent, and President of SAP SuccessFactors, a provider of cloud HCM solutions.

“I’ve seen firsthand how private equity, when combined with the right leadership and strategy, can unlock significant value,” said Mike Ettling. “Advent’s approach goes beyond providing capital; they bring strategic insight, operational expertise, and a collaborative spirit that empowers CEOs to achieve long-term growth. I’m looking forward to contributing to the success of Advent’s portfolio and helping ambitious companies achieve transformational growth and innovation.”

“We are thrilled to formalize our long-standing partnership with Mike. He is an exceptional leader whose global experience and people-first mindset will be a tremendous asset to both Advent and our portfolio companies,” said Douglas Hallstrom, Director at Advent. “His insights will be instrumental in helping our portfolio companies accelerate and stay ahead, particularly as we continue to develop product platform strategies which are ever more relevant in an AI world. We are excited for him to contribute to our leadership initiatives and help further strengthen our collaborative, values-driven culture.”

Mike is an active advisor, board member, and private investor to a number of technology companies. He plays a key role in mentoring startups with scaling and innovating and has significant experience in building teams and championing diversity. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Masters in Finance from London Business School.

Advent has invested in the technology sector for over 30 years and has completed over 100 investments worldwide in more than 25 countries. With its global presence, deep cross-sector network, company-scaling resources, and flexible capital, Advent’s approach is focused on companies targeting innovation and growth at scale.

About Advent

Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 16 offices across five continents, we oversee more than USD $91 billion in assets under management* and have made 430 investments across 44 countries.

Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses.

As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 660+ colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent’s global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.

To learn more, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn.

*Assets under management (AUM) as of December 31, 2024. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.

Media contact

Peter Folland
Tel: +44 7350 407473
pfolland@adventinternational.co.uk

Silversmith Capital Partners, a growth equity firm focused on supporting the best entrepreneurs in technology and healthcare, today announced that Lidiane Jones, an accomplished technology executive and former CEO of Slack and Bumble, has joined the firm as a Senior Advisor. Lidiane brings more than two decades of deep leadership, technical and product experience, having held senior roles at some of the world’s most innovative technology companies.

With a proven track record of delivering impactful products across enterprise scalability, machine learning, and consumer productivity, Lidiane will bring valuable industry insight, strategic guidance, and investment perspective to Silversmith and its portfolio companies.

“Having known Lidiane for many years, I’ve long admired her technical expertise, product intuition, and ability to lead at scale,” said Jim Quagliaroli, Managing Partner at Silversmith Capital Partners. “From her early days as a software engineer at Microsoft to leading category-defining companies like Slack and Bumble, Lidiane has consistently demonstrated world-class leadership. We’re thrilled to welcome her to Silversmith as a Senior Advisor and look forward to the impact she will have across the firm and our portfolio.”

A seasoned CEO, Lidiane most recently served as CEO of Bumble. Prior to that, she was appointed CEO of Slack following its acquisition by Salesforce, transitioning from her executive leadership role within Salesforce to guide Slack’s integration and future direction. During her tenure, she also led efforts to bring generative AI into workplace collaboration. Before taking the helm at Slack, Lidiane held several senior positions at Salesforce, including Executive Vice President and General Manager of Commerce Cloud, Experience Cloud, and Marketing Cloud, where she played a key role in driving product innovation and customer engagement. Earlier in her career, she spent four years at Sonos leading software product experiences, and 13 years at Microsoft, where she began as a software engineer on Excel and rose to lead major initiatives across Office, Azure Machine Learning, and enterprise management and oversaw several of the company’s post-acquisition integration efforts.

“It’s an exciting time to be working with growth-stage companies as they lead, scale and innovate,” said Lidiane Jones. “I’m honored to join Silversmith as a Senior Advisor and look forward to supporting entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of market-leading technology businesses.”

About Silversmith Capital Partners

Founded in 2015, Silversmith Capital Partners is a Boston-based growth equity firm with $3.3 billion of capital under management. Silversmith’s mission is to partner with and support the best entrepreneurs in growing, profitable technology and healthcare companies. Representative investments include ActiveCampaign, Appfire, Apryse, DistroKid, impact.com, Iodine Software, LifeStance Health, Onbe, and Webflow. For more information, including a full list of portfolio investments, visit www.silversmith.com or follow the firm on LinkedIn.

Current CEO Dave Habiger Appointed Vice Chairman

TROY, Mich.—J.D. Power today announced that Joshua Peirez will assume the role of President and CEO of J.D. Power, guiding the company in its next phase of growth as a global data, analytics and software leader. Dave Habiger, who has served as J.D. Power President and CEO since 2018, has been appointed Vice Chairman and will assist Peirez through the transition.

A veteran data-driven technology company leader, Peirez joins J.D. Power from Sterling Check Corp., a global provider of technology-enabled background and identity verification services, where he served as CEO and Director beginning in 2018. Peirez played an instrumental role in driving the company’s impressive growth through its initial public offering in 2021 and its combination with First Advantage Corporation in 2024.

J.D. Power is in its fifth consecutive year of strong growth, continuing its focus on working with clients to address their most important challenges. Over the past seven years, under Habiger’s leadership, J.D. Power has successfully transformed from a benchmarking company to a leading provider of data, analytics and decisioning software in the automotive segment and other key industries. During this time, the company tripled its size and substantially expanded its proprietary automotive datasets and has created a vast network of thousands of talented employees across the globe.

“I am enormously proud of the trajectory we are on and am excited for Josh to lead the company in its next phase of growth,” said Habiger. “We recognized early on that robust, trusted data and proven insights would be the key for our customers to unlock value from J.D. Power’s predictive analytics and AI-powered solutions. We’ve never been better positioned to capitalize on our industry leadership, with Josh having the ideal background to drive continued growth.”

“J.D. Power is a world-renowned brand that has developed some of the most powerful datasets, analytics capabilities and software solutions used in the automotive industry today. The company also has deep industry intelligence and a team of experts who understand the intricacies of the key industries in the automotive ecosystem,” said Peirez. “I look forward to building on the amazing company Dave and his team have developed to fuel its continued expansion and deepen its value to our customer base.”

Prior to his experience at Sterling Check Corp., Peirez served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Dun & Bradstreet, a global provider of business decisioning data and analytics. He joined Dun & Bradstreet following a decade at MasterCard, where he served most recently as Chief Innovation Officer for MasterCard Worldwide.

About J.D. Power
J.D. Power is a global leader in automotive data and analytics, and provides industry intelligence, consumer insights and advisory solutions to the automotive industry and selected non-automotive industries. J.D. Power leverages its extensive proprietary datasets and software capabilities combined with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence tools to help its clients optimize business performance.

J.D. Power was founded in 1968 and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business.

Read the release on the JD Power site here.

Scholl brings deep experience driving transformation to further strengthen Advent’s sourcing and value creation initiatives

BOSTON, May 12, 2025 – Advent International (“Advent”), one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors, today announced the appointment of Stephan Scholl as an Operating Partner. Scholl will focus on driving transformational opportunities across sectors. He will work closely with Advent’s team and portfolio companies to identify, source, and execute new deals while supporting value creation initiatives.

“We are thrilled to welcome Stephan to our distinguished team of Operating Partners,” said John DiCola, Managing Director at Advent. “Stephan’s extensive expertise in enterprise software and a strong track record of driving digital transformation and operational excellence make him a valuable addition to the Advent network. He brings a unique ability to serve as a trusted sounding board for CEOs and management teams, combining operational rigor, strategic clarity, and cultural alignment. His experience will be a tremendous asset as we continue to expand our investment activity across sectors, and we look forward to partnering together to identify and execute on compelling opportunities, particularly in complex carve-out situations.”

Scholl most recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Alight Solutions, a cloud-based provider of digital human capital and business solutions, where he led the company through a digital transformation and successful public offering. During his tenure, he spearheaded key initiatives, including cloud migration, platform simplification and leveraging data analytics and AI to drive growth and profitability. Prior to Alight, Scholl served as President at Infor, a cloud-based provider of industry enterprise software, where he played a critical role in its $2 billion acquisition of Lawson Software and helped to drive the transformation of the company to culminate in its $13 billion acquisition by Koch Industries. He has also previously held senior roles at Oracle. Scholl currently serves as a Strategic Advisor at Alight.

“I am energized to become an Operating Parter at Advent at such a pivotal time for the services and technology landscape,” said Stephan Scholl. “Advent’s disciplined investment approach, global reach, and commitment to operational excellence provide a powerful foundation for identifying and unlocking value. What excites me most is the opportunity to sit at the intersection of strategy and execution as well as the ability to partner with management teams to problem solve, promote scale, and help great businesses become exceptional ones. I look forward to working with the team to deliver innovative strategies that drive growth and create lasting impact.”

About Advent International

Advent is a leading global private equity investor committed to working in partnership with management teams, entrepreneurs, and founders to help transform businesses. With 16 offices across five continents, we oversee more than USD $91 billion in assets under management* and have made 430 investments across 44 countries.

Since our founding in 1984, we have developed specialist market expertise across our five core sectors: business & financial services, consumer, healthcare, industrial, and technology. This approach is bolstered by our deep sub-sector knowledge, which informs every aspect of our investment strategy, from sourcing opportunities to working in partnership with management to execute value creation plans. We bring hands-on operational expertise to enhance and accelerate businesses.

As one of the largest privately-owned partnerships, our 660+ colleagues leverage the full ecosystem of Advent’s global resources, including our Portfolio Support Group, insights provided by industry expert Operating Partners and Operations Advisors, as well as bespoke tools to support and guide our portfolio companies as they seek to achieve their strategic goals.

To learn more, visit our website or connect with us on LinkedIn.

*Assets under management (AUM) as of December 31, 2024. AUM includes assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.

Media Contact

Leslie Shribman
lshribman@adventinternational.com

CHICAGO– May 8, 2025 – Today, Baird Capital announced that Benjamin Hanessian has joined its Global Portfolio Operations team as Principal – Portfolio Operations in Chicago. Hanessian will partner with teams across Baird Capital’s Private Equity and Venture Capital strategies to fuel innovation and accelerate growth.

Hanessian joins Baird Capital in Chicago from Vista Equity Partners where he served as Value Creation Director. His experience with value creation spanned across numerous diverse stakeholder groups, and he has strong experience leading efforts for right-sizing, restructuring and offshoring portfolio companies. Before Vista Equity Partners, he was with McKinsey. Hanessian attended Tufts University and received his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

We are thrilled to welcome Benjamin to the Baird Capital team. His extensive portfolio operations experience will strengthen Baird Capital’s valuation creation platform to help our companies navigate this uncertain environment and build strong foundations for future growth.

Gordon Pan, President, Baird Capital

Bringing Benjamin on board is an exciting step for Baird Capital. His deep expertise in value creation will enhance Baird Capital’s support for our portfolio companies’ professionalization, go-to-market strategies, and growth plans. We are eager to see how his fresh perspective further builds value across our portfolio.

Dennis Hall, Partner – Head of Portfolio Operations, Baird Capital

Baird Capital is a lower-middle-market investor that seeks opportunities to invest more than financial capital; instead, partnering with companies where it can deliver additive resources, relationships, and expertise to accelerate growth.

For more information on Baird Capital and its global private equity and venture capital teams, please visit BairdCapital.com.

About Baird Capital

Baird Capital manages two investment platforms: Global Private Equity and U.S. Venture Capital and makes investments in B2B technology & services-focused companies in North America and the UK. Baird Capital partners with entrepreneurs and, leveraging its executive networks, strives to build exceptional companies. Baird Capital provides operational support to its portfolio companies through teams worldwide, a proactive portfolio operations team and a deep network of relationships, which together strive to deliver enhanced shareholder value. Baird Capital is the direct private investment arm of Robert W. Baird & Co. Committed to being a great place to work, Baird ranked No. 13 on the 2025 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list – its 22nd consecutive year on the list. For more information, please visit BairdCapital.com.

For additional information, contact:

Baird Public Relations
publicrelations@rwbaird.com

Former Chief Information Security Officer of Google Cloud Joins to Support Cybersecurity Practice

New York – May 6, 2025 — Warburg Pincus, the pioneer of private equity global growth investing, today announced the appointment of Phil Venables as a Senior Advisor, working with the firm’s Technology group. In his role, Mr. Venables will work with Warburg Pincus to identify and evaluate new investment opportunities in cybersecurity and support the technology portfolio.

Mr. Venables was previously Chief Information Security Officer of Google Cloud, where he led the risk, security, compliance, and privacy teams. Before joining Google, he was a Partner at Goldman Sachs, where he held multiple roles over a long career, initially as their first Chief Information Security Officer, a role he held for 17 years. In subsequent roles, he was Chief Operational Risk Officer, an operating partner in their private equity business, and a Board Director of Goldman Sachs Bank.

Warburg Pincus has invested over $36 billion in technology companies since inception. One of the firm’s core areas of focus is partnering with growing cybersecurity companies, including notable investments in CrowdStrike, Aura, A-LIGN, Bitsight, Contrast Security, eSentire, and Infoblox.

“I am thrilled to join Warburg Pincus, a firm with a longstanding reputation in cybersecurity and technology investing. The demand for cybersecurity products has led to a substantial increase in the number of companies entering the market. It is crucial to evaluate these companies closely, focusing on their innovation, market leadership, and ability to address emerging threats effectively,” said Phil Venables.

“As an active investor in security and cybersecurity companies for over 25 years, we have built a strong, thesis-based approach in the space, helping us partner with exceptional management teams that are delivering innovative and market leading solutions,” said Brian Chang, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus. “We are excited to welcome Phil to Warburg Pincus and leverage his decades of experience in information security to identify new investments in the space and support our existing cybersecurity portfolio,” added Cary Davis, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus.

Mr. Venables serves on the boards of the NYU School of Engineering, the NYU Volatility and Risk Institute, the NIST ISPAB, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was previously a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

About Warburg Pincus

Warburg Pincus LLC is the pioneer of private equity global growth investing. A private partnership since 1966, the firm has the flexibility and experience to focus on helping investors and management teams achieve enduring success across market cycles. Today, the firm has more than $87 billion in assets under management, and more than 220 companies in their active portfolio, diversified across stages, sectors, and geographies. Warburg Pincus has invested in more than 1,000 companies across its private equity, real estate, and capital solutions strategies.

The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Mauritius, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.warburgpincus.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact

Sarah McGrath Bloom

Director, Communications

Sarah.bloom@warburgpincus.com