Areté Capital Partners, a special-situation advisory and capital firm, added Stuart Kaufman as managing director based out of Chicago.
“We are very excited to have Stuart join us at Areté as we continue to expand our independent fiduciary and stewardship services to companies experiencing significant growth pains, complex organizational change, or existential crisis,” Shawn Hassel, co-founder of Areté Capital Partners, said. “Stuart brings a wealth of experience in a diverse set of industries that makes him an ideal fit for our firm as we continue to help companies solve complex problems by driving pragmatic solutions focused on creating value and maximizing returns for our clients.”
Kaufman has more than 25 years of experience advising businesses during periods of distress and transition. He has experience working in industries such as automotive, hospitality, healthcare, oil and gas, power generation and distribution, manufacturing, logistics, financial services, aviation, telecommunications and e-commerce.
Prior to joining Areté, Kaufman worked at advisory firms such as Portage Point Partners and Alvarez & Marsal. He has served as chief restructuring officer and acted as interim CEO and CFO for several companies experiencing operational and financial distress. Kaufman specializes in advising clients through operational and financial improvements, developing and implementing value creation plans, executing balance sheet restructurings in and out of court, and delivering interim management, capital markets and lender advisory services.
“Stuart’s broad-based experience and ability to look at problems from the angles of all constituents to develop and implement optimal solutions aligns with our philosophy that acting with humility and empathy and working through collaboration in the transactional world of restructuring can result in better outcomes, greater organizational growth and tremendous success for our clients,” Grant Lyon, co-founder of Areté Capital Partners, said. “The addition of Stuart to our team underscores our commitment to partnering with stakeholders for operational performance enhancement and value maximization backed by decades of real-world experience. He will play a crucial role in helping us achieve our objectives with his expertise and leadership.”
