Brad West is the founder of Project COA and originator of the Charitable Ownership Advantage thesis.
An attorney and graduate of the University of Chicago Law School, he has spent four years developing the theory, compiling the evidence base, and designing the first instrumented tests of the model. He has published on the EA Forum and given a TEDx talk on the concept.
For questions about the thesis, the research, or the acquisition strategy: brad@projectcoa.org.
Nikita Gossain is the founder of PPR Capital, a Melbourne based firm that acquires durable small businesses from owners approaching retirement. PPR holds businesses permanently, with a focus on continuity and stewardship, over growth.
Nikita brings a decade of M&A experience, including 5 years in Deal Advisory at KPMG. She holds a CFA designation and an MBA from Cornell University. Nikita was recognised in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia in Finance & Venture Capital.
At Project COA, Nikita brings an acquiror and operator's perspective to the Charitable Ownership Advantage thesis. She is interested in how strong, useful businesses can be acquired, transitioned responsibly, and potentially used as long term vehicles for charitable impact without losing commercial discipline. Her work helps connect the thesis to real world transactions: finding suitable businesses, understanding sellers, assessing operational durability, and navigating what responsible ownership transition requires.
The mark uses a square-within-a-square to represent a structure within a structure. The outer square reflects the business as it operates today. The inner square represents the ownership layer, the part that changes under the COA model.
The concept aligns with the core idea of Project COA: the business itself remains the same, but the ownership structure shifts. This visual communicates that the change is internal and structural, not operational.
The form is minimal, precise, and scalable, ensuring clarity at all sizes while reinforcing a sense of stability, control, and institutional credibility.
