Why is he on our inspiration board?

Shane Clifford isn’t just a private equity executive. He’s a reformed hedge fund guy from Limerick, Ireland, who came to New York with no connections, got his break at Merrill Lynch, and now sits at the helm of Carlyle Global — a multi-billion-dollar platform that’s quietly redefining how private markets are accessed by everyday investors.

But don’t let the big title fool you: Shane’s superpower isn’t just managing wealth. It’s translating the jargon-packed, acronym-soup world of finance into plain English — with humor, humility, and a touch of Irish storytelling magic.

His network

When you look at the institutions someone has been part of, it gives you a window into their network, and who they might know.

• The Carlyle Group
• Franklin Templeton Investments
• Permal Asset Management
• Blackrock

Quotes we like

If you're in the business that I'm in, you've got to be able to face rejection. You've got to keep coming back."

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