Private Equity Operating Companies and Women Executives: Did the game change and we missed it? by Paola Doebel

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Understanding the Opportunities for Women in Private Equity

Welcome to this insightful discussion on the potential for women in private equity (PE), particularly focussed on Private Equity Backed companies. Our speaker today is Paula Doble, a senior executive with significant experience in both public technology companies and private equity-backed firms.

Paula's Professional Journey

Paula made the move from a leading role at a large public technology company to a PE-backed firm two years ago, a transition that was filled with both opportunities and challenges. For her, success as an executive comprising not just professional advancements but also personal growth. This new role offered her the chance to redefine success in her terms.

Private Equity-Backed Companies: A Sea of Opportunities

An interesting statistic that stands testament to the potential of PE-backed companies is that there are twice as many private equity-backed companies as there are public companies today. This trend, notable since 1996, has been accompanied by the availability of approximately a trillion dollars of unspent funds ready for investment, also known as dry powder.

To truly capitalize on this mounting opportunity, it becomes necessary to redefine our concept of success, moving towards the acceptance of risk that typically comes with these firms. This allows us to capture potential rewards not just for ourselves but also for our families.

Redefining Success: From Traditional Metrics to Ownership and Authority

Women executives traditionally gauged success via their roles in public companies. Much has been spoken about the low representation of female executives in public company boards, and this fueled the race for these positions. However, stepping into the private sector necessitates a renewed approach to defining success.

Instead of titles, team sizes, and P&L responsibilities, Paula urges us to consider real equity ownership and authority over the company's long-term strategic direction as crucial markers of success. This meant liberating herself from her attachment to her previous role's metrics. The lack of female executives in PE-backed firms emphasized the need for this mindset change to capture the burgeoning opportunities in the sphere.

Barriers to Entry for Women in Private Equity-Backed Companies

The major challenges outlined by Paula include networking and mindset barriers. The former refers to the limited exposure of women to professional networks for PE-backed opportunities, and the latter involves the deeply ingrained measurement of success via traditional metrics that women executives are accustomed to. Overcoming these barriers includes raising awareness about the size of the market and the monetary prospects it offers.

Concluding Thoughts

As the talk concludes, it becomes clear that increasing women's representation in private equity calls for more women to actively seek and accept such opportunities. Paula urges women to redefine success, understand the landscape of significant private equity companies and consider cultural fit. She encourages women leaders in this field to extend opportunities to aspiring professionals and contribute to breaking this cycle, ultimately opening up a pathway filled with potential.

Questions?

If you have further inquiries or require more insights on breaking into PE-backed companies, Paula has generously extended her availability and can be contacted via LinkedIn.


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