# Speyside Equity

Speyside Equity is a Private Equity based in Ann Arbor, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** Ann Arbor, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- **Founded:** 2005
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.speysideequity.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/speyside-equity

## Regulatory record

- **CRD number:** 325765
- **SEC file number:** 801-127849
- **Registration status:** Registered
- **Reports private funds:** Yes
- **IAPD record:** https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/325765

## About

Speyside Equity is a private equity firm that makes control investments in middle-market businesses. Taking an operationally intensive approach, it transforms these businesses into well-run organizations. It focuses on creative transaction structures to execute a Fix & Build strategy, including carve-outs, industry consolidations, family-owned businesses, bankruptcies and special situations.

## Sectors

- Industrials
- Materials
- Manufacturing
- Distribution

## People

- Kevin Daugherty — Managing Director
- Eric Wiklendt — Managing Director
- Nicholas Lardo — Managing Director

## Questions

### What is Speyside Equity's Fix & Build strategy?

Fix & Build is Speyside's operationally intensive approach to acquiring middle-market businesses with histories of profitability that are underperforming due to financial, operational, or transactional stress. The firm takes control, restructures operations, and holds assets to build value through organic improvement and add-on acquisitions rather than financial engineering. It applies the strategy across carve-outs, family successions, public-to-private deals, and distressed situations.

### How does Speyside Equity's continuation fund for Opta Group work?

In August 2023, Speyside closed a $620 million continuation fund for Opta Group, an amalgamation of two Fund I portfolio companies, Opta Minerals and SKW. The anchor investor is Elliott Investment Management. This GP-led secondary structure allows Speyside to extend its hold period beyond the original fund life and continue its operational consolidation strategy, with Managing Directors Eric Wiklendt, Kevin Daugherty, and Nicholas Lardo leading the continuation vehicle.

### Does Speyside Equity invest outside North America?

Speyside considers investments globally but focuses its headquarters and primary deal origination on North America. The firm's website states target companies have operations worldwide, yet the specific disclosed investments—Opta Group, Reed Minerals, and others—reflect a strong North American industrial footprint. No dedicated non-North American office is currently listed.

### Who makes investment decisions at Speyside Equity?

Investment decisions are led by the three Managing Directors: Kevin Daugherty, Eric Wiklendt, and Nicholas Lardo. They form the core of the senior investment committee and are supported by Principals Kyle Cash, Marcus Badger, and Nathan Quattrochi, who collectively carry significant transactional and operational experience from prior roles at Speyside and elsewhere.

## Related profiles

- [Spex Capital](https://altss.com/profile/spex-capital)
- [SPF Capital](https://altss.com/profile/spf-capital)

---

Last updated: 2026-08-11T15:08:11.274Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/speyside-equity

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology