Neha Jatar

Managing Director at EQT

Background
Neha Jatar joined EQT in 2018 as an Associate and is now a Managing Director. She currently helps manage EQT’s investment in Osmose Utilities and has worked on investments across transportation & logistics including First Student. Prior to joining EQT, Neha worked at Monomoy Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in New York, where she focused on investments across the Industrial and Consumer sectors. Prior to that, Neha worked as an Analyst in the Industrials group at Barclays and in private equity secondaries at Morgan Stanley Alternative Partners. Neha holds Bachelors degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.
 
Please describe a little bit of your background and how you found yourself in your current role
At Penn I studied mechanical engineering and finance as part of the M&T program. In high school, I liked understanding how things worked à la physics and math, but also enjoyed the real-world aspect of economics, and didn’t want to let go of either so decided to pursue both. Over time and through internships, I discovered that I particularly enjoyed the fast-paced nature of finance, but found a way to marry both interests by focusing on investing in infrastructure and industrial businesses. Looking back, I would say that the problem-solving and deeper understanding of technical topics that I learned through the engineering side of my degree has been incredibly helpful. 

Did you ever consider a different style of investing?
I interned at a venture capital fund, and while I enjoyed reading about early-stage technologies and their likelihood and timeline for success, I wanted something more structured and technical. I enjoy the analytical rigor that is required to invest in larger, established businesses, as well as the operational aspect of working with a team to further develop the company in a full-control transaction. 

What is your favorite part of your current role?
I love investing in new businesses and all the work that goes into developing a thesis to acquire a company and help propel it to its next phase of growth alongside very smart and motivated people. It requires a well-rounded skill set that leverages both qualitative and quantitative skills and the ability to lead a team of high-functioning individuals to achieve a common goal. Over the years, it has also been rewarding to meet and learn from highly accomplished ex-industry executives who serve as our advisors and on the boards of the companies we acquire. No business or situation is the same so my favorite aspect is that I am always learning.

What is your least favorite part of your current role?
Sometimes, I find it hard to balance my desire to work on new investments while also focusing on managing and developing my portfolio companies. There are only so many hours in a day and both aspects of the job are incredibly important, as is sleep, so it takes some serious prioritization. 

Which role has been the hardest to adjust to throughout your career from Analyst to Managing Director and how has that prepared you for future adjustments as your career continues to progress?
The Director role, which at EQT is the mid-level deal quarterback and by far the hardest transition. It was challenging in the sense that I suddenly had a team to manage, which is not a skill that the industry focuses on developing very much, in addition to an increased level of responsibility and ownership. However, the mid-level role is also the most rewarding. I also became more exposed to the management hiring and board recruiting side of things and as a result, learned a lot about what makes a good hire and was exposed to a very impressive network of people along the way. Additionally, I learned to become more comfortable making mistakes and learning from them. I used to initially be very hard on myself when things didn’t go exactly as I had planned them as I had gotten so used to excelling in previous roles where I was comfortable, which, I learned, was a mistake in itself.

How did you become better at dealing with and learning from your mistakes?
EQT provides individuals with an option for a career coach which was very valuable to me in the early phase of my transition. For the first time I could have a very candid dialogue on a frequent basis with a professional that had seen many people in this role go through all the ups and downs that I was experiencing. In addition to the professional sounding board, having a good dialogue with my peers was particularly helpful. Seeing people, particularly my male colleagues, make mistakes and move on very quickly helped me realize that beating myself up over every little thing was counterproductive. 

What is a skill that you think others would be surprised to hear is an important aspect of your job?
There is a lot of selling, marketing, and presenting that is required. The job is not just about the analytical aspects of thesis building, valuation, and due diligence, but presenting the thesis in a way that is digestible and convincing to both internal and external stakeholders is critical. Ultimately, assessing the risks and communicating not wanting to go ahead with a deal takes boldness, and contextualizing the risks relative to the reward and making the decision to move forward takes experience and maturity, which is an aspect of the job I have come to appreciate increasingly over the years. 

What was the most valuable advice you’ve received in your career?
Figure out who you would like to work with and learn from. Generally, the “who” tends to be more important than the “what”, especially in the earlier stages. Beyond that, you learn through reps, so the more you do, the more learnings you have. Once you feel like you have an idea of what you want to work on and who you would like exposure to, feel free to let your manager know. You could also make it known to the individuals in question directly - they love that! This is an example of how to take ownership of your career. You will be more interested and enthusiastic when you feel a sense of ownership, which will ultimately lead to better performance. 

Thank you for your time, Neha! To learn more about EQT, click here.