Dave Clement helps private equity investors unlock value through sharper commercial and pricing strategy and execution. He leads Simon-Kucher’s New York office and brings over 13 years of experience working with PE firms and their portfolio companies across the deal lifecycle — from commercial and pricing due diligence to EBITDA diagnostics, capability building, transformation initiatives, and exit preparation. Beyond individual companies, he partners with firms to design and refresh value creation plans, activate quick-win opportunities across portfolios, codify commercial excellence playbooks, and share best practices with operating teams and CXOs — enabling consistent, portfolio-wide operational excellence.

Since 2023, Dave has created and led Simon-Kucher’s Private Equity Value Creation Survey, now regarded as the industry’s go-to source on how investors and operators unlock growth. He regularly shares these insights at leading forums, including the Private Equity International Operating Partners Conference, ACG DealMAX, LPGP Operating Partner events, and dozens of private equity CXO and leadership gatherings. A sharp voice in the industry, Dave offers a distinctive perspective on how operational improvements — from go-to-market strategy and salesforce effectiveness to pricing and execution — have become the central driver of today’s private equity value stories.

In his recent talks, Dave addresses the dual reality facing private equity leaders: optimism about value creation opportunities paired with intensifying execution pressures. His speaking themes emphasize the rising importance of operational improvements, especially topline levers, as the dominant equity story driver; the role of pricing as the fastest and most reliable lever for EBITDA impact; and the growing influence of digital transformation — particularly generative AI — in shaping portfolio strategies. He underscores that execution, more than strategy, is the leading cause of initiative failure, and highlights the need for more agile value creation planning with frequent refreshes and dynamic oversight to stay ahead in a volatile environment.

Dave also shares his insights with the next generation of leaders, having spoken at Harvard Business School, Brown University, the Wharton School, and the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School.