Alumni in Focus

What have you been up to lately in business?

I left BDA in July 2017 to join Alantra, a middle-market M&A boutique investment bank headquartered in Madrid, as they started up their New York office as Head of US Consumer and Global Co-Head of Personal Care. I subsequently moved on to join Stifel as a Managing Director responsible for covering Softlines and Luxury for their Consumer team of the investment bank. Stifel is one of the leading full service middle market investment banks. Within the investment bank we offer a full range of services and products from Venture Debt, Leveraged Finance, M&A, Private Capital, Public Equity raises and Restructuring.  We also offer one of the broadest equity research coverages in the US. Since joining Stifel, I have been lucky to work with some well-known branded companies in transactions including The RealReal, Poshmark, Allbirds, On Running, Bonlook, Frank & Oak, The Collected Group, Derek Lam and more recently Birkenstock and Rockport.

What inspired you to go down this journey?

I have always loved the investment banking deal environment – it’s hard to imagine any job that provides this much variety, intellectual and emotional challenges, access to talented people and ideas and of course, a fast-paced nature of transactions. Having been in M&A for over 15 years, I joined Stifel because I wanted to expand my understanding of a broader product set of public equity, debt and restructuring which also allowed me to offer clients more products within the US.

Where did you get that connection and how is it working?

People who know me well know I am a very strong believer in networks and personal relationships. Every job that I have been hired to date has come through a warm personal connection or longstanding relationship. 

I first met Euan, Charlie, Andrew and Jonathan when I was at Close Brothers (now DC Advisory) in the early 2000s when Close Brothers and BDA had a formal network relationship for Asian coverage. I met Jonathan on his first day at BDA as BDA was utilizing space in the Close Brothers London Office. When I was looking to move to New York in 2011, I was able to approach Euan about a position based on our prior history of working together and was lucky to be able to make the move to join BDA. 

My move to Stifel was also a result of an ex-colleague from Close Brothers who had joined Stifel in their M&A team and knew they were looking to hire in Consumer. He and I were first-year Associates together. You never know who in your network will be able to help or influence. I truly believe in being mindful of building relationships, networks and contacts. They are invaluable in finding the right positions, winning transactions and building client relationships for the long term. You never know where someone will end up or when they can help you – banking is a long-term game!    

Do you miss anything from BDA?

Still to this day …. everything!

I miss the people, the culture, the travel, the interesting clients and the complex deals (we pulled off some incredible deals!).

Not only did I learn an incredible amount about cross-border deals, M&A and capital raising but also about how different cultures and countries operate and respond on transactions, which have been incredibly valuable as I have moved forward on global deals. The support and mentorship I received from the MPs, global MDs and everyone at BDA was instrumental in building my confidence to step into leadership roles at BDA and beyond.  Most of all, I still miss the BDA teams and the incredible friends I made while there. BDA is a very special place because of its people and culture. I continue to keep in contact with ex-colleagues across the world and will always appreciate just how differentiated the culture makes the firm.

How did BDA equip you for your current success?

I was given a large amount of responsibility – with support – at BDA at a pretty young age. While I was not entirely confident, the belief of the team in me enabled me to step up to more leadership roles and to take on and lead complex deals. The technical skills I developed, alongside leadership skills and confidence, have been very important in my ability to step into my current role successfully. The ability to work across cultures and geographies has also been a differentiator for me throughout my career following BDA.

Any words of wisdom for current BDA hires?

Enjoy and appreciate where you are. BDA is a unique platform for any banker to learn about the technical and cultural elements of complex, cross-border deals in fast-growing developing markets. Take advantage of the learning opportunities, travel and spend time in other offices while you can and get to know and learn from your colleagues. I worked across the US, UK, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and India – not many people can say that – and when I joined BDA I had never been to any of these places. Now I have friends, ex-colleagues and ex-clients in all these regions, and life-long skills regarding cross-border deals which few typical full-service investment bankers have. Lean into the opportunity to learn these deal skills, build networks and learn from senior bankers at BDA.

Contact

Feel free to reach out on LinkedIn!

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BDA International Women’s Day

At BDA Partners, we’re proud to honour the remarkable achievements and contributions of women around the globe. This International Women’s Day, we’re shining a spotlight on #InspireInclusion, a theme that resonates deeply with our values.

We’ve shared inspiring stories from three of our exceptional female employees. We hear from Huong Trinh, Partner and Head of BDA’s Ho Chi Minh City office, Anindita Das, Managing Director in BDA’s Singapore office and Yuiko Kawabata, Operations & HR Manager based in Tokyo, and about their incredible journeys, how they navigate the balance between work and personal life, and the challenges they’ve overcome along the way.

Read more here. 

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Private Shares Trading

BDA Partners is pleased to be advising Asian corporates and their venture capital (VC) arms on selling their minority stakes in equity startups in the US and Europe. 

We are responding to the growing trend of strategics investing in start-ups, often through corporate venture capital (CVC) arms. 

BDA is addressing the demand for exits from these minority investments, given tight and challenging market conditions. 

Interested buyers, notably secondary funds and family offices, can connect with sellers through this service. BDA’s experienced team ensures efficient transactions at optimal prices.

Read more here.

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Get in touch

If you have anything you want to share with us and the alumni community, to know more about the program, or to be featured, please get in touch with any of the Managing Partners or through one of the following channels:

BDA Alumni: alumni@bdapartners.com
Renita Brammadas, HR Director

Sarah Chong, Marketing Lead

Yuiko Kawabata, Operations & HR Manager
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Finally, don’t forget to join the BDA Partners LinkedIn Alumni Group.