2024 Trailblazer Award

Honoring Carlyle’s Sandra Horback for making her mark in private equity.

In 2024, we named Sandra Horbach, Partner & Co-Head of America’s Private Equity at Carlyle as our Trailblazer Honoree, due to her impressive investing track record, while also mentoring and supporting women in the industry. 

Since joining Carlyle in 2005 to establish the Consumer & Retail Team, Sandra now manages all industry verticals in North America. She spearheaded numerous successful consumer investments, including Dunkin’ Brands, Beats Electronics, Philosophy, The Bountiful Company, CVC Brasil, and Vogue International. Ms. Horbach is a founding member of Carlyle’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, actively advocating for diversity in the private equity sector. 

Prior to joining Carlyle, Sandra spent 18 years at the private equity firm Forstmann Little. In 1992, she became the first woman to be named a partner at a major private equity firm. 

Sandra is joining a notable list of Trailblazer Award recipients - including Pat Cloherty, Ginger More, JoAnn Price, Sandra Urie, Kelly Williams, Sue Toigo and Kim Lew.