In an effort to expand the leadership of its growing Aerospace Investment Banking division, Seabury Group has promoted two of its Directors, Brian Karpiel and Antares Reis, to the position of Managing Director.
“The promotion of our latest class of Managing Directors represents the deep expertise Seabury brings across a comprehensive array of advisory services, as Seabury continues to deliver value to its Aviation and A&D clients across multiple business functions,” said Seabury Chairman & Chief Executive Officer John Luth. “These individuals have each played an important role in advancing our firm’s growth, and with our recently appointed Chief Operating Officer& President Chris Kubasik, will continue to drive our mission of resolving our clients’ most strategic, complex and critical business problems.”
Mr. Karpiel, who was named Managing Director and has served for the past year as acting Global Head of Aerospace & Defense Investment Banking division, will continue to lead the firm’s Aerospace Investment Banking team based in Seabury’s headquarters in New York, as well as help lead its middle-market M&A and sponsor coverage activities.
Mr. Karpiel re-joined Seabury in 2012 as Director of Aerospace Investment Banking and has more than 23 years of investment banking and operations experience in the Aviation, Aerospace & Defense (A&D) and Industrial Products market segments. During his career at Seabury and prior firms, he has led or participated in more than 100 advisory assignments, including consulting, in-court restructurings valued at $25 billion, and investment banking transactions valued at more than $7 billion. During his Investment Banking career, Mr. Karpiel led and executed transactions in the A&D sector with Lehman Brothers, CIT (Edgeview Partners), and Janes Capital Partners. His Seabury aviation clients also include Air Canada, Qantas, South African Airways, and U.S. Airways. Prior to transitioning into investment banking, Mr. Karpiel was an engineer and operations leader at General Electric, with expertise in lean manufacturing, labor and operational productivity programs, new facility development and managing operations for growth.
“Looking forward, the prospects for our investment banking activities are very strong,” said Mr. Karpiel. “Since returning to Seabury, we’ve added additional talent to the team and further focused our activities to create substantial value through investment banking services to a growing number of high-quality middle market clients. As we continue to meaningfully expand our global footprint, we are well-positioned for delivering unique value in niche-market, cross-border, growth capital, and complex situations to deliver superior results to our clients.”
Mr. Antares Reis, who was named Managing Director for the European Aerospace & Defense Investment Banking division, will have responsibility for leading the European team, which originates and executes investment banking-related transactions in the A&D industry from Seabury’s London office.
Prior to joining Seabury in early 2013, Mr. Reis spent a career nurturing A&D relationships as Vice-President at Barons Financial Services, CIT Aerospace, and the General Electric Company. He led and was part of originating and closing a variety of financing and M&A transactions, spanning A&D market segments that are complementary to Seabury’s core advisory practices, including the MRO, Aerospace Distribution & Logistics, Aircraft Interiors, Aerospace Propulsion, Aerostructures, Training & Simulation, and Defense Systems. During his career, Mr. Reis also held positions with McKinsey, PricewaterhouseCoopers, CCF Bank, and Pactual Bank.
“I feel grateful for the trust my clients and industry friends have placed into the Seabury platform in such a short but intense period, as well as the support Seabury Group has given to my European franchise. Clients and counterparties have been benefiting from the maturity of a long period of industry specialization initiated in 2005, which is set to deepen in the decades to come. Seabury has honored all its commitments to me, first and foremost as a place where Aviation and A&D enthusiasts can realize their dreams by serving the industry.”
Seabury is a global advisory and investment banking firm with over 250 professionals based in 14 countries on five continents, with six offices in the United States. The firm provides investment banking, merchant banking, management, human capital and IT consulting, and restructuring services to clients in aerospace, automotive, aviation, cargo/logistics, explosives/mining, financial services, gaming, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance, manufacturing, maritime/offshore oil & gas exploration, metals processing, mining, private equity, debt and hedge funds, real estate and travel industries. Seabury is headquartered in New York (www.seaburygroup.com).
© 2014 PEPD • Private Equity’s Leading News Magazine • 5-13-14
