Charles Esserman

Charles Esserman, also known as Chuck Esserman, is the President, CEO, and Founder of TSG Consumer Partners, a prominent private equity firm based in San Francisco, California.12

Career and Experience

Esserman has over 30 years of private equity investment experience.1 He co-founded TSG Consumer Partners in 1987, which was among the first private equity firms to focus exclusively on consumer companies.3 Under his leadership, TSG has become one of the largest and oldest private equity firms primarily focused on growth capital investments in early-stage and well-established consumer companies.3

Education and Background

Esserman received his BS with top honors in Computer Science Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from Stanford, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.1 Prior to founding TSG, he worked at Bain & Company, a leading management consulting firm.1

Role and Responsibilities

As CEO and Founder, Esserman oversees current and prospective portfolio investments for the firm and chairs the Investment Committee.1 He has been instrumental in building TSG into a consumer-focused equity fund with a strong track record of success.

Philosophy and Approach

Esserman's approach to business emphasizes:

1. Building partnerships based on trust and shared values
2. Investing in brands with clear purpose and authenticity
3. Maintaining a gender-balanced organization
4. Focusing on consumer companies with growth potential1

Under Esserman's leadership, TSG has grown significantly, with its most recent fund (TSG9 LP) closing at $6 billion in January 2023, bringing the firm's total equity capital under management to approximately $20 billion.3