GS Growth Strategies "GS²"
Accelerating Profitable Growth
GS² works with select Financial Sponsors as Operating Advisor to drive profitable growth, through the identification of opportunities and execution of M&A transactions in the Food, Beverage, Home & Personal Care High-value Specialty Ingredients sectors.
Our Mission
What we do
High-value Specialty Ingredients used in the Food, Beverage, Home & Personal Care sectors are a key driver of performance and differentiation for a wide variety of products used every day by consumers around the world.
At GS², our mission is to connect select Financial Sponsors with both burgeoning and established High-value Specialty Ingredient companies in order to fuel innovation and accelerate profitable growth across the industry.
We advise dealmakers from idea generation and deal execution through exit.
With >25 years of experience comprised of C-suite level Operating experience, P&L management and M&A/Strategy execution at a leading global Specialty Ingredients company & hands on deal advisory and execution at a leading global Investment Bank, GS² is uniquely suited to work seamlessly with Financial Sponsors.
Our Network
Why Sponsors work with us
Our Team
Who we are
Greg Soutendijk
CEO
Based in New York and Seoul, Greg is a C-Suite executive who has spent his career in the High-value Specialty Ingredients industry working across the US, Asia and Europe.
Greg headed-up Global M&A and Strategy at International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE: IFF) from 2015-2021. In this role, he devised and executed IFF's transformation into a world leader in Health, Nutrition and High-value Specialty Ingredients.
Greg previously served as the Head of Asia Fragrances at IFF for ~10 years, based out of Shanghai and Singapore, managing a P&L with revenues >$300 million growing at a double-digit, above-market rate.
Prior to IFF, worked in Investment Banking at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and Credit Suisse in New York.
Greg holds a Bachelor's degree from Boston University and full-time MBA from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management, with a Double Major in Finance and Accounting.
Our Contact
How to reach
us
GS²
Accelerating Profitable Growth
Target Identification
Leverage network to identify attractive, actionable targets
Deal Execution
Assist in due diligence and go-forward strategy
Operating Excellence
Work with Sponsor through exit to ensure optimal returns