Brilliant People Podcast

Jerry Hughes is the Director of Commercial Excellence at American Securities, a leading private equity firm in the U.S. with $27 billion in committed capital. With typical equity investment ranging from $300-700 million, Jerry has the exciting remit of scaling sizeable industry players and capturing market share. With a career that’s revolved around the persistent pursuit of growth, Jerry has the tested ideas and tools that strengthen sales and marketing capabilities – and achieve business results. On this episode of the Brilliant People Podcast, Linnea Jungnelius, Global Head of Marketing & Strategy at Acertitude, was priviledged to sit down with Jerry to share some of those with you. The show also covers the American Securities approach to value creation, Jerry’s views on the big value unlock of AI in sales, and what inspires him to work and live life to the fullest.

Dominic is Managing Director and Head of Digital & AI at Bridgepoint, Europe’s leading middle-market growth investor with €43 billion euro of assets under management. As part of the Operational Support Group, he is a force for advancing digital, dispersing collective wisdom, building brands, and driving growth.

David Acharya is the Managing Partner of Acharya Capital Partners, a New York City-based PE firm that buys and grows lower middle market companies. He discovered his passion for the independent sponsor model after progressing over 25 years as a private equity investor with a fund, and investment banker on Wall Street, thriving in the pace of change, alignment, and impact that he's able to bring forth. David also serves on the Board of ACG Global, the community for middle market deal-making.

Over the last 20 years, Farhan shaped and pioneered some of the most visible and successful digital transformations in the consumer and financial sectors, holding leadership positions with Ahold Delhaize, McDonald’s, Bank of America, and Target. As chief digital officer of Ahold, he cracked the code on digital change for its 20 brands. It’s no surprise that when Ahold acquired FreshDirect, he was asked to serve as interim CEO and pivoted the company from survival mode to growth mode. Farhan took the private equity plunge in 2021, today an operating partner at BayPine, a private equity firm with an unrelenting focus on modernization that invests in core-economy, market-leading businesses. His rare vantage point from holding roles as Operating Partner, CEO, and Chief Digital Officer give him an edge in delivering digital capital and guiding portfolio leaders.

Tiffany Lopinsky, alongside fellow co-founders Harry Rein and Chris Tinsley, set out to change the influencer marketing space in 2020. Their vision: craft a revolutionary tool for the creator economy – ShopMy. Already, they have grown its network to over 40,000 creators and 300 brand partners, signing on renowned beauty brands like Tatcha, Dior, and Elemis and retailers like Nordstrom, Nike, and Lululemon. Recently, they secured $18.5 million in funding, which they are now using to innovate product features, attract even more brands to the platform, and build the team to support its strategic investments.

Ben Gaw embraces the chance to address complex challenges head on, approaching them with passion, grit, and determination. His pursuit of unleashing organizational potential is fueled by a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of leadership and operational excellence. This conviction is the cornerstone of his distinguished career in the private equity industry.

Daniel Perry is an energized revenue leader who, time and again, has been the driving force for scaling companies and delivering successful exits. The challenges he tackles are as varied as his approaches to solving them, whether collaborating with portfolio companies to dramatically scale their productivity, provide capacity to their go-to market teams, or help accelerate revenue growth.

Jason Ojalvo has a knack for spotting trends that others don’t see, and a willingness to bet big on those beliefs, often swimming against the tide. That lens has shaped his 25 years as a leader, all focused on digital entertainment and disruptive innovation.

Russell Findlay, a distinguished marketing leader, has shaped some of the most identifiable brands over the last three decades, Major League Soccer, IHOP, and PepsiCo among them. Unlike most, his success traverses sectors. He’s left an imprint on industries as diverse as CPG, food & beverage, sports & entertainment, and financial services. While there’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer as to how Russell has repeatedly scaled billion dollar brands, his commitment to nurturing the next generation of marketeers is a prevailing theme.

Jeff Sloan has risen through the ranks and the worlds of fintech, private equity, and investment banking. In his role as CEO of Global Payments, these experiences led Jeff to get on the radar as one of the most innovative leaders in the fintech space. He led the company through a remarkable transformation from conventional payment enterprise into a global technology trailblazer.