Susan Cates

Founder at

Leeds Illuminate Advisors Ltd.

Net worth: 2 M $ as of 2026-08-30

55 year

90 connections

Finance

Consumer Services

Commercial Services

Profile

Susan E.
Cates is the founder of Leeds Illuminate Advisors Ltd., founded in 2020, serving as Managing Partner.
Current jobs include Director at Mursion, Inc. since 2020; Director at Verto Education, Inc. since 2021; Director at Product School, Inc. since 2021; Independent Director at Primo Brands Corp.
since 2024; Director at Project Kitty Hawk, Inc. since 2022; and Advisory Board Member at Kenan-Flagler Business School since 2016.
Former jobs include Executive Director at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2008 to 2016; Lead Independent Director at Primo Water Corp.
from 2019 to 2020; Director at Eruditus Education Pvt Ltd.; Director at The Association of College & University Educators from 2021 to 2023; Independent Director at Primo Water Corp.
from 2020 to 2024; Principal at Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.; Principal at Wachovia Corp.; Chief Operating Officer at 2U LLC from 2016 to 2017; Partner at Best Associates LLC from 2004 to 2008; and Principal at ThinkEquity Partners from 2001 to 2004.
Education includes an undergraduate degree from Duke University conferred in 1992 and an MBA from Kenan-Flagler Business School conferred in 1998.

Known holdings in public companies

Company	Date	Number of shares	Valuation	Valuation date
0.02%	2026-04-27	81,360 ( 0.02% )	2 M $	2026-08-30

Susan Cates active positions

Companies	Position	Start
Kenan-Flagler Business School Kenan-Flagler Business School Other Consumer ServicesConsumer Services Functions as a College/University	Consultant / Advisor	2016-05-31
Mursion, Inc. Mursion, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Operates as a workforce upskilling platform	Director/Board Member	2020-10-31
Leeds Illuminate Advisors Ltd. Leeds Illuminate Advisors Ltd. Investment ManagersFinance Leeds Illuminate invests in companies located in across the globe. The firm target companies with operating in education and workforce development sectors with revenues of USD 10 million. It provides financing for growth stage transactions.	Founder	2019-12-31
Product School, Inc. Product School, Inc. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Provides product management training services	Director/Board Member	2021-07-31
Verto Education, Inc. Verto Education, Inc. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Provides education support services	Director/Board Member	2021-11-30

All active positions of Susan Cates

Former positions of Susan Cates

Companies	Position	End
PRIMO BRANDS CORPORATION	Director/Board Member	2024-10-31
Association of College & University Educators Association of College & University Educators Other Consumer ServicesConsumer Services Provides higher education services	Chief Executive Officer	2021-01-30
PRIMO WATER CORPORATION	Director/Board Member	2020-03-01
2U, LLC	Chief Operating Officer	2017-07-31
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See the detail of Susan Cates's experience

Training of Susan Cates

Experiences
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Private companies

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Connections

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Linked companies

Private companies	16
Primo Water Corp. Primo Water Corp. Beverages: Non-AlcoholicConsumer Non-Durables Manufactures and sells carbonated beverages	Consumer Non-Durables
Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. /Old/ Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. /Old/ Investment Banks/BrokersFinance Provides wealth management, securities trading and sales, corporate finance and investment banking services	Finance
Wachovia Corp. Wachovia Corp. Major BanksFinance Provides commercial and retail banking services	Finance
ThinkEquity Partners ThinkEquity Partners Investment ManagersFinance Provides investment advice and security brokerage services	Finance
2U LLC 2U LLC Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Provides cloud-based software-as-a-service solutions for nonprofit colleges and universities to deliver education to qualified students	Technology Services
Duke University Duke University Other Consumer ServicesConsumer Services Functions as a College/University	Consumer Services
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Other Consumer ServicesConsumer Services Functions as a College/University	Consumer Services
Primo Water Corp. /Old/ Primo Water Corp. /Old/ Beverages: Non-AlcoholicConsumer Non-Durables Manufactures and markets purified bottled water	Consumer Non-Durables
Kenan-Flagler Business School Kenan-Flagler Business School Other Consumer ServicesConsumer Services Functions as a College/University	Consumer Services
Best Associates LLC Best Associates LLC Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Provides capital to growth-oriented businesses	Commercial Services
Eruditus Education Pvt Ltd. Eruditus Education Pvt Ltd. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Engages in delivering executive education programmes to corporations and participants across the globe	Commercial Services
Mursion, Inc. Mursion, Inc. Packaged SoftwareTechnology Services Operates as a workforce upskilling platform	Technology Services
Association of College & University Educators Association of College & University Educators Other Consumer ServicesConsumer Services Provides higher education services	Consumer Services
Verto Education, Inc. Verto Education, Inc. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Provides education support services	Commercial Services
Product School, Inc. Product School, Inc. Miscellaneous Commercial ServicesCommercial Services Provides product management training services	Commercial Services
Leeds Illuminate Advisors Ltd. Leeds Illuminate Advisors Ltd. Investment ManagersFinance Leeds Illuminate invests in companies located in across the globe. The firm target companies with operating in education and workforce development sectors with revenues of USD 10 million. It provides financing for growth stage transactions.	Finance