Karl Schade has been structuring, analyzing, and managing private equity investments for over three decades. Today, he serves as Managing Partner of Presidio Investors, the private equity firm he founded in 2007. In this role, Karl has focused on middle market buyouts in the entertainment and business services industries in North America and Europe. At Presidio Investors, Karl, and the team he has recruited, have invested in seventeen platform investments through over forty acquisitions.
Karl also has significant CEO experience. From 2013-2016, he was the CEO of The Presidio Group, a San Francisco-based financial services firm with ~$5 billion of assets under advisement. As CEO, Karl worked with the team and Board of Presidio to grow assets, open a Washington D.C. office, and restructure the firm, resulting in a successful exit. During 2011, Karl also served as CEO of Hattrick Sports Group, one of Presidio Investors’ most successful technology investments.
Prior to founding Presidio Investors, Karl worked for a decade at several large private equity firms, including The Blackstone Group in New York City, Silver Lake Partners in Menlo Park, and Blum Capital Partners in San Francisco. While at these Firms, Karl learned industry best practices and was a team-member on deals representing approximately $1 billion of invested equity capital.
Karl received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his BA from Claremont McKenna College. Karl has served on numerous Boards and Associations and is a frequent speaker at industry events.
Past and Current Presidio Board Seats: The Only Agency, Podium, Resolve Tech Solutions (former Chairman), Golden Pear (former Chairman), Bravas (former Chairman), NHF (former Chairman), Hattrick (former Executive Chairman), Metropolitan and Lindora