The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection
Hosted by Alex Rawlings, Managing Partner of Raw Selection, a specialist executive search firm. Join us as we interview the leading experts in Private Equity, unlocking their secrets of success to share with you.
Discover how some of the top Private Equity professionals got into Private Equity, how they rose to success and learn about some of the mistakes they made along the way.
Alex has strong connections to the Private Equity industry through his executive search firm, Raw Selection, which specialises in working with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies across Europe and North America. Alex is straight talking and to the point and aims to unlock real gold you can build into your firm or portfolio companies. Find out more at www.raw-selection.com
The Private Equity Podcast, by Raw Selection
Private Equity and How it is Embracing Technology Transformation With Alan Williamson
Welcome to the Private Equity Podcast! In this episode, we explore "Private Equity and Technology Transformation" with Alan Williamson. Alan, a seasoned CTO and operating partner, shares insights from his journey—from embedded engineering to navigating Enterprise Java and PE due diligence. He emphasizes crucial operational details affecting portfolio companies, such as cybersecurity and data ownership, and discusses the evolving role of technology in PE.
[00:10] Social engineering is still the number one way to hack a company.
[00:17] Introduction of guest Alan Williamson, CTO, operating partner, and author.
[00:46] Discussion on technology transformation, pitfalls in private equity, and opportunities pre and post-deal.
[01:13] Shares background from embedded engineer to Java development and entry into private equity.
[02:08] Discusses common mistake in portfolio companies: neglecting operational details like domain ownership and software subscriptions.
[03:30] Anecdote on operational oversight challenges in companies due to misplaced responsibilities.
[04:29] Highlights key red flags in due diligence, emphasizing over-reliance on individual technical knowledge within companies.
[05:53] Discussion on technology enablement in private equity and the evolving role of specialized operating partners.
[08:17] Contrasts in-house technical expertise with external consultancy services in private equity firms.
[09:44] Pre-deal considerations including data ownership and regulatory compliance.
[10:37] Security concerns in acquisitions, emphasizing cybersecurity diligence and compliance across different states.
[14:37] Discusses social engineering as a primary hacking method in corporate security breaches.
[15:00] Post-deal implementation strategies including securing operations and aligning with PE firm objectives.
[18:58] Maximizing data value through machine learning and leveraging historical data for business insights.
[21:23] Personal influences and recommendations, highlighting interests in movies and older business literature.
[23:46] Alex Rawlings wraps up the podcast.
You can connect with Alan Williamson on LinkedIn by visiting his profile here.
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