When Andrew Sheiner founded Altas Partners in 2012, he set out to build a different kind of private equity firm—one that takes a focused, long-term approach to investing in high-quality businesses. Operating from offices in Toronto and New York, Altas now manages more than US$10 billion on behalf of leading institutional and family office investors worldwide.

In early 2020, Andrew and his team recognized that their brand identity needed to better reflect the firm’s distinct philosophy. At the time, the Altas website opened with what Andrew described as a “blue wall”—a dark, corporate-looking homepage dominated by a human-less boardroom image. It was professional, but it lacked warmth, personality, and the essence of what makes Altas unique. To “knock down the blue wall,” Andrew engaged Clear Space to help redefine Altas’ brand, website, and communication materials.

More than four years later, our partnership continues to thrive, driven by a shared belief in clarity, precision, and the power of thoughtful design. Unlike many CEOs, Andrew has a keen eye for design and was deeply engaged throughout the creative process, ensuring that every detail aligned with Altas’ ethos.

Despite his demanding schedule, Andrew made time to join us virtually for a quick-fire chat on business, branding, and how both Altas and Clear Space embrace the philosophy of “fewer, better” and “less is more.”

‍

Clear Space: Hello Andrew, thanks for joining us for this quick chat. We’re aiming for 10 questions in 10 minutes. Ready?

Andrew: Happy to!

Clear Space: Your journey started at McKinsey, through to Onex, and then to founding Altas Partners. What inspired you to step away and establish your own firm, and what led you to adopt the “fewer, better” strategy?

Andrew: I spent 17 years working for Gerry Schwartz, helping grow Onex from a small team of six to a large enterprise. In the end, it was very much Gerry’s firm, and I understood that. I was eager to build something that reflected my own ethos, particularly as it relates to team building, culture and purpose. We started by defining a clear objective: to generate strong returns with the least risk over the long term for our partners. From there, we developed an investment strategy and assembled a team to maximize our chances of success. This focused approach was driven by a belief that patience and conviction would serve us best in the long run.

Clear Space: How does your team define “quality” and “opportunity” when evaluating potential investments?

Andrew: Quality relates to the risk part of our framework: we look for businesses that have an enduring advantage and a distinctive asset or capability as a way to minimize the risk of loss. Opportunity relates to a conviction that we need when we buy a business, that there is an achievable path to meaningfully grow cash flow over time. The two attributes taken together are hard to find, which is why we are determined to remain patient as an investor.

Clear Space: What role does long-term stewardship play in Altas’ investment philosophy?

Andrew: It is an orientation and mindset that influences our approach to ownership and stewarding businesses.

Clear Space: Back in 2020, you invited Clear Space to partner with you to refresh the Altas brand image and refresh the website – to tear down “the blue wall.” What prompted Altas to pursue a new brand identity at this stage of the firm’s journey and why us?

Andrew: I was looking for talented collaborators and a highly creative team to elevate the website and the overall look and feel of the Altas brand. We interviewed several firms, ultimately choosing Clear Space because of the firm’s thoughtfulness and sensitivity, in addition to the design sensibility of the Principals and team.

‍

“I have always believed that design – brand image, website, video, furniture, art – is a critical part of crafting a “feel” at Altas and of reinforcing the sense of focus and of serenity.”

‍

Clear Space: Throughout the collaboration, you were notably hands-on and deeply engaged in the creative process. What drew you to take such an active role in shaping Altas’ brand identity?

Andrew: I have always believed that design – brand image, website, video, furniture, art – is a critical part of crafting a “feel” at Altas and of reinforcing the sense of focus and of serenity (there is nothing frenetic about our firm, intentionally) that we are keen to communicate to our various stakeholders. Visitors to our website, or to our offices, will hopefully quickly develop a sense of the place based on the design and aesthetic that has been created. For the website, this required attention not only to imagery but to language as well, which is why I was focused on every word that we included on the site.

‍

‍

Clear Space: Were there specific design elements or decisions—like imagery, colour, typography, or layouts—that you felt strongly about or were particularly invested in?

Andrew: We wanted the site to feel modern but not stylish, and enduring while not feeling heavy or formal. All of the design choices stemmed from that desire.

‍Clear Space: Many executives view design as a secondary concern, but you clearly approach it as a core part of strategy. Where does this appreciation for design come from?

Andrew: I’ve described building a firm as akin to assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Every piece should ideally fit together to give you the best chance of achieving whatever you set out to achieve. For us that is strategy, team, culture and all the things that reinforce that: values, norms, behaviours, learning and development training, as well as the things we do to make people feel valued and respected beyond compensation. The look and feel of the place, both online and virtually, is critical to support all of this. When we buy a new business, which is a big moment for us and only happens once or twice each year,  we commission a unique piece of work from a Canadian artist that we then display in our office. Our offices have no receptionist; when you enter you are welcomed by beautiful contemporary art and furniture where you’d want to sit with a colleague and share a cup of coffee. All of this evokes a “feeling” that reinforces a caring orientation and an attention to detail that is essential to doing great work as well.

Clear Space: In your experience, how critical is design in conveying a firm’s values and vision in the private equity space?

Andrew: Investment firms are all about people, judgement and experience. There is no real IP in these businesses. They succeed over time by creating a repeatable framework and a way to attract and apprentice talented young people to execute on the strategy. Design plays an important role as a piece of the overall puzzle.

‍

“The moment a stakeholder—whether a customer, supplier, partner, or employee—interacts with your brand, they don’t just process information; they feel something. That impression is shaped by the language, imagery, and overall experience you present—and it’s something you can intentionally design.”

‍

Clear Space: What role do tools like Sustainability reports and AGM presentations play in reinforcing a firm’s brand?

Andrew: They are critically important, in that every interaction with an investor, verbal or written, is an important opportunity to reinforce messaging and positioning of the firm within the larger PE ecosystem.

Clear Space: How would you advise other CEOs to approach creative processes, especially those who might not initially see the value in engaging so deeply?

Andrew: The moment a stakeholder—whether a customer, supplier, partner, or employee—interacts with your brand, they don’t just process information; they feel something. That impression is shaped by the language, imagery, and overall experience you present—and it’s something you can intentionally design. By collaborating with a skilled design partner like Clear Space, you ensure that every touchpoint is crafted with bold simplicity and thoughtful strategy, creating clarity, connection, and momentum for your brand.

Clear Space: Andrew, thank you for participating in this quick-fire chat.

Andrew: My pleasure!

‍