What Private Equity Misses About HR: Daina Gjemre on M&A, Culture Shifts, and Building HR in High-Growth Companies

Beyond the Offer Podcast | Hirewell Talent Insights Recap

Private equity loves a deal. But what happens after the papers are signed?

In Episode 7 of Beyond the Offer, we sit down with Daina Gjemre, Head of HR at Renovo Solutions, to dig into what M&A really looks like from the HR side. Daina’s built HR orgs across high-growth, PE-backed companies, and she shares how to lead through acquisitions without losing your people, culture, or sanity.

From navigating due diligence and culture clashes to evaluating benefit gaps and managing remote-first workforces, Daina walks us through the operational realities most HR leaders have to figure out in real time.

Inside the episode:

• HR’s role in the deal cycle from due diligence to Day One
• What to watch for when integrating benefits and comp structures
• The biggest mistakes companies make post-acquisition
• Balancing culture preservation with business pressure
• Why real-time feedback matters more than quarterly reviews
• Evaluating benefits and staying competitive in retention

She also drops one of the better answers we’ve heard to our unfiltered HR question: who she’d want to shadow as a business leader.

If you’re in HR, TA, or leading through growth, this episode is your playbook.

→ Listen to Episode 7 here

Bill Gates

Rosanna Snediker