What HR Can Learn from Private Equity About Driving Business Value

Feb 24, 2026

Angela Geffre, Head of Human Capital at Growth Curve Capital and industrial-organizational psychologist, digs into how private equity ties talent, leadership, and culture directly to value. She outlines people due diligence, year-one priorities, scaling practices, leadership changes, and AI’s role in products and early-career pathways. Practical, speed-focused HR lessons for driving measurable business impact.

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ANECDOTE

How P&G Manufacturing Shaped Angela's Practical IO Lens

Angela's IO psychology and P&G manufacturing assignments trained her to combine behavioral science with operations and global leadership.
Her Gillette plant experience forced practical reinvention and taught integrated work systems and emotional safety.

INSIGHT

Clarity Purpose And Connection Drive Retention

Three universal drivers of performance and retention are clarity, meaningful work, and connection with leaders.
Angela found these predictors hold across industries from P&G to fintech and influence measurable outcomes like retention.

ADVICE

Be Hands On And Learn The Business Fast

HR in small, fast-growing companies must be hands-on, business-savvy, and ready to own everything from benefits to unit economics.
Angela expects HR leaders to learn missing skills quickly and speak the language of revenue and EBITDA.

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What can HR learn from private equity, where talent, culture, and leadership are part of the deal thesis from day one?

In many organisations, the connection between people strategy and business outcomes is still taking shape. In private equity, however, that connection is immediate and unmistakable, with leadership quality, organisational design, workforce capability, and culture being central to the value-creation plan, with clear timelines, defined expectations, and measurable results.

So, in this episode of the Digital HR Leaders podcast, host David Green speaks with Angela Geffre, Head of Human Capital at GrowthCurve Capital, to discuss what this looks like on the ground.

Together, they explore what it really means to run HR in a private equity environment, and what the broader HR profession can learn from it. So tune in, and learn more about:

The key people questions to ask when assessing a new portfolio company
How HR contributes to value creation during a 3–5 year investment horizon
What truly drives performance and retention across industries and organisation sizes
How HR must adapt when moving from large enterprises to fast-moving portfolio businesses
How AI is reshaping products, operating models, and early-career pathways
Why HR must lead the responsible and ethical adoption of AI, not just manage its impact

This episode is sponsored by HiBob.

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