Peter Escher’s career journey doesn’t follow a neatly linear trajectory. In fact, his professional experiences hardly conform to an easily recognizable pattern.
“In some ways, my career doesn’t make sense,” he says. His employment history includes working for nonprofits and for-profit organizations, with roles that allowed him to develop his finance, marketing, and data operations skills.
“For me, the richness of a career is found in the variety of experiences that round out your skill set,” he says. “And hopefully make you better at your job.”
Escher is the Vice President of Data Operations at PitchBook, a leading research firm and financial data provider that spans global capital markets.
Here, he shares what he’s responsible for as a leader, how the company supports internal mobility, and the best advice for those who are contemplating a major career change.
What attracted you to PitchBook, and how did you know the company would be a good fit?
I knew PitchBook was solving a real customer problem. In my work in private equity, I knew how opaque the market can be, with no standard for data and market intel. PitchBook had great data and intuitive software. Plus, I respected the heck out of Founder John Gabbert.
What are your core responsibilities as the Vice President of Data Operations? Why does this work excite you and give you a sense of purpose?
My team delivers data and intelligence on the private and public markets. We source, extract, and enter data using our refined methodology. It takes thousands of people and incredibly refined home-grown tools. What we do is exactly what our customers see when they log on to PitchBook; that gives me purpose and a consistent feedback loop.
You first joined PitchBook as the Director of Creative and Brand. How were you supported by leadership throughout your upward trajectory? In what ways did the company encourage your internal growth and mobility?
PitchBook is a phenomenally supportive place for internal mobility. When people move between teams it fosters professional development and everyone can learn from their unique perspectives. I’ve seen countless personnel moves. My move between marketing and data operations wasn’t entirely conventional, but certain things are the same: doing the work, leading through ambiguity, and empowering people as they grow.
What learning and development opportunities are available at PitchBook? How can these initiatives empower employees to pivot to different roles and/or departments within the company?
The baseline assumption is that new hires will need a lot of training; these employees are thought to be incredibly sharp and capable, but they probably haven’t had the opportunity to take a deep dive into the sectors of venture capital and private equity. So, the company advocates and supports initiatives such as PitchBook University, which teaches new hires about our industry, products, and customers. Kara Hannigan, Senior Director of People Development, and her team provide plenty of initiatives to help you as you grow.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced thus far at PitchBook, and how did you overcome it? What lessons did you learn?
PitchBook is growing fast, and with that growth comes the opportunity to try new things. For example, I had the opportunity to build a new data ops team in Mumbai. In 2018, it was a team of 10; today it’s nearly 2,000 people. I learned a lot about the importance of building programmatic muscles for key areas like training, communication, and building culture.
What is one highlight of your career thus far at PitchBook, and why?
Waking up every day to work with a data ops team across nine offices and 16 time zones. It’s big, it’s important work, and it challenges me to be my best. It only happens because we have incredible people who are moving in the same direction.
What does it take to thrive at PitchBook? What skills or characteristics should a candidate possess?
A growth mindset. Here at PitchBook, we talk a lot about the importance of finding a better way every day. I look for candidates who have a track record of making a difference and improving themselves or things around them. It could be at school, a prior job, or in your personal life.
What advice would you give someone thinking about changing career paths or roles the way you have?
I think having a range of work experiences is a feature, not a bug. A career is usually more than 40 years. If you’re in your 20s and 30s, sample a range of jobs, industries, and company growth stages to see where you thrive best. If you’re in your 40s and 50s, understand that you still have potentially half of your career to go. When you’re looking to make a move, surround yourself with people who give you the room to think freely and aren’t constrained by your prior experience.
What are you most passionate about outside of work?
My family! And, for 30 minutes a day, my Peloton bike.