Simon Moore - From Carlyle to Colinton: Private Equity, Duopolies, and Winning in Tough Markets

Listen to this episode from Grow Your Wealth on Spotify. In this episode of the Grow Your Wealth podcast, host Travis Miller sits down with Simon Moore, Senior Partner and founder of Colinton Capital Partners. From his Queensland roots to JPMorgan in New York, Investcorp in the Middle East, and launching The Carlyle Group’s Australian office, Simon unpacks global lessons in private equity. He explains why Australia is the “land of the duopoly,” the traps Aussie companies face expanding to the U.S., and how rigorous diligence, co-investor scrutiny, and pattern recognition drive outsized results. Simon also shares the story behind a cleaning-services deal that delivered a 5x return, insights from recent transactions, and practical advice on resilience, networking, and long-term wealth building. This episode is a must-listen for investors and operators navigating competitive markets and non-linear career paths. [00:00:00] - Cold Open: Australia’s “land of the duopoly” and U.S. expansion realities [00:01:40] - Introduction: Meet Simon Moore and Colinton Capital Partners (est. 2017) [00:05:08] - Breaking In Overseas: Global training programs and building an international network [00:09:06] - Why Start Colinton: Leaving Carlyle to focus on $50–$150m EV opportunities [00:14:03] - Mentors & Influences: Family, UQ’s Frank Finn, JPMorgan sponsorship, and Bill Conway [00:21:20] - Entrepreneurial Leap: Plan A will change—resilience over rigidity [00:22:50] - Market Cycles: Adapting strategy as fundraising and relative value shift [00:30:17] - Big Win: Jemmie cleaning services—tripled earnings and a 5x exit, then reinvested [00:32:30] - Recent Work: Why Doors Plus made sense despite housing headwinds [00:33:13] - Advice to a Younger Self: Back yourself, embrace non-linear paths [00:35:26] - Beyond the Models: Soft skills, people leadership, and real-world judgment [00:37:02] - Definition of Success: Team growth, family priorities, and giving back iPartners Website: https://www.ipartners.com.au Register Here: https://ipartners.iplatforms.com.au/register/register-as-wholesale/ iPartners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipartners-pty-ltd