L.E.K. Consulting promotes six to partner in US offices
L.E.K. Consulting, a Boston-headquartered strategy consulting firm, has promoted six US team members to partner, effective January 1, 2026.
“We are pleased to announce our newest L.E.K. partners and recognize their outstanding contributions to our clients,” said Clay Heskett, global managing partner. “These leaders consistently deliver meaningful value creation, demonstrate deep collaboration with client teams, and exemplify the excellence, curiosity, and problem-solving that define L.E.K.’s culture.”
The new partners:
Knute Gailor (Boston, industrials) advises distribution and building products clients on go-to-market strategy, shareholder value creation, portfolio strategy, and M&A. Gailor has deep expertise in revenue growth, commercial strategy and digital maturity across industrial end markets. He has a bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and is a licensed residential and commercial general contractor.
Will Garrigues (San Francisco, agribusiness and chemicals) advises private equity investors and industrial companies on growth strategy and transaction support across the agribusiness value chain. Garrigues has deep expertise in crop inputs, produce, food ingredients, and industrial biotechnology. He has a bachelor’s degree in biomechanical engineering from Harvard University and a PhD in biomedical engineering from Duke University.
Anshul Gupta (New York, retail and consumer) advises corporate and private equity clients on growth strategies and M&A, with a particular focus on the food and beverage sector. Gupta has deep expertise across protein, seafood, snacking and other food categories, helping clients identify value creation opportunities and navigate complex market dynamics. He has MBA from Dartmouth University and dual bachelor’s degrees in supply chain management and accounting from the University of Maryland.
Trenton Pantaleoni (San Francisco, healthcare services and private equity) advises financial sponsors and healthcare companies on transaction support, portfolio company value creation, and growth strategy. Pantaleoni has deep expertise across payer, provider and healthcare IT sectors, including Medicare Advantage, value-based care, and healthcare technology-enabled services. He has a bachelor’s degree in business economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Sam Shapiro (New York, food & beverage and pricing) specializes in advising clients on growth strategy, revenue growth management and transaction support, including pricing strategy, trade optimization and consumer research. Shapiro works with corporate and private equity clients on both buy- and sell-side engagements across the food and beverage value chain. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Chicago.
Brian Zapf (Chicago, operations & supply chain) works with clients across industrials, consumer products, retail, and healthcare to improve end-to-end supply chain performance – advising on strategy, operating model design, and performance improvement. Zapf specializes in helping leadership teams translate strategy into practical execution that delivers measurable results. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and film from Northwestern University.
L.E.K. Consulting was founded in 1983 and has more than 2,300 professionals across locations in the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific. The firm’s practices include strategy, M&A, performance improvement, marketing & sales, procurement, digital, data & analytics, and sustainability.
