Guest: Greg Nieuwenhuys – Private Equity Advisor, Chairman & AI Expert
Topic: Unlocking Generative AI for Private Equity & Portfolio Companies
🔹 Intro & Background (0:00 – 2:00)
- Greg shares his 20+ years in PE-backed consumer goods: Baver (Netherlands), Cotterdardoor (UK), Mammoth, Wattbike, and No-Door.
- Passion for AI began two years ago, driven by a belief that GenAI is a business and people challenge—not a tech one.
🔹 What is Generative AI? (2:00 – 6:00)
- Difference: classic AI (recommendations) vs. GenAI (creating content—text, images, plans—and interpreting documents).
- GenAI enables rapid creation of marketing, investment memos, strategic plans, and more.
🔹 Common AI Misconceptions in PE (6:00 – 11:00)
- Myth: It’s a long, expensive IT project.
- Reality: Immediate impact possible—if teams are empowered and trained.
- Greg stresses: “This is a people challenge. CEOs—not just CTOs—must lead the charge.”
🔹 High-Impact Use Cases (11:00 – 18:00)
- Customer outreach & market mapping via AI.
- Recruitment: auto-generated job specs, AI interview notes, candidate matrices.
- AI’s biggest blocker? Lack of training—people haven’t “learned to drive the car” (use GenAI effectively).
🔹 Voice Prompting & Real-Time Examples (18:00 – 25:00)
- Greg showcases how he uses voice to interact with AI—writing emails, brainstorming use cases, even in Chinese.
- Prompts done via speech save time and boost output.
- GenAI as an “intern army”—needs clear direction and oversight.
🔹 PortCo Strategy (25:00 – 32:00)
- PE-backed firms should use GenAI for growth, not just cost-cutting.
- AI can reshape customer journeys and product innovation.
- Link GenAI to value creation plans: “How can AI help us grow faster, better, cheaper?”
🔹 Private Equity Funds Must Lead Too (32:00 – 39:00)
- Many PE funds expect portfolios to adopt AI—but don’t use it themselves.
- Greg supports fund-level training: mapping investment flow to identify use cases in screening, DD, deal memos, legal, and more.
- Example: “Sales Hunt” tool for sourcing targets with AI-powered outreach.
- GenAI allows same-size teams to evaluate more deals and increase velocity—without compromising quality.
🔹 Where to Start? (39:00 – 44:00)
- Overcome fear and decision paralysis.
- AI must be part of culture—non-use should be seen as “cheating the company.”
- Build internal champions to sustain the transformation.
- Key resources:
- Dr. Ethan Mollick’s LinkedIn & site
- AI Daily Brief podcast
- 11Labs’ “ElevenReader” for converting articles into listenable audio
🔹 Contact Greg (44:00 – 45:00)
- LinkedIn: @Greg Nieuwenhuys
Key Takeaways:
- AI is a culture shift, not a tech add-on.
- Empower the entire team to use GenAI in everyday work.
- Start small, build momentum, and tie AI directly to growth strategy.
- Private equity must adopt AI internally to credibly promote it in portfolio firms.
Raw Selection partners with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies to secure exceptional executive talent. We focus on de-risking executive recruitment through meticulous search and selection processes, ensuring top-tier performance and long-term success.
🔗 Connect with Alex Rawlings on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexrawlings/
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