Investing in Leadership with Bret Griess

Bret Griess is Executive Partner at the private equity firm Siris Capital. Prior to joining Siris, Bret spent 25 years with CSG Systems International where he rose through the ranks to become President and Chief Executive Officer. He oversaw the development of CSG’s first comprehensive cybersecurity program, introduced the industry’s first public, cloud-based business support solution, and led the company through its largest acquisition and contracts, valued at more than $2 billion. Bret is currently a member of the Board of Directors at Nebraska Methodist Health System, Midland University, and Equiniti.

In this interview, Bret talks about his rise from an entry-level position to the C-Suite of a publicly traded company, the importance of mentorship to his development, his approach to investing in learning and development for himself and the people he led, how he worked with his Board of Directors while he was CEO, and what roles he plays as a member of a Board of Directors. Bret also shares advice for young people who aspire to lead a company, how private equity companies think about the importance of leadership when making investments, and what he would like his legacy to be.

“I always wanted to have two mentors – one inside my organization and above me in the organization, but not in my chain of command, and also one outside the organization. I always tried to find…the brightest, smartest people I could come across. By having that mentor what it really did was challenge my own biases.” Bret Griess in “Investing in Leadership with Bret Griess” talking about the importance of mentorship in his career development.

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