Pete Stavros

In this discussion, Pete Stavros, co-head of Global Private Equity at KKR, advocates for employee ownership as a transformative model, while Corey Rosen, founder of the National Center for Employee Ownership, emphasizes the potential of ESOPs to create a fairer economy. Marjorie Kelly, a critic of private equity, shares insights on its effects on workers. They delve into the complexities of employee ownership, its potential benefits, and the challenges it faces, questioning whether these initiatives are genuine change or merely a façade in the corporate landscape.

Hajer Sharief, a human rights activist and co-founder of the Together We Build It Foundation, shares her family’s unique approach to teamwork. Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor, emphasizes the importance of psychological safety for effective collaboration in high-stakes environments. Pete Stavros, co-head of global private equity at KKR, discusses how broad-based employee ownership can enhance worker satisfaction and drive company performance. Together, they unveil surprising insights into successful teamwork dynamics.

Pete Stavros from KKR dives into C.H.I. Overhead Doors.Pete is the Co-Head of Americas Private Equity at KKR, the legendary firm founded in 1976 that today is a public company managing around $500 billion in assets. Pete previously led KKR’s Industrials team, where he pioneered an employee engagement and ownership model.C.H.I. Overhead Doors manufactures garage doors and is a recent KKR portfolio company exit. We discuss how KKR became the fourth private equity owner of the business, its gameplan to improve operations and employee engagement, and details of the exit. The runaway success of the deal provides us with a textbook case for the benefits of employee ownership, and we close our conversation discussing Ownership Works, a nonprofit consortium of business stakeholders initiated by Pete that is on a mission to increase prosperity through shared ownership at work.Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership 

Pete Stavros, Co-Head of Global Private Equity at KKR and founder of Ownership Works, shares insights on KKR's transformation into a $500 billion powerhouse. He discusses navigating market cycles, expanding into infrastructure, and the competitive advantages cultivated through a collaborative culture. Stavros highlights his passion for employee ownership, driven by personal experiences, and outlines how Ownership Works aims to improve worker outcomes and reduce turnover. Exciting plans for policy initiatives and CEO engagement mark the future of employee ownership.

Antoine Gara, a correspondent for the Financial Times, and Pete Stavros, co-head of global private equity at KKR, dive into the transformative world of private equity and worker ownership. They discuss how private equity firms are shifting from their ruthless image to a more inclusive approach, offering employees equity to bolster motivation and company performance. The duo emphasizes the financial benefits of this strategy and how it effectively combats workforce disengagement, marking a significant evolution in the industry.