Kenneth Brotman is a Founder and Managing Partner of ACON Investments, where he is responsible for all investing and firm operations. Previous to co-founding ACON in 1996 he was a partner of Veritas Capital, a New York-based private equity investment firm. Prior to Veritas, Ken was an Associate at Bain Capital and served also as a Principal of Wasserstein Perella Management Partners. An alumnus of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, he holds an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School, as well.

Doug Gillespie is the Chief Executive Officer of Beauty By Imagination (BBI). With 30 years of CPG experience as a marketer and top executive at both Fortune 500 companies like GE, Frito-Lay and Brown-Forman, and PE-backed middle market players where he led successful exits, his breadth of experience is well-suited to driving BBI’s continued growth. Prior to BBI, Doug was CEO at baby products company Aden & Anais, sold to Transom Capital in 2023.

Suma Kulkarni is a Partner at ACON Investments, which she joined in 2008. At ACON, she has led the sourcing, execution and management of several buyout investments. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the following ACON fund portfolio companies: Beauty by Imagination, Igloo Products, New Era, Novipax and SUZOHAPP. Previously, Suma was a Senior Associate with the Technology, Media & Telecommunications Investment Banking Group at Friedman Billings Ramsey. Suma holds a B.S. in Finance from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Anjali Jolly is a Partner at ACON Investments where she has led the sourcing, execution and management of numerous buyout investments. Anjali serves on the Board of Directors of Beauty by Imagination, BioMatrix and IIMAK, all of which are ACON fund portfolio companies. Prior to joining ACON in 2017 she was a Managing Director at Perseus, a middle market private equity firm, and also worked at JPMorgan Partners (now CCMP Capital). Anjali holds a B.S., summa cum laude, in Systems Engineering and Finance from the University of Pennsylvania (M&T Program) and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.

Jeff Rosenzweig founded JD Beauty Group in 1977 while attending Stony Brook University. As founder and CEO, Jeff grew the business from the ground up to more than $50 million in revenue. Under the JD Beauty Group umbrella, Jeff launched Wet Brush in 2006. In addition to Jeff’s diverse business knowledge, his passion and expertise extend to product development, marketing and beyond, as he’s worked closely with private equity and participated in multiple successful acquisitions. He serves on the board of directors of several companies, including Beauty by Imagination, and has been nominated for E&Y Entrepreneur of The Year.

Mahisha Dellinger, a pioneer in the natural hair care market, founded CURLS Beauty Brands in 2002. Today, CURLS collections are available at national retailers including Target, Walmart, Ulta and Sally Beauty, and on CURLS.com. An author (“Against All Odds: From the Projects to the Penthouse”) and entrepreneur, Mahisha is committed to helping other women of color succeed through her business coaching conferences, “Black Girls Making Millions”.

Steven R. Scheyer is the Global President of Consumer Products at Techtronic Industries (TTI), an international leader in cordless, lithium ion-powered tools and floor care. Additionally, Steven serves as a board director for several private equity portfolio companies, including Beauty by Imagination and Igloo. Prior to his role at TTI he was CEO of Optimer Brands, a Sterling Partners portfolio company specializing in patented performance apparel and textiles. Steven received his B.A. from Pitzer College, where he was a Board Trustee from 2009-2016.

Melissa Truong is a Senior Associate at ACON Investments and has been involved with Beauty by Imagination since 2018. Prior to joining ACON in 2016, she was an Investment Banking Analyst at Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, where she worked on mergers and acquisitions across a variety of industries. Melissa is an alumna of the University of Maryland, College Park, from which she holds a B.S. in Finance from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, as well as a B.S. in Physiology and Neurobiology from the College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences.

Alex DeAraujo has been an Operating Partner with ACON for more than four years and is a board observer for BBI. Alex has collaborated with BBI on a range of operational initiatives, including the Goody carve out and integration with JD Beauty. Prior to ACON, he was a Principal at Investcorp where he worked with portfolio companies to implement operational improvements, cost reduction and revenue enhancement programs. Before that, Alex was an operating executive at Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe, and also has worked for Bain & Company and General Electric. A Michigan State alum, Alex earned his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.