Edgewater Capital Announces New Operating Partner, Dr. Rakesh Kapoor, to Lead Advanced Materials and Components Practice
Cleveland, OH, April 9, 2019 –Edgewater Capital Partners (“Edgewater”), the performance materials focused private equity firm, announced today that Dr. Rakesh Kapoor has joined the firm as an Operating Partner. He will work closely with Edgewater’s investment team around advanced materials and components companies. Rakesh will also support Edgewater’s portfolio companies with strategic and value creation activities. Rakesh’s addition coincides with Edgewater closing its most recent fund, ECP IV, at $185 million.
Rakesh’s career has focused on incubating, transforming, and growing businesses by leveraging innovation in advanced materials including metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and abrasives. For two decades, Rakesh worked at Saint-Gobain serving in leadership roles across diverse functions including research and development, manufacturing operations, corporate startup ventures, worldwide sales management, and general global management. Most recently, Rakesh has served as a consultant to the C-suite of a large international primary metals company and a middle market mining firm. For the past two years, he has served on the Board of Fiber Materials Inc. (FMI), a portfolio company of ECP III, Edgewater’s third fund. Rakesh is a governance fellow of the National Association of Corporate Fellows (NACD). He holds a bachelors degree from IIT-Bombay as well as masters and doctoral degrees from MIT.
Ryan Meany, Edgewater’s Managing Partner, commented, “Rakesh has a unique ability to connect the technical, operational and commercial pillars of an organization, which makes him an excellent addition to the team.”
Rakesh Kapoor added, “Edgewater’s commitment to the performance materials sector, focus on differentiation, willingness to invest in the portfolio companies, and empowerment of management teams is a powerful differentiator in the lower middle-market and allows us to recognize opportunity and grow value in a very significant manner. I am delighted to contribute to this team.”
About Edgewater Capital Partners
Edgewater is a Cleveland based sector-focused private equity firm focused on making investments in middle and lower middle-market performance materials businesses, specifically within the specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and engineered components and materials verticals. For additional information on Edgewater, visit the firm’s website at www.edgewatercapital.com or email at info@edgewatercapital.com.