Ara is a private investment group formed by Charles Cherington and Troy Thacker to pursue control
investments in businesses that decarbonize the industrial sector. The Firm focuses on investment
opportunities in the industrial & manufacturing, chemicals & materials, energy efficiency & green fuels and
food & agricultural sectors (each a “Target Sector”, and collectively the “Target Sectors”). Ara was legally
formed in May 2017 under the laws of the State of Delaware as a Limited Liability Company. The operations
of Ara are managed by a two-person committee, consisting of Charles Cherington and Troy Thacker.
Ara provides investment advisory services to the private funds detailed below, to which Limited Partners or
Members (“LPs”) commit capital and make pro-rata contributions to the Funds based on total committed
capital. LPs are primarily comprised of institutional investors, such as pension funds, foundations,
endowments and alternative asset funds of funds, and others, including high net worth individuals. The
Firm’s advisory services are limited to private equity funds and are not tailored to the individual needs of
LPs.
Ara’s clients include, but are not limited to, the following private funds:
- Ara Fund I, LP and its affiliated funds (collectively, “Fund I”); Ara Fund II, LP and its parallel funds
(collectively, “Fund II”); Ara Fund III, LP and its parallel funds (collectively, “Fund III”); and Ara
Infrastructure Fund I, LP and its parallel funds (collectively, “Infrastructure Fund”) (Fund I, Fund
II, Fund III and Infrastructure Fund collectively, the “Main Funds”); and
- Various entities setup as co-investment
vehicles (collectively the “Co-investment Funds”, and
together with the Main Funds, the “Funds”).
In general, the Funds invest in middle-market companies in the Target Sectors, predominantly located in
North America and Europe. Specific investment criteria, limitations, and restrictions are detailed in the
private placement memorandum (“PPM”) of the Funds and the applicable limited partnership agreement or
limited liability company agreement of the Funds (collectively, “Operating Agreements”).
In providing services to the Funds, Ara executes the investment objective for each Fund, directs and manages
the investment of each Fund’s assets, and provides periodic reports to LPs in each Fund. Investment advice
is provided directly to each Fund and not individually to the Fund’s LPs. Ara manages the assets of each
Fund in accordance with the terms of the governing documents applicable to each Fund, which are generally
established at the time of the formation of such Fund. The LPs may not direct investments by the Funds,
and except in limited circumstances, LPs are not permitted to withdraw from a Fund prior to completion of
the Fund’s winding up.
Ara is wholly-owned by Ara Partners Group, LLC (“APG”), an entity controlled by a three-person
management committee. While APG has 100% economic ownership in Ara, it does not control Ara. The
general partners and the managers of the Funds (collectively, “GPs”) and Ara are controlled by Mr.
Cherington and Mr. Thacker.
As of December 31, 2023, Ara’s regulatory assets under management were $6,165,201,671.00, all of which
are managed on a discretionary basis.