About Us

Each of us shares a passion for investing and a set of values that are reflected in every aspect of the way we run our firm. We have spent our careers living in the trenches and investing as principals.

We have known each other for over a decade and have more than sixty years of combined experience making public and private equity investments.

Chris’ view of the Clash Col, Sentinel Range, Antarctica

Chris Heintz

Managing Partner

LinkedIn 212.218.4223 cheintz@perennial.com

Experience

Chris Heintz is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Perennial. Prior to founding Perennial, he was the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Perennial Investors, a long-biased equity hedge fund that he built to approximately $400 million of assets under management across three value-oriented strategies over nine years. Prior to that, Chris was the founder of MassMedium, an online-based direct marketing company specializing in performance-based advertising and lead generation. MassMedium web properties were among the top 250 visited web sites in 2000 and 2001.

Chris began his career at Morgan Stanley as a generalist in the Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructuring department where he executed transactions for several Fortune 500 clients. Chris subsequently worked in the fixed income department of Goldman Sachs and as a research analyst with Atticus Capital, an event-driven hedge fund with over $1 billion under management. He also was a member of the investment team at Chilton Investment Partners, a growth-oriented investment firm with over $4 billion under management.

Chris received his MBA from Harvard Business School and holds a degree in International Relations from Brown University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. Chris is a member of the Explorers Club; he has made first ascents of mountains in Antarctica and Greenland and has reached the summits of mountains on multiple continents. He lives in New York City with his wife and three children.

Education & milestones

Harvard Business School
Brown University (Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude)
Morgan Stanley, Mergers & Acquisitions
Goldman Sachs, Fixed Income
Atticus Capital, Research Analyst
Chilton Investment Partners, Research Analyst
MassMedium, Inc., Founder
Perennial Investors, Founder and CIO

Personal

Member of the Explorers Club
Made first ascents of mountains in Greenland and Antarctica and summited others all over the world
Resides in New York City with his wife and three children

Why Scott chose Chris as his partner

“Chris is one of those rare individuals with a remarkable degree of intellectual capacity that is balanced by genuine humility and a deep appreciation for ‘keeping things simple.’ He has a gift for distilling complex ideas into understandable terms and a keen awareness for what he knows and what he doesn’t. In a world driven by constantly changing narratives, Chris’ ability to block out the noise and maintain a thoughtful, balanced perspective is refreshing. And his wry sense of humor, enthusiasm for learning and intellectual curiosity contribute to a fun culture that emphasizes teamwork and the pursuit of excellence. Most importantly, Chris is an exceptional partner with uncompromising values and a passion for people, investing and entrepreneurship. These are a few of the many reasons I feel extremely fortunate to call him my friend and have him as a partner and co-founder of Perennial.”

– Scott Strasser

Scott fishing for rainbow trout in the Lamoille River, Vermont

Scott Strasser

Managing Partner

LinkedIn 212.218.4222 sstrasser@perennial.com

Experience

Scott Strasser is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Perennial. Prior to founding Perennial, he was a Managing Director of GB Merchant Partners (GBMP), the principal investment affiliate of Gordon Brothers Group, where he helped manage a $320 million private equity fund focused on control and minority investments in middle market consumer companies. Prior to that, Scott focused on structured credit, private equity and special situations investment opportunities in the principal investment area of Gordon Brothers and GB Palladin Capital. Previously, Scott was an Associate at the Cypress Group, a private equity firm with over $3.5 billion under management, where he concentrated on investments in the healthcare, business services and specialty finance industries. Scott began his career as a financial analyst in the Investment Banking division of Bear Stearns, where he worked on mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and corporate finance transactions in the healthcare and pharmaceuticals industries. Scott has been investing in public and private companies personally and professionally for over twenty-five years.

Scott received his MBA from Harvard Business School and holds a degree in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis. He has served as a board member of several privately-held companies in the U.S. and Canada, and co-chaired the Board of a Charter school in Brooklyn for over a decade. He lives in New York City with his wife and two daughters.

Education & milestones

Harvard Business School
Washington University in St. Louis
Bear Stearns, Investment Banking
The Cypress Group, Private Equity
GB Merchant Partners (Gordon Brothers), Private Equity and Principal Investments

Personal

Fly fishing in remote places, tennis and snowboarding
Resides in New York City with his wife and two daughters

Why Chris chose Scott as his partner

“I have known Scott, personally and professionally, for over twenty years. In all that time, I have never met anyone as universally trusted and admired by his friends and colleagues, both personal and professional. No one I know is more thoughtful and careful in the way he makes decisions — exhaustively thorough and detail-oriented. His work ethic is herculean, especially when it comes to caring for and protecting those he cares about. Much of the time, he is selflessly doing this behind the scenes and rarely gets or takes credit for it. But it doesn’t matter to Scott; for him, it’s just the right thing to do.”

– Chris Heintz

Shyamli with her family on the High Line in New York City

Shyamli Milam

Partner

LinkedIn 212.218.4224 smilam@perennial.com

Experience

Shyamli Milam is a co-founder and Partner of Perennial, where she is responsible for overseeing all activities related to portfolio research and analysis. Prior to founding Perennial Advisors, Shyamli was the Director of Research at Perennial Investors, a long-biased equity hedge fund with over $400 million under management across three value-oriented strategies. Shyamli began her career in the Investment Banking division of Bear Stearns, where she worked on mergers and acquisitions in the technology, aerospace and defense sectors. Shyamli subsequently worked as an analyst at the Chatterjee Group, a private equity firm with over $1 billion under management, and as an analyst with Rudman Capital Management.

Shyamli holds a degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School), where she was a Joseph Wharton Scholar and graduated summa cum laude. She was also the valedictorian of her class at College du Leman in Geneva, Switzerland. Shyamli is a member of the KiDS of NYU Langone Board, Grace Church School, and Christodora. She lives in New York City with her husband and three children.

Education & milestones

Wharton School (summa cum laude and Joseph Wharton Scholar)
College du Leman, Switzerland (Valedictorian)
Bear Stearns, Investment Banking
Chatterjee Group, Private Equity Analyst
Rudman Capital, Research Analyst
Perennial Investors, Director of Equity Research

Personal

Member of Children’s Cabinet NYU Hospital
Board Member, Christodora
Board Member, Grace Church School
Resides in New York City with her husband and three daughters

Why Chris chose Shyamli as his partner

“It’s simple: Shyamli is the best securities analyst I have ever known. I have worked closely with her for more than twenty years; during that time, I have witnessed first-hand her unequaled capabilities in research and portfolio management. Always up for new challenges, Shyamli possesses the rare and enviable ability to identify simple solutions to complex problems. I can think of no person on earth I would rather have leading our firm’s investment management effort. I am humbled to be able to call her my partner.”

– Chris Heintz