Ross Polvara
Unthinkable Group
New York, NY, United States
About
Ross Polvara is a strategic advisor and value creation specialist who bridges the gap between ambitious growth companies and capital partners, from start-up to IPO. Drawing from his years in M&A and strategy advisory, he guides founders of small to mid-market companies in becoming compelling investment targets, while helping private equity firms, venture capital groups, and family offices to optimize portfolio performance. His innovative approach to value creation combines rigorous strategic focus with operational excellence, helping both companies and investors achieve exceptional outcomes.
Recognizing that sustainable value creation requires precise alignment between investor expectations and company capabilities, Ross pioneered an integrated approach to business transformation. Through his work with capital partners, he developed expertise that would later become the foundation of Unthinkable, where he helps founders and leaders on both sides of the investment equation realize their full potential.
His framework, refined over three decades of guiding successful exits and strategic transformations, helps companies scale effectively while building sustainable value. Leveraging his experience as an entrepreneur and former PwC Partner, Ross guides leaders in building investment-ready organizations through strategic repositioning and operational excellence. By aligning founder aspirations with investor requirements, he helps teams create scalable platforms that deliver premium valuations and attract quality investment partners.
Professional Highlights
'Be curious. Always.'
At PwC, Ross distinguished himself as a Partner in Strategy & M&A Consulting, leading major transformation initiatives for Fortune 50 companies across six continents. This global experience laid the foundation for his unique approach to business transformation and value creation.
His track record includes guiding over 150 successful exits and mergers, ranging from $10M deals to multi-billion-dollar transactions across technology, media, real estate among others. As an entrepreneur, Ross has founded and scaled multiple successful ventures, experiencing firsthand the challenges of building and exiting companies.
Today, Ross serves as a trusted advisor and coach to founders and leaders, and supporting PE firms, venture capital groups, and family offices, across three continents. His integrated approach to value creation and leadership development has pioneered new frameworks for sustainable business transformation, focusing on building admired leaders who create lasting impact.
Throughout his career, Ross has maintained a strong commitment to social impact, including creating, managing and now serving as an active advisor and board member to multiple non-profit organizations.
His current work focuses on helping ambitious founders achieve remarkable exits while building lasting value, guiding organizations in balancing aggressive growth with sustainable practices. This combination of strategic insight and practical experience makes him a unique partner for organizations seeking transformative outcomes.
Personal Highlights
'Do it with passion, or why do it at all.'
Born in South Africa and a New Yorker for over three decades, Ross's competitive spirit was forged through rowing, football, and ultra marathons. Though his race days are behind him, that same drive now fuels his analysis of Formula 1 strategy and his quest for hidden culinary gems in unexpected corners of the globe. His passion for life and a zest to compete keeps him constantly seeking new challenges and ways to push limits.
Life at home centers around his role as father to two young adults, husband of three decades, and devoted Lagotto 'dad'. Ross strives to master the delicate balance of being both thoroughly invested and completely relaxed. His wanderlust has sparked a lifelong pursuit of travel, new experiences, and quality design, collecting perspectives, friendships, and stories along the way.
These days, you'll find him pursuing life's simpler pleasures – perfecting his coffee craft, baking artisanal bread, hitting mountain trails, or exploring the intersection of design and exceptional human experiences. In each endeavor, whether grand or subtle, Ross brings the same curiosity and enthusiasm that marked his athletic life, finding joy in the process and maintaining an obsession with details while never losing his competitive edge.
Coaching Regions
Africa
Europe
US - Northeast
US - Southeast
US - Southwest
US - West
Industry of Expertise
Accounting/Finance
Banking/Real Estate
Biotech/R&D/Science/Chemicals
Building/Construction
Computer/IT/Software Development
Food Services/Hospitality
Other
“As President and CEO of [our organization], I have been working hard to take [us] to the next level to be bold and brave in elevating our mission and charting a new strategic direction to ensure everyone has a safe, welcoming, and affordable place to call home. A large part of my success in moving the 50-year old organization forward can be attributed to my work with Ross Polvara, my strategic advisor and executive coach.
Ross has helped me tremendously in developing clear goals and outcomes that can be easily understood across [our organization], building unity and cohesion at the executive level, solving for organizational challenges, and creating a high-performing, value-based teams. He provides helpful tools and guidance and is also willing to have the tough conversations about what is really needed to be successful. Ross’s strategic thinking and business acumen combined with a wonderfully fun and positive disposition make him an optimal choice for any executive.
-President & CEO, Affordable Housing Organization
At [our company] we pride ourselves on combining science and technology in the people space, delivering agile talent solutions to organisations globally. All of our technology is proprietary, and our science is a heavily guarded secret. So, we not only needed an advisor who could quickly understand our business, but who we could trust unreservedly. unthinkable helped to facilitate and guide our strategic thinking during the start up phase of our business, in particular helping to refine our marketing and growth strategy. Our relationship has not stopped, as unthinkable continues to have a seat at our management table bringing market insights, experience and know-how to our decision making. unthinkable’s input has been invaluable to our business, our people and our clients.
-CEO & Chairman, Innovative Tech Company
As our organization contemplated a merger with another similar community health focused non-profit organization we knew we needed an experienced consultant to help us guide us through the process of due diligence and discovery. Ross Polvara was recommended by another non-profit organization who had similarly merged with another affinity organization. The process that Ross developed helped ensure that all stakeholders and invested parties felt they had an opportunity to truly vet the pros and cons of the merger from the financial, legal, human resource, and most importantly – community perspective. Ross was skilled in his facilitative process and easy to work with throughout. I highly recommend unthinkable and Ross for merger related consultative services!”
-CEO & Chairman, Healthcare