Speakers

Irene LaCota serves as the Senior Director of Sales and Marketing Excellence at The Riverside Company, where she partners with management and deal teams to drive rapid transformation and create long‑term value across a diverse portfolio of businesses. With more than 25 years of experience, Irene brings a rare blend of strategic rigor and entrepreneurial spirit shaped by work in both Fortune 500 companies and high‑growth startups.

A former founder, Irene has firsthand experience building and scaling businesses, which gives her a practical, empathetic perspective when advising CEOs and executive teams navigating growth and transition. Her expertise spans B2B SaaS, franchising and consumer markets, with a focus on market expansion, value creation, and sustainable performance.

Irene holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and an MBA with a concentration in International Business from the University of North Texas. She is a frequent speaker at private equity and leadership forums and has served as a guest lecturer at universities including the University of Southern California and San Diego State University.

Firm bio:

The Riverside Company is a global investment firm focused on being one of the leading private equity and flexible capital options for business owners and portfolio company employees at the smaller end of the middle market by seeking to fuel transformative growth and create lasting value.

Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has made more than 1,100 investments. The firm's international private equity and flexible capital portfolios include more than 140 companies.