You never know the path ahead
As an 18 year old, I would have never believed I would end up living in London. I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, where I graduated with 50 kids in my high school class. It was a nurturing, supportive environment but had limited diversity. A supportive family and a few life-changing teachers encouraged my curiosity about the world around me. While attending Vanderbilt University, I had the opportunity to study in London, which segued into an early career in New York, followed by a permanent move to the UK. I’ve been lucky to work with entrepreneurs around the globe, and I am consistently thankful to spend my days surrounded by exceptionally talented and diverse individuals who challenge my way of thinking.
At its core, investing is about people
The founders and management teams we partner with are visionaries. They are the rock upon which any organisation is built. When I reflect upon stand-out leaders, the character traits that tend to recur are empathy and seemingly limitless passion. It’s a rare combination and exhilarating to experience. Our first question when considering any new investment is always: ‘Who are our partners?’ Partnership and trust are key to a strong working foundation, and we always prioritise doing what’s right to support the ambitions of the visionaries we’re backing. Financial returns follow when the partnership is right.
You need a differentiated view
At Advent, we focus on investments where we believe we have a differentiated point of view. We continually try to challenge ourselves, asking: ‘What is the unique value we would bring to this business?’ This forces creativity from the initial idea stage through to our work helping management teams unlock real long-term value. As our track record clearly demonstrates, unique, differentiated investments are core to our DNA.
For me, this is the best job in the world
Since my first job at age 16, I have been fortunate to have met and learned from many inspiring people. At Advent we are privileged to do this day in and day out. We work with remarkable individuals who are disrupting and transforming global industries, and we benefit from a global network of talent built through 40 years of nurturing relationships with extraordinary people. The opportunity to be a small part of this firm and its broader network was something I simply could not turn down.