Kyle Sturgeon, Managing Partner

Kyle is a Managing Partner of MERU. He has led complex transformations and restructurings for companies across industries, with a focus in retail and consumer, healthcare, and materials.

Select Representative Experience

Size of Company
Industry
Role and Impact
$200M
Apparel Retailer

Advised a sponsor-backed direct (ecommerce and catalog) apparel retail on an operational restructuring as the company grappled with the impacts of COVID-19. Efforts led to secured debt being repaid in full.

$150M
Technology Services Provider

Identified $8M in cost savings opportunities in 5 weeks for distressed provider of tech-enabled services and IT managed services. Resulted in long-term forbearance.

$50M
Outdoor Events

While serving as Chief Financial Officer, led the live event operator through an operational turnaround that resulted in 1600 basis points of EBITDA improvement year-over-year. The company was acquired by Spartan Races, its chief competitor.

$150M
Children's Hospital

Developed strategic plan for highly profitable children’s hospital, part of a large non-profit regional healthcare network.

$600M
Paper Manufacturer

Led effort to negotiate improved payment terms and supplier contracts resulting in ~$15M of value creation in 8 weeks, exceeding target by 10x; redesigned inventory stocking model for key SKUs resulting in significant reduction in DC opex and inventory dollars; created value driver tree based analysis to benchmark key competitor products and model impact of commodity and other input prices on competitor costs.

$400M
Packaging Distributor

Led expert team to identify $3.5M of freight and warehouse efficiency savings for a $400M revenue packaging distributor in 5 weeks.

$3B
Packaging Manufacturer

Led team that identified and executed on $60M in G&A reductions (~20% of baseline) for global manufacturer of industrial packaging with over 2,000 G&A employees across 30 countries.

$10B
Metals Manufacturer

Led multiple efforts including design/implementation of 13-week cash forecast, strategic assessment of natural resource assets, and supported restructuring of large international subsidiary.

$2B
Discount Retailer

Redesigned the distribution infrastructure (moved freight routes, optimized DC labor, consolidated shipping) and identified $10M of EBITDA savings and $20M of cash savings in six weeks.

$50M
Hardwood Floor Manufacturer

Advised bank group to distressed building materials supplier undergoing demand shock due to homebuilding recession, enabled 250 jobs to be retained.

$60M
Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturer

Assisted private equity owned business through restructuring, forbearance process with lenders and establishment of cost reduction program.

$2B
Apparel Retailer

Led a team charged with identifying revenue and cost opportunities across all aspects of a large apparel retailer. Identified $200M of opportunity in six weeks, including a revamp of the retailer’s costly catalog operations.

$600M
Grady Hospital

Developed cash forecast, identified overhead cost reductions, and developed strategic plan for $600M acute care healthcare system (Atlanta’s public safety-net hospital). Team’s recommendations resulted in overhaul of governance and eventual replacement of Board of Directors.

$100M
Healthcare Staffing Company

Redesigned the org chart and identified millions of EBITDA improvements in gross margin and SG&A for this sponsor-owned business.

Kyle Sturgeon
Managing Partner
Atlanta