John Tinsley
Senior Advisor - Strategy, M&A, Growth
Summary
John W. Tinsley is a seasoned strategic advisor with over 25 years of global experience in strategy consulting, corporate development, and transaction execution. He has led critical engagements for Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, and private equity sponsors across a broad spectrum of industries, including diversified industrials, financial services, chemicals, TMT, retail, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and energy.
Before joining Emerytus Advisors, John served as a Managing Director at EY-Parthenon in Chicago, where he led cross-industry practices focused on growth strategy, market entry, corporate development, and M&A advisory. Earlier in his career, he founded and built Parthenon’s Tokyo office, scaling it to a 45-person team and advising clients across Asia on growth strategy, transaction support, and new market development.
John’s extensive transaction and advisory experience includes advising the executive board of a global chemical leader on a $150+ billion transformation involving strategy, post-merger integration, and multiple public spin-offs. He has counseled global specialty retailers on acquisition strategies and operating model redesigns, supported a top global pharma company in accelerating drug commercialization through JV and corporate VC structures, and advised one of the world’s largest social media platforms on Southeast Asia market strategy.
He has deep experience supporting private equity sponsors, having led numerous commercial due diligence and portfolio expansion engagements, including advising on the growth strategy for a diversified holding company and identifying target adjacencies for a specialty chemicals platform. He has also advised a European household goods manufacturer on global market entry and a global flavor and fragrance leader on a cross-border buy-side transaction and post-merger strategy.
John’s breadth of expertise includes advising a leading financial services firm on the divestiture of consumer and commercial banking operations in Japan, managing post-transaction execution and transition service agreements. His experience in operational transformation spans a global technology company, where he led a comprehensive supply chain, go-to-market, and governance redesign initiative.
In addition to his advisory work, John is a successful entrepreneur, having founded an analytics testing lab and an innovative plant-based CPG sunscreen brand—both of which achieved early profitability. These ventures underscore his ability to translate strategy into execution and deliver results in dynamic, high-growth environments.
John is widely recognized for his ability to lead complex initiatives, navigate cross-functional and cross-border challenges, and deliver high-impact outcomes. He is a trusted partner to executives seeking to drive growth, optimize performance, and unlock long-term value.
He holds an MBA in International Management from the University of Denver and a BA in International Studies and French from the University of Dayton.
Outside the Office
John has a strong appreciation for foreign cultures, discipline, and exploration. He lived in Japan for several years, where he studied judo and continues to practice the martial art. A passionate photographer and global traveler, he often combines these interests to document off-the-beaten-path landscapes and remote communities.