Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Overview
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) is an investment firm which is considered to be one of the oldest private equity firms in the world.
Since its founding, CD&R has managed over $30 billion investments for ~90 businesses which represents a wide range of industries with an aggregate transaction value of more than $140 billion. Almost half of the firm’s investments involved corporate divestitures.
In June 2023, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice got the 17th spot in Private Equity International’s PEI 300 ranking of the biggest PE firms in the world.
CD&R was founded as a turnaround management shop by Eugene Clayton, Martin H. Dubilier, and Bill Welsh in 1976. Joseph L. Rice III joined in 1978, and the firm was known as Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 1992.
The firm’s headquarters is based in New York, United States.
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice AUM
According to the most recent regulatory filings, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice has $66.9 billion in assets under management as of March 31, 2023.
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Interview Process & Questions
The interview process can change with each candidate. Despite these changes, the general nature of the process at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (or a firm like it) stays the same for the most part. You can expect the following:
- 4 to 6 rounds of interview
- Junior investment professionals (or the HR team) conduct the first rounds, while the more senior professionals supervise the later rounds.
- The whole process lasts for several weeks – unless it’s “on-campus” or “on-cycle recruitment initiative
Interviews at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice will be a mixture of behavioral questions, fit questions, and technical or investing questions.
The Growth Equity Interview Guide is an excellent resource for anyone who needs help in preparing for growth/VC interviews.
Why Clayton, Dubilier & Rice
Interviewers want to know if the candidate has specific reasons for choosing their firm, and not simply sending job applications to any firm with open positions. So make sure to get ready for the “Why this firm” question as it will most likely show up during your interview.
If you’ve made connections with employees at the firm, this is the perfect time to mention them and their positive influence on your decision through the experience and insights they shared with you about the firm.
To know more about the firm and improve your answer to “Why this firm” question, it’s highly recommended to listen to interviews with its investors, founders, and management team.
To get you started, here’s an interview with Ravi Sachdev, Partner, and Ron Williams, Operating Advisor, at CD&R:
More interview
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Case Study
Candidates almost always have to perform a case study during interviews. Case studies are used in interviews to evaluate the technical and communication skills of their candidates.
Most of the time, case studies at firms like Clayton, Dubilier & Rice focus on financial modeling and investment recommendations. But for junior roles, they may also require a cold calling case study.
I’ve discussed case studies in great detail inside my Growth Equity Interview Guide. Check it out if you want help preparing for it.
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Salary & Compensation
According to Glassdoor, the estimated total pay for their Associates is $61,102 per year, while there’s no recent data for Analysts. This figure represents the median, and can still change depending on several factors such as education, experience, and qualifications.
Associate
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Careers, Jobs, & Internships
To view open roles at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, head over to our job board where we also feature opportunities from other similar firms.
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Portfolio & Investments
According to Crunchbase, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice has already made 24 investments across five funds. Some of their notable deals include SOCOTEC, SIG plc, and Cheney Brothers, Inc.
Notable Transaction: SmileDirectClub
Recognizing the opportunity to improve access to dental care, SmileDirectClub pioneered the creation of platforms and technology which allow doctor-directed aligner therapy at home.
With a network of over 200 licensed dentists and orthodontists guiding customer treatment plans, the Company made orthodontic solutions more convenient and affordable.
In October 2018, SmileDirectClub secured its first institutional equity capital worth $380 million. Aside from that, the Company also received a valuation of $3.2 billion. Clayton, Dubilier & Rice led the funding round with participation from Spark Capital and Kleiner Perkins.
As part of the agreement, Rick Schnall, Partner at CD&R, joined SmileDirectClub’s Board of Directors.
The funds were allocated for research and development, innovation, and international expansion.
Next Steps
If you want to land a role at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (or a similar firm), I highly recommend that you check out my Growth Equity Interview Guide.
This self-paced online course will help you gain a competitive edge and ace your interviews which leads to better chances of landing your target role. Inside the course, you’ll find step-by-step lessons, frameworks, and expert tips on topics like financial modeling, case studies, and many more.
Get the course and start learning today!
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