Stuart
Kaufman

Mr. Kaufman is a Senior Managing Director of Areté Partners, based in Chicago. Stuart is a senior advisor with more than 30 years of experience advising businesses during periods of distress and transition. Stuart has proven success advising clients through operational and financial improvements, developing and implementing value creation plans, balance sheet restructurings (both in and out of court), interim management, capital markets, and lender advisory services.

Stuart has served as both a financial advisor and interim senior executive, including as an Independent Board Member, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Restructuring Officer for portfolio companies of various asset managers, including private equity, private credit, commercial banks, and family-owned businesses.

Mr. Kaufman has experience across various industries, including automotive, hospitality, healthcare, oil & gas, power generation & distribution, manufacturing, logistics, financial services, aviation, telecommunications, and ecommerce.

Prior to joining Areté, Mr. Kaufman was a Managing Director at Portage Point Partners, a boutique business advisory firm based in Chicago, where he was a leader in the build-out of the performance improvement and restructuring service lines as the firm grew from 5 to 50 employees over a 4-year period. Prior to Portage Point, Stuart worked at other advisory firms, including seven years at Alvarez & Marsal, where Stuart advised clients through complex restructurings. Prior to a career in consulting, Stuart spent several years in industry at various corporate finance positions, and at the start of his career, Stuart worked in corporate banking at large global finance companies and banks, including GE Capital.

Stuart holds an MBA from York University’s Schulich School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario. He is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA).