Sandeep’s technical mindset, coupled with his financial expertise, drives his pragmatic and strategic skills. He began as an engineer in the nuclear power industry after earning a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In his first job after college, he conducted maintenance and regulatory compliance for Exelon Corporation’s nuclear fleet in Illinois. In 1997, after obtaining his MBA in finance and business strategy from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Sandeep pivoted to a career in turnaround consulting. 

Since then, Sandeep has taken on notable interim management roles for several high-profile projects and has helped boost sales, enhance operating performance, and preserve tens of thousands of jobs. At Kimco, a $170 million commercial cleaning business, Sandeep served as CEO and helped enhance EBITDA by $30 million annually. His efforts led to a debt-clearing sale, provided a full return to the equity holders, and preserved the jobs of more than 5,500 employees. His efforts earned Novo Advisors the prestigious Secured Finance Network (SFNet) Transaction of the Year award in 2024.

Currently, Novo Advisors acts as Chapter 11 Trustee for Epic! Creations, Inc., an educational company that has aggregate debt exceeding $1.5 billion. Sandeep is managing his Novo team of consultants on this highly complex engagement that involves fraud allegations across international jurisdictions. Sandeep’s efforts have stabilized business operations while the business units are marketed for sale. 

As CRO of a $1 billion supplier to the hospitality industry severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sandeep reduced annual costs of $15 million and helped execute the sale of the business, preserving jobs. He facilitated liquidity support and another successful sale for Hines Nurseries, a $120 million plant grower. He also helped a national food manufacturer reduce its EBITDA cash burn from $500,000 per month to zero within 90 days. He led efforts to obtain additional funding from the company’s senior lenders and stage an eventual sale. 

Novo Advisors is consistently recognized for its excellence in turnaround consulting. In addition to SFNet Transaction of the Year, the firm received two other industry awards in 2024: the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) Small Transaction of the Year, and the Global M&A Network Special Situation Deal award. Previous accolades include TMA Transaction of the Year in 2018, Global M&A Network Boutique Firm of the Year for three consecutive years (2015-2017), and M&A Advisor Out-of-Court Restructuring of the Year in 2018.

Sandeep delivers results by setting the standard. Clients recognize it as ‘great bedside manner’. Novo’s team is trained to lead every engagement with a healthy dose of listening. When taking on new clients, they first work to understand and appreciate the problems at hand before suggesting changes. All Novo consultants pride themselves in saying that they never stop learning. With every engagement they roll up their sleeves to tackle the situation. It’s never just about numbers: It’s the story behind them and understanding how the numbers work against the backdrop of a company’s culture and employees’ personalities.   

Why emphasize listening? Sandeep has been on the other side. He was just 15 when he began to operate his family’s video stores in the Chicago suburbs. It was 1982 and the space was new and growing. Their 800 square-foot store rapidly grew to 3,500- square feet and they launched multiple locations until the industry was suddenly disrupted. Everything he and his family had built over the years seemingly vanished in a flash. Sandeep still feels the weight of winding down his family’s business. Yet the difficult lessons drive him to this day. He knows to always lead engagements with a deep degree of humility because he knows how it feels to face a life-altering financial crisis. Though difficult news often must be delivered, he and his team do it  with grace, which often makes all the difference. 

Sandeep honed his financial and turnaround skills at three leading firms: FTI Consulting, Silverman Consulting, and Arthur D. Little. He is a member of the Chicago chapters of TMA and SFNet, and has served as a board member for Woolf Farming and Processing. 

Outside of work, Sandeep enjoys golf and is a proud member of Medinah Country Club. He loves grilling, fine wine, and exploring unique travel destinations with his wife and two daughters. A recent highlight was traveling through Uzbekistan and tracing the Spice Route from Bukhara to Samarkand. A passionate Cubs fan, Sandeep’s love for the game is matched only by his commitment to guiding businesses to championship success. It’s what inspires his team at Novo, even as he mentors and cultivates the next generation of financial turnaround professionals.