Zinnov Podcast - Decoding Private Equity series

Playbook for Scaling Private Equity-Backed Tech ft. Srini Basava, Bazaarvoice

In this captivating episode of the Zinnov Podcast, part of the popular Decoding Private Equity series, Nilesh Thakker, President, Zinnov sits down with Srini Basava, Managing Director of Bazaarvoice India and Senior Vice President of Product Development.Srini shares his transformative journey of building and scaling the Bazaarvoice India Center into a hub of innovation, including spearheading a Generative AI team to enhance global consumer experiences. The conversation delves into strategies for fostering customer-centric solutions, the intricacies of integrating global teams, and the role of leadership in managing cultural and operational differences.
Key takeaways:
Harnessing Team Synergy for Innovation: Combining the expertise of existing team members with the fresh perspectives of new hires to create a dynamic environment that fosters rapid experimentation and impactful solutions.
Leading with Empathy and Transparency: How effective leadership in global transitions involves clear communication, providing employee incentives, and addressing cultural differences, ensuring smooth operations and building long-term credibility.
With actionable insights for leaders navigating global growth, this episode offers a masterclass in Private Equity-backed tech evolution. Don't miss the lessons on driving value creation, innovation, and team empowerment!

PE’s Strategic Equilibrium: Navigating Quick Wins and Lasting Value

In this episode, Nilesh Thakker, President of Zinnov, sits down with Sunil Rajasekar, CEO of Billtrust, to explore the nuances of leading global teams. Sunil offers a candid look at the challenges and strategies involved in treating international teams with the same level of respect and responsibility as local teams. He emphasizes that effective global leadership goes beyond sending tasks; it requires mastering communication, influence, and cultural sensitivity.
Sunil also tackles the balancing act between long-term vision and short-term performance, particularly within the context of private equity and venture capital. He shares insights on how to manage and execute key priorities while navigating the complexities of diverse cultural landscapes. This episode is packed with practical advice for leaders looking to drive success across global operations, underscoring the importance of genuine engagement and strategic leadership.

PE's Power Trio: Leadership, Partnerships and AI with Gary Greenfield

Private Equity firms can be powerful engines propelling companies to new heights, but mismanagement risks serious breakdowns and job losses.
In this episode of the Decoding Private Equity series, Gary Greenfield, Managing Director of Zagent, brings 40 years of experience from across Private Equities and PortCos to his conversation with Nilesh Thakker, President at Zinnov. They discuss how both PE firms and portfolio companies can succeed together.
Greenfield highlights three key strategies for success:
(a) Integrating AI with other technologies to boost efficiency and customer satisfaction(b) Selecting adaptable leaders with diverse experiences and pattern recognition skills(c) Forming mutually beneficial strategic partnerships
He underscores the critical role of operating partners, advocating for their early involvement in due diligence and emphasizing constant communication between deal teams and portfolio companies.This comprehensive exploration covers everything from technological integration to the changing dynamics of leadership and partnership strategies in modern private equity.
Tune in to this podcast for an expert's guide to navigating this dynamic industry!

From 0 to 400: Blueprint to Scaling Global Teams with George Abatjoglou

George Abatjoglou, President of EMS Management and Consultants, has steered multiple Private Equity-backed Healthcare companies towards explosive growth over two decades. In this episode in our Decoding Private Equity podcast series, George acts as your architect, laying the blueprints for building and scaling high-performing Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) teams in India.
This discerning discussion, hosted by Nilesh Thakker, President at Zinnov, explores:
Evolution of strategies for successful India RCM operations over 20 years
Leveraging technology to drive global workflows and 24/5 operations
Achieving parity in productivity/quality between India and the US teams
The role of Private Equity in enabling the India center launch
Whether expanding offshore or keen on global operations strategy, this is an insightful masterclass from a veteran on maximizing the India advantage for Healthcare RCM.

Tapping Into the Global Talent Goldmine with Fritz Hesse

In this episode of the Zinnov Podcast: Decoding Private Equity series, host Amita Goyal sits down with Fritz Hesse, the Chief Technology Officer who has driven innovation at Private Equity-owned companies like Riskonnect and Bazaarvoice.
With over 25 years at the forefront of leading software teams across industries, Fritz Hesse's tenure at the helm of Private Equity portfolio companies like Riskonnect and Bazaarvoice offers a rare insider's perspective. In this compelling episode, he unveils:
The striking similarities and contrasts in operating at these industry giants, shedding light on the unique dynamics of the Private Equity landscape.
How the captive/GCC model gives companies a competitive edge by leveraging in-house global talent to optimize vendor partnerships and unlock new growth opportunities.
Strategies for transcending traditional boundaries as global teams expand their impact beyond R&D to catalyze innovation across sales, support, and business operations.
Candid insights into the obstacles faced when building high-performing teams with global talent, and the approaches that empower companies to overcome these hurdles.
If you're passionate about exploring globalization's intersection with Private Equity, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Fritz shares actionable strategies for seamless cultural integration, cultivating strong global brands, empowering local teams, and enabling frictionless cross-geography collaboration despite time zone complexities.

The Value Proposition of IP led services in Private Equity

In this pilot episode of our Decoding Private Equity series, Pari Natarajan, CEO, Zinnov, sits down with Charles Phillips, Co-Founder, RECOGNIZE to discuss how IP-led services assets have created a niche, to attract private equity funding.
Charles, the former CEO of Infor, founded RECOGNIZE along with Cognizant’s co-founder, Frank D’Souza to incubate and grow companies that cater specifically to certain Clouds. RECOGNIZE’s investment thesis of targeting IP-backed services assets has been different from the tried and tested ones that PE firms have been following, and that’s what makes it stand out.
In this conversation, he unpacks how the company was founded, how RECOGNIZE identifies IP-led services companies, and how they can empower large hyperscalers. Pari and Charles also discuss how there is a shift towards ERP systems, either through custom development or existing ones, so that they fit the unique needs of an industry. Tune into this episode to learn more from this technology industry veteran.

Show me the Money: How PEs and Companies Engage

The Intelligent Automation space has been abuzz with Mergers & Acquisitions over the past 18 months. Companies are leveraging M&A in the Automation space to gain newer capabilities while strengthening existing ones while future-proofing their businesses against unanticipated disruptions. Nintex is one such major HIA player to have received a fresh round of funding worth USD 2Bn+ from the Private Equity company, TPG Capital. To throw some light on what this deal means for Nintex’s accelerated growth journey, how this will speed up its ambition of reaching a staggering USD 20 Bn+ valuation, and how CXOs of PE-owned companies can leverage the assets and resources available to them, we sat down with Eric Johnson, CEO of Nintex.   Zinnov’s Praveen Bhadada, Managing Partner, converses with Eric to unbundle the nuances and intricacies of working with a PE player, Eric’s first-hand experiences of leveraging PE firms to grow Nintex, and the traits necessary for a CXO to make working with a PE partner a success. Tune into this video podcast and take away interesting and insightful food for thought.