Peter van Niekerk is the Chief Executive Officer of Exigent, where he leads a $230M+ national mechanical services platform through its next phase of growth. Since joining at the end of 2022, Peter has set the company’s strategic direction, built a high-performing executive and presidential leadership team, and cultivated a culture of operational discipline and partnership. A trusted leader in the private equity space, Peter liaises directly with investors and drives engagement with new acquisition targets.

Peter brings more than two decades of experience building services and processing businesses worldwide, including prior roles as CEO of Protegis and Sunless Inc.—both of which resulted in successful private equity exits. He has led or supported over 50 M&A transactions across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Africa. Earlier in his career, Peter held senior leadership roles at Gategroup, AlixPartners, and Booz Allen. He holds law and economics degrees from Stellenbosch University and the London School of Economics, and has completed the Stanford Executive Program.