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Daphne Dufresne is the Managing Director for RLJ Equity Partners, a private equity fund in partnership with The Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm with $35 billion under management. RLJ Equity Partners is an affiliate of The RLJ Companies, an innovative business network that provides strategic investment and direction in and for a diverse portfolio of companies in the financial services, real estate, hospitality/restaurant, professional sports, film production, gaming and recording industries.

As Managing Director, Ms. Dufresne is responsible for the overall growth and strategy of RLJ Equity Partners, which makes expansion and buy-out investments in the high end of middle-market companies, with a focus on the media, consumer, financial services, and professional services sectors.

Ms. Dufresne leads RLJ Equity Partners in managing the build-out of the company’s infrastructure, developing an effective team of investment managers and raising fund monies, while actively identifying strategic investment opportunities to maximize the fund’s returns.

Prior to joining The RLJ Companies, Ms. Dufresne was a Venture Partner with Parish Capital Advisors, a $425 million fund of funds for emerging and experienced institutional investors. While there, she developed a carve-out program for direct investment and co-investment in individual companies.

Formerly, Ms. Dufresne was a Principal at Weston Presidio, a diversified private equity fund with $3.4 billion of assets under management. As Principal, Ms. Dufresne sourced investments, led full due diligence, monitored investments and exited investments. She has been directly involved in investing over $100 million in capital into companies at various stages of the investment cycle.

Ms. Dufresne previously led business development for the online trading platform of Interactive Investor, a London-based financial advisory site.

She has also worked as an Associate Director in Bank of Scotland’s Structured Finance Group, focusing on management buyouts in the United Kingdom and France and as an Associate in Andersen Consulting, Strategic Services Group, specializing in business and technology strategy for Fortune 500 companies.