Think Like a CPO: What PE Boards Actually Evaluate

Hosted by Pat Jenakanandhini

Thu, Apr 2, 2026

4:00 PM UTC (30 minutes)

Virtual (Zoom)

Free to join

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What you'll learn

What CPO-level thinking looks like in PE-backed SaaS

CPOs are measured on strategy, alignment, and transformation — not just delivery. See what that shift looks like.

What PE boards actually look for in product leaders

PE boards want methodology: a structured approach to diagnosing an org and producing a plan — not just results.

Score your own product org using the ACE Framework

Self-assess your org live across ACE — Alignment, Capability, Execution — built from four PE-backed CPO roles.

Walk away with one concrete development priority

You'll leave knowing the one dimension to focus on — with something concrete you can act on immediately.

Why this topic matters

The skills that make you a great product leader in any environment are the foundation. But PE adds a layer most people aren't prepared for — different time horizons, different boards, different measures of success. In 30 minutes, you'll use the ACE Framework to see exactly where you stand and what to develop next.

You'll learn from

Pat Jenakanandhini

CPO-level roles across 4 PE-backed SaaS companies · ACE Framework

I've spent the last 10 years in CPO-level roles inside PE-backed B2B SaaS companies — from $40M to $300M ARR, across four full transformations. I've sat on both sides of the diligence table, navigated M&A integration, and presented to PE boards.


The ACE Framework is a model I developed from doing this organizational assessment manually at every new company I joined. Nobody handed me a methodology — I refined one over four roles and eventually turned it into a tool anyone can use.


That's why I teach this. The intersection of product leadership and PE operating environments is something MBA programs don't cover and product management courses ignore. I learned it the hard way so you don't have to. Every framework and model I share in this session is something I've applied in a real PE-backed company — not something I read about.

Previously at

Tripleseat
ArisGlobal
Accruent LLC
Autodesk

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