R. Adam Smith
Founder & CEO, Circle Peak Capital

R. Adam Smith has approximately 20 years experience in private equity and mergers & acquisitions at leading investment and advisory institutions, including Caxton-Iseman Capital, Castle Harlan, Inc., Salomon Brothers and Lehman Brothers.

Prior to Lehman Brothers, Mr. Smith served in principal capacities at two leading private equity firms based in New York City, Caxton-Iseman Capital LLC and Castle Harlan, Inc., each with over $2 billion in managed equity capital. At these firms, he worked directly with senior management teams and institutional co-investors in the acquisition and growth of $25 million to $1 billion food, beverage, restaurant, distribution, industrial, and asset management firms. Mr. Smith has been involved in control-stake private investments collectively representing approximately $1.5 billion in sales, $200 million in EBITDA, and $350 million in equity commitments.

Mr. Smith was also in the Financial Sponsors Group at Lehman Brothers where he advised on financial and strategic issues for leading consumer, financial services, and industrial middle market corporations and private equity firms. Prior to Columbia Business School, Mr. Smith was also employed by Columbus Advisors, then a leading emerging markets hedge fund with approximately $100 million in assets, and began his career in the global financial institutions practice at Salomon Brothers Inc.

Mr. Smith earned an MBA with honors from the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University and a BA cum laude in International Relations and Economics from Boston University. Mr. Smith is an active alumnus of Columbia Business School, a founding board member of the School's Private Equity Advisory Board, a founding board member of the School's Private Equity Advisory Board, and a founder of the School's Investment Management Conference in 1997. Mr. Smith is an advisor and board member to several private businesses, including Rocket Dog Holdings LLC, Fischbein LLC, Luxury Optical Holdings LLC, Shari's Management Corp., and Hill & Valley Inc. Mr. Smith is a co-founder of Friends of Leukemia Fighters, a non-profit associated with the Weill Medical College of Cornell University and New York Presbyterian Hospital of New York City. Mr. Smith is Chairman, Inaugural Piece for Peace Concert of the Tanenbaum Center in New York City. Mr. Smith is married with two children and lives in New York City.