7th ANNUAL

PE-BACKED LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

Leading a PE-Backed Company When Expectations Are High and Conditions Are Harder

A private forum for CEOs and CFOs running PE-backed companies to compare how
leaders are managing extended hold periods, tighter capital and rising performance pressure.

  • September 10, 2026
  • The Harvard Club, New York City
Reserve Your Seat
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Built for the Decisions PE-Backed Leaders Are Making Now

Private equity-backed CEOs and CFOs are operating in a more demanding environment than at any point in the past decade. Capital is tighter. Exit timelines are less predictable. Sponsors expect stronger execution and clearer results.
 
The PE-Backed Leadership Summit is a one-day peer forum for CEOs and CFOs of sponsor-backed companies to compare how leaders at similar scale are managing capital, boards and performance under these conditions.
 
The 2026 agenda focuses on the operating priorities PE-backed CEOs and CFOs are actively managing:
  • Allocating capital when financing costs are higher and flexibility is limited
  • Aligning with sponsors and boards when expectations are rising
  • Protecting competitive advantage as markets become more volatile
  • Building performance metrics that boards trust—and that hold up under scrutiny
Explore the Agenda

Keynote Speakers

Exclusive Opening Keynote

The strategy is rarely the problem. The execution is the problem.

Nigel Travis

Senior Advisor, Blackstone
Chairperson, Servpro, Tropical Smoothie Café and Jersey Mike’s – all Blackstone companies
Chairperson, Abercrombie & Fitch
Former CEO & Executive Chairman, Dunkin' Brands

In today’s PE environment — tighter capital, compressed timelines, sponsors with less patience — the gap between a good strategy and a successful exit comes down to one thing: whether your leadership culture can actually execute under pressure. Nigel Travis has spent decades figuring out why that gap exists and how to close it. 
He led the revitalization of Dunkin’ Brands into one of the most efficient franchise operations in the world. He sat inside Blockbuster’s leadership team as Netflix rewrote the rules—learning what not to do. Today he chairs Abercrombie & Fitch and three Blackstone portfolio companies — Servpro, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Jersey Mike’s — and he’ll tell you exactly what sponsors are watching right now, what they won’t say out loud, and what separates the CEOs who build lasting value from those who just manage the hold period.

Exclusive Closing Keynote

$63 billion in market cap growth. 140 acquisitions. Now he's on the other side of the table.

Dan Glaser

Operating Partner, CD&R | Former President & CEO, Marsh McLennan

Dan Glaser ran Marsh McLennan for a decade like a PE-backed CEO before that was a common aspiration — aggressive M&A, relentless performance discipline, and $14 billion in deal volume. The market cap grew by $63 billion.

Now, as Operating Partner at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, he evaluates management teams for a living. He knows what the scoreboard looks like from both sides of the table. In this closing session, he’ll speak candidly about what actually drives value creation in a PE environment, what separates businesses that perform from those that plateau, and what he sees now that he couldn’t see from the CEO chair.

A Day Designed Around Real Decisions

What You'll Work Through With Peers:

  • How PE leaders are approaching capital allocation, leadership decisions and value creation as timelines extend and pressure increases
  • What macro signals actually matter for PE-backed companies—and how they show up in operations before they hit forecasts
  • What truly protects competitive advantage under pressure, from pricing power and customer stickiness to operational resilience
  • Where CEO–sponsor alignment breaks down—and how leaders navigate tradeoffs between growth, margin and investment
  • How leadership teams create—or quietly erode—value through decision-making, prioritization and execution
  • What changes as companies scale—and where mid-market instincts begin to break down
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“Great content, speakers and format. I really enjoyed hearing from CEOs who have ‘been there and done it’ or doing it now.”

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Annual Gathering of PE-Backed Company Leaders

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Years Supporting the CEO Community

A Day Designed Around Real Decisions

What You'll Work Through With Peers

What You’ll Work Through With Peers

  • How PE leaders are approaching capital allocation, leadership decisions and value creation as timelines extend and pressure increases
  • What macro signals actually matter for PE-backed companies—and how they show up in operations before they hit forecasts
  • What truly protects competitive advantage under pressure, from pricing power and customer stickiness to operational resilience
  • Where CEO–sponsor alignment breaks down—and how leaders navigate tradeoffs between growth, margin and investment
  • How leadership teams create—or quietly erode—value through decision-making, prioritization and execution
  • What changes as companies scale—and where mid-market instincts begin to break down

Featured Sessions Include

  • Inside the PE Reality: Capital, Leadership & Value Creation in 2026
  • What Value Creation Looks Like Now — From Both Sides of the Table
  • How PE_Backed Leadership Teams Really Create—and Lose—Value
  • The CEO View: What Changes When You’re Playing At Scale
View Full Agenda Details

Who Attends

Attendance is intentionally curated to preserve peer quality and candor.

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CEOs of PE-Backed Portfolio Companies

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Presidents, COOs, CFOs operating under sponsor oversight

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Leaders managing businesses mid-hold or preparing for exit

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Executives navigating capital structure changes or leadership transitions

Why PE-Backed Executives Say This Summit Delivers

Peer Insight

“Great content, speakers and format. I really enjoyed hearing from CEOs who have ‘been there and done it’ or doing it now.”

Directly Relevant

“Great topics, pertinent information, highly relevant and very fun. Definitely recommend to CEOs and strategic C-Suite, help to get macro view.”

Immediately Applicable

“Practical advice, immediate quick-wins, inspiring talks and adaptive approach to current economic environment.”

Secure Your Spot

Attendance is limited to 100 CEOs and CFOs of PE-backed companies.

Individual

$1495
$ 1,095 Current rate through May 30
  •  
Register Now

Team of 2+

Ideal for CEO + CFO alignment
$1295
$ 895 Per person through May 30
  •  
Register Now

Registration Options

Deadline

Individual

Team Of 2+

Register by May 30

$1,095

$895/person

Register by July 11

$1,195

$995/person

Register by Aug. 29

$1,295

$1,095/person

After Aug. 29

$1,395

$1,195/person

 
Many companies attend with both a CEO and CFO to compare perspectives and align on key descisions.

Venue

Harvard Club of New York City

Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, the Harvard Club offers a private, historic setting just steps from Bryant Park, Times Square and Grand Central.

The Club blends classic architecture with modern amenities, providing a fitting backdrop for the PE-Backed Leadership Summit.

We have negotiated discounted rates with a set of nearby hotels.

MAKE A RESERVATION

Contact Us

Have a specific question about the event? A member of our team will follow up with you.

Sponsors

Oracle Netsuite
Roundtable

Strategic Planning Workshop

1:00 - 5:00 pm

Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

  1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
  2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
  3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

 

Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

2:00 - 5:00 pm

Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

Limited space available.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

Golf Outing

10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS

General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.