General Partners

Noisten is joining the firm at an important time to ‘help us build appropriate infrastructure before OceanSound reaches another major milestone in size and complexity,’ CEO Joe Benavides told Buyouts.

The Oslo-based firm is expanding its North American LP base as investors there increasingly look to Europe for outsized returns.

Gene Yoon tells Buyouts that the firm assesses deployment rates and aims to avoid risk-return dilution when setting its fund size targets – though Fund V represents a 32% increase over its predecessor.

“We have sent significant capital back to our investors over the last two to three years, and as you can imagine, it was very well-received given the liquidity-starved environment many LPs have highlighted,” said Neil White, the firm’s president and managing partner.

'Our portfolio meets the times,' Brian Bernasek, co-head of Americas corporate private equity at Carlyle, told Buyouts. 'We have assets that buyers want.'

Joined by global peers, Mike Lazorik of Texas TRS tells delegates at PEI Group's NEXUS 2026 event that LP-GP alignment ‘has never been more complicated.’

Scott Harrison, who has a background in both investments and operations, was promoted to managing partner and COO, joining Tom Burger and Kevin Jackson in the firm’s top leadership.

‘The first thing people want more than anything else is dignity and respect, a place of purpose and belonging,’ Garden City founder Michael Arrieta told Buyouts.

The lower mid-market buyout firm entered the fundraising market with a target of $350m but closed Guardian Capital Partners Fund IV at $441m.

The LP composition included college endowments, fund of funds and family offices, among other investors, mainly in North America.