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Clairvest Group
Ken Rotman leads Clairvest Group, the Toronto PE firm that co-invests its own balance-sheet capital in every deal, aligned with its limited partners since 1987.
Clairvest Group
Clairvest is a top performing private equity management firm building strategically significant businesses with entrepreneur partners.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
1987
AUM
$2B – $3B (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
Canada
City
Toronto
Corporate office
Toronto, ON, Canada
Principals
Ken Rotman
CEO & Managing Director
Michael Castellarin
Managing Director
Mitch Green
Managing Director
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How is Clairvest structured to align its interests with limited partners?
Clairvest mandates co-investment of its own balance-sheet capital into every transaction, typically providing at least 10 percent of total equity. This means the firm's shareholders face the exact same deal-level economics as fund investors. Clairvest Group Inc. itself is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, which adds an additional layer of transparency through public financial reporting.
Who runs investment decisions at Clairvest Group?
Ken Rotman serves as CEO and Managing Director and has led the firm for over two decades. He chairs the investment committee alongside Managing Directors Michael Castellarin and Mitch Green. The firm maintains a flat partnership structure where senior deal leads retain ownership over their sector verticals.
Does Clairvest participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Clairvest makes direct equity investments in mid-market companies. It does not operate as a fund-of-funds or invest in other private equity firms. The firm manages commingled closed-end funds alongside its own public-company capital, but both pools co-invest in the identical deals.
Which sectors does Clairvest explicitly avoid?
The firm does not invest in energy, resources, real estate development, or financial services outside of its venture debt platform. Its investment memorandum restricts activity to five defined verticals: business services, industrial technology, gaming and entertainment, waste management, and equipment rental.
What is Clairvest's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Clairvest leads its own deals and occasionally invites limited partners to increase their exposure through co-investment rights. The firm rarely participates as a passive co-investor in other managers' transactions, preferring to control deal structuring and board governance itself.
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