Private Equity · Profile from Private Equity Research Companion
GTCR (1980 – present)
Chicago-based private equity firm, originally Golder, Thoma & Co., later Golder, Thoma, Cressey, Rauner and GTCR Golder Rauner. Known for its "Leaders Strategy" — partnering with proven executives before identifying a target, then building platforms through acquisitions — in four core sectors: Business & Consumer Services, Financial Services & Technology, Healthcare, and Technology, Media & Telecommunications. Its family tree also produced Thoma Bravo and Cressey & Company. Fund XIV (2023) closed at a hard cap of $11.5 billion; the firm reports $45bn+ of capital raised since inception (approximate).
9 deals and moves analysed
Each one gets a full strategy file in the companion: context, the decision, the financing, what happened, and the lesson.
1981
Paging Network
Venture-to-Buildout Platform
1995
Coinmach
Management-Partnered Buy-and-Build
2005
Sorenson Communications
Regulated-Revenue Buyout
2012
Zayo Group
Growth Equity to Fund a Transformative Fiber Acquisition
2014
Callcredit
UK Credit Bureau Buyout
2014
Cision Vocus
Dual Take-Private, Merger, Roll-Up and SPAC Exit
2014
Maravai LifeSciences
Leaders-Strategy Formation and COVID-Era IPO
2016
Lytx
Take-Out of a Video-Telematics Leader
2023
Worldpay
Majority Carve-Out from FIS