Daphne Dufresne

Daphne Dufresne is the founder and managing partner of Awani Capital Management, a private equity firm focused on providing capital and strategic resources to middle-market companies in the business services sector. With a career spanning more than 25 years, Dufresne is among the few Black women to have founded a buyout firm in the private equity industry. Her leadership emphasizes growth through a proprietary four-step process to drive value in portfolio companies and a focus on supporting diverse entrepreneurs and underserved markets.

Before founding Awani Capital Management, Dufresne held senior roles at several investment firms. She served as managing partner at GenNx360 Capital Partners, leading investments in sectors including aerospace, defense, and dining services, and executing numerous add-on transactions. Earlier, she was a founding partner and managing director at RLJ Equity Partners, a firm established in partnership with BET founder Robert L. Johnson and The Carlyle Group, where she contributed to fundraising, team building, and portfolio management. Her experience also includes leadership positions at Parish Capital Advisors and Weston Presidio, as well as early career roles in structured finance in Europe.

Dufresne serves on the board of directors for several organizations, including UNFI, where she chairs the compensation committee, and is active in the Young Presidents’ Organization. She has appeared at industry events such as the Milken Institute Global Conference and is a founding member of the Private Equity Women Investor Network. Dufresne holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is recognized for her advocacy of diversity in private equity and her contributions to investment management and thought leadership.