Clear Thinking Group announced that James Rategan joined the firm as a managing director. In his new role, Rategan will be responsible for leading the firm’s business development initiatives, as well as providing client support.

Rategan has more than 10 years of advisory experience in the consumer product/retail sector, including apparel, footwear, grocery, pharmacy, luxury and consumer electronics. During that time, he has partnered with senior management teams and company stakeholders to perform business enterprise diagnostics to identify and solve complex strategic, operational and financial performance related issues. He also provides value across the investment life cycle, including merger & acquisition due diligence, integration planning and dispositions.

Prior to joining Clear Thinking Group, Rategan was vice president of Business Development for two divisions of Hilco Global, as well as an investor in retailers and iconic brands. Rategan began his career in the Asset Management Division of Goldman Sachs Group,

“We are very pleased to have someone with Jim’s extensive business development experience join the CTG team. His reputation as a trusted partner to many leading private equity sponsors and consumer product/retail companies will allow him to reinforce our current relationships and develop new ones across these industries,” said Stuart Kessler, president of Clear Thinking Group.