AI Value Creation in Growth Equity: Bregal Milestone's Jan Bruennler and Visar Shabi

In this episode, we speak with Jan Bruennler, Managing Partner, and Visar Shabi, Portfolio CTO at Bregal Milestone, a leading European growth equity firm investing in fast-growing, mission-critical software businesses across Europe. With approximately €1.7 billion of capital and more than 55 investments completed since inception, Bregal Milestone provides growth capital and operational support to help build market-leading software companies. The firm is part of Bregal Investments, a leading global investment platform with over €19 billion in assets under management. As software companies navigate a rapidly evolving technology landscape, Jan and Visar discuss Bregal Milestone's approach to value creation, including how the firm supports portfolio companies through technology, product, and AI expertise. Prior to founding Bregal Milestone, Jan held investment roles at Makuria Investment Management, Sculptor Capital, and Goldman Sachs. As Portfolio CTO, Visar works closely with portfolio companies on technology, product, and AI strategy, drawing on prior experience at Bain & Company and Brainlabs. Bregal Milestone was recognized as a Top Growth Equity Firm of 2025 and Top Private Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.  

In this episode, we speak with Brian Barlow, Co-Founder and CEO of Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP), a company focused on building and scaling businesses that support the next generation of critical energy and digital infrastructure. As demand for energy and computing power continues to grow, existing infrastructure systems are facing increasing strain. SIP develops businesses and projects designed to help modernize these systems and enable more intelligent, scalable infrastructure for the future. Brian has spent more than three decades as a private markets investor across technology and infrastructure. Prior to co-founding SIP, he served as Director of Infrastructure Investments for Alphabet's urban innovation platform.  Prior to that, he was a Managing director at American Infrastructure Funds.  Earlier, Brian was a senior member of Scion Capital, the investment firm founded by Dr. Michael Burry and featured in The Big Short. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Mike McGinn, Partner and Co-Head of Growth at Sixth Street.  He is based in New York and focuses on private investments in growth-oriented companies. Sixth Street Growth provides growth equity and bespoke capital solutions to mid- and late-stage technology companies. It is the dedicated growth investing platform of Sixth Street, a leading global investment firm with over $130 billion in assets under management and committed capital. Through its Growth strategy, Sixth Street has invested over $13 billion in more than 90 companies. Prior to Sixth Street, Mike was a Managing Director in AmSSG at Goldman Sachs. Previously, he was Co-Head of PCI, AmSSG’s growth capital business, and worked in AmSSG’s multi-strategy investing group and specialty lending group. Earlier in his career, Mike worked in the Global Investment Research division at Goldman Sachs. Sixth Street Growth was recognized as a Top Growth Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Devon Kirk, General Partner at Portage Capital Solutions, the flagship growth strategy within Portage, focused on providing flexible capital solutions to later-stage fintech and financial services companies. Portage is a global investment platform with $6.4 billion in assets under management and more than 25 investment professionals across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. The firm has invested in over 100 companies since inception and invests across stages through Portage Ventures and Portage Capital Solutions. Portage is part of Sagard, a global multi-strategy alternative asset manager with over $46 billion in assets under management. Devon joined the firm in 2022 and co-leads growth equity, structured equity, and special situations investments across financial technology and financial services companies globally, and helps drive the fund’s overall strategy. She is based in Toronto. Previously, Devon spent over a decade at CPP Investments, and earlier in her career worked at BMO Harris Nesbitt and Linklaters. Portage Capital Solutions was recognized as a Top Growth Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Reed Van Gorden, Managing Director of Deerpath Capital, a leading provider of cash-flow based senior debt financing to lower middle market companies across a diverse range of industries and transaction types. Founded in 2007, Deerpath’s mission is to be the premier direct lending firm in the middle market, built on long-term relationships with investors, borrowers, private equity sponsors, and management teams. The firm has invested over $14.5 billion across more than 1,200 transactions and manages approximately $9 billion in assets, supported by a scaled origination platform across key U.S. markets and a global presence in Europe and Asia. Reed is a Managing Director, member of the Investment Committee, and Head of Origination. He joined Deerpath in 2015 and brings 18 years of industry experience, with prior roles in leveraged finance and private equity at Golub Capital, Abingworth Management, and JPMorgan. Deerpath Capital was recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. Reed supports Make-A-Wish. To learn more about this organization click here. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Todd Abbrecht, Co-CEO of THL Partners, a premier private equity firm investing in middle-market growth companies exclusively within three sectors: healthcare, financial technology & services, and technology & business solutions. Since 1974, THL’s team has managed or deployed $50 billion of equity capital, worked with over 175 partner companies worldwide, and fueled more than 700 add-on acquisitions representing an aggregate enterprise value of over $260 billion. Todd has spent more than 30 years at THL and has played a central role in the firm’s evolution towards sector specialization. The firm combines deep sector expertise through its Identified Sector Opportunity (ISO) process with dedicated internal operating resources from its Strategic Resource Group to transform and build great companies of lasting value in partnership with management teams. These resources aim to accelerate growth, improve operations, and drive long-term sustainable value.  THL Partners was recognized as a Top Private Equity Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Frank Karl, Managing Director of Kayne Anderson’s Private Credit strategies and President of Kayne Anderson BDC. Kayne Anderson Private Credit, the direct lending arm of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, has deployed over $14 billion since 2011 across senior credit funds, BDCs, and other vehicles, managing more than $7 billion in assets. The firm focuses on capital preservation through secured, cash-flow-generating investments in established middle-market companies, targeting stable businesses for attractive, risk-adjusted returns. Frank joined Kayne Anderson in 2013 and has focused on private credit strategies throughout his tenure. He was previously a member of Houlihan Lokey’s financial restructuring group, advising debtors and creditors, and holds a BBA magna cum laude from Notre Dame. Kayne Anderson Private Credit was recently recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. Frank supports VOCEL. To learn more about this organization click here. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Vinny Pujji, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Left Lane Capital, a New York- and London-based global venture capital and growth equity firm investing in hyper-growth consumer and technology businesses with enduring customer relationships. Founded in 2019, Left Lane manages approximately $2.5B in assets and operates with a lean, high-performance team focused on partnering with entrepreneurs building category-defining companies across high-growth sectors. As a founding partner, Vinny helps drive the firm’s global investment strategy and portfolio development and plays a key role overseeing Left Lane’s investment team. Prior to Left Lane, he was an investment professional at Insight Partners, where he helped deploy approximately $1B across a portfolio of leading technology companies. Vinny was recently recognized as a Top 40 Under 40 Growth Investor of 2025 by GrowthCap. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Michael Henriques, Partner and Senior Portfolio Manager at Magnetar, a multi-strategy alternative investment manager with more than $22 billion in AUM. Founded in 2005, the firm invests across public and private markets in the U.S. and Europe, with a focus on alternative credit, fixed income, and venture strategies. Its Alternative Credit & Fixed Income business targets Specialty Finance, Structured Solutions, and Opportunistic Markets, seeking to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns, particularly during periods of market dislocation. Michael brings three decades of experience in fixed income, structured securities, and real estate. He joined the firm in 2007 and previously served as a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank. Before that, he spent more than ten years at Goldman Sachs, where he began as a structured finance analyst and ultimately co-headed the CDO and Synthetic ABS group. Michael received his MBA from Wharton and his BA from Princeton. Magnetar was recently recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. Michael supports HE3AT. To learn more about this organization click here. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.

In this episode, we speak with Alexander Gorokhovskiy, Managing Director and Head of North American Corporate Direct Lending and Venture Debt at Deutsche Bank Private Credit & Infrastructure (“DB PCI”).  DB PCI provides financing, structuring, and risk management solutions across four product verticals: Corporate Direct Lending & Growth Debt, Fund Finance, Digital Infrastructure & Appraisable Assets, and Infrastructure & Energy. Together, these complementary businesses offer flexible financing solutions across the capital structure, including customized terms and product structures. Alexander’s responsibilities span underwriting, structuring, portfolio management, and syndication across DB PCI’s principal lending activities.  DB PCI was recently recognized as a Top Private Credit Firm of 2025 by GrowthCap. Alexander supports American Jewish Committee, UJA Federation NY, Hillel, and Yad Vashem. I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.