GF CAPITAL MANAGEMENT & ADVISORS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor
- Founder of 14W
- Senior Advisor / Real Estate
Mr. Zubillaga is the founder of 14W, a venture capital firm investing in the next generation of consumer internet, marketplace, ecommerce, CPG, and media. He was formerly an Executive Vice President Digital Strategy and Business Development for Warner Music Group, where he was responsible for developing and overseeing WMG's global digital business. Through a series of ground breaking partnerships, Alex established WMG as the clear digital leader in the industry. Before joining WMG, he was a co-founder of Lexa Partners. From 1995 to 2000, Alex was founder and chairman of Net Uno, a leading Venezuelan cable television and telephone operator. Alex was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He received a BS in Business Administration from Babson College.
Erik Baker - Founder, Managing Director
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Managing Director
- Partner, Investment Committee
Mr. Baker is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of GF Capital, and a member of the Private Equity Investment Committee, where he concentrates on private equity investments in the media and branded consumer product sectors. Mr. Baker is currently serving on the Board of Directors of Jonathan Adler and GF Sports Holdings, and was formerly a board member of Airborne, Repucom, Trade Service, Blue Man Group and Melodeo.
Prior to co-founding GF Capital, Mr. Baker served as a Senior Vice President of Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder ("A&SB") with Messrs. Fuhrman and Shapiro, where he worked in the Corporate Finance department as well as managing a number of A&SB corporate development activities. Prior to A&SB, Mr. Baker was an Analyst with Gleacher & Co., an M&A advisory boutique. Mr. Baker has been a featured speaker at several private equity conferences.
Mr. Baker graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and is a member of the National Advisory Board of the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at Penn. A native of Seymour, CT, Mr. Baker is a member of Seymour High School's Alumni Hall of Fame. As part of GF Sports Holdings' ownership of the National Lacrosse League's New York Riptide, Mr. Baker is the Chairman of the NLL's Board of Governors.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Board Member of Jonathan Adler
- Chairman and CEO / Private Equity
- Managing Partner, Investment Committee
Mr. Fuhrman has a long and distinguished track record of investing in middle market branded consumer product and media companies. Prior to founding GF Capital in 2001, Mr. Fuhrman shared oversight of Corporate Finance and Asset management at Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder, Inc. ("A&SB"), working with leading multi-national companies. Mr. Fuhrman is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Fuhrman is active with a number of charitable including the Garden of Dreams Foundation where he is an active member of the board. Mr. Fuhrman also served as a Dwight School Governor from 2006-10 before becoming a Dwight School Foundation Trustee in 2010.
Mr. Fuhrman is a board member of Jonathan Adler, Oscar de la Renta and GF Sports Holdings.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director - Real Estate
- Managing Director / Finance & Fund Administration
Mr. Taussig has more than 20 years of commercial real estate and banking experience in both the debt and equity markets. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Taussig was with Cabot Investment Properties, LLC in New York and was a principal with the real estate private equity firm Greenstreet Capital Partners, LLC. Mr. Taussig's previous experience included the oversight and management of the company's real estate investments, including ongoing operating performance and dispositions. Additionally, Mr. Taussig was with Citigroup Investments. His responsibilities at Citigroup included developing real estate investment opportunities tailored to the investment objectives of Citigroup and its global high net worth clientele within the Citigroup Private Bank. Mr. Taussig originated loans, performed loan management and managed portfolio exposure for The Citigroup Private Bank in Southeast Asia while stationed in Singapore. Prior to joining Citigroup, Mr. Taussig worked for seven years for Chemical Bank in New York and its subsidiary Texas Commerce Bank in Houston in a variety of real estate related capacities. Mr. Taussig holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from Tulane University in New Orleans and a B.B.A. in Petroleum Land Management from the University of Texas at Austin.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Board Member / Manager of EEM World
- Partner, Investment Committee
Mr. Shapiro has extensive experience investing in and working with consumer products companies to grow and develop global brands. Prior to co-founding GF Capital, Mr. Shapiro was a Vice President at A&SB with Messrs. Fuhrman and Baker, focusing on corporate finance for multinational and domestic companies. Mr. Shapiro is a CPA, and was an auditor at KPMG Peat Marwick prior to joining A&SB. Mr. Shapiro holds a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin - Madison School of Business and is an emeritus member of The Wisconsin Business Alumni Board of the Wisconsin School of Business.
Mr. Shapiro is a board member / manager of EEM World, Jonathan Adler, Mansur Gavriel, Mark Cross and Oscar de la Renta (observation rights).
Mr. Brenneman joined GF Capital in 2016 and works on various aspects of the deal process for the GF Capital Private Equity Fund, including the financial analysis, valuation and deal structuring of potential investments, as well as the ongoing monitoring and support of the firm's existing portfolio companies. Mr. Brenneman previously spent two years as an analyst for Cross River Capital Management, where he focused on research, due diligence, and investment in portfolio companies. Mr. Brenneman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Political Science from the University of Notre Dame, where he graduated in 2014. Mr. Brenneman is a board member of Wolfpack Ninja Tour.
Victoria Chau - CFO, Chief Compliance Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Chief Financial Officer
Victoria is responsible for the finance, accounting, fund administration and investor relations support for GF Capital. Prior to joining GF Capital, Ms. Chau was the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at AVAIO Capital, where she was responsible for the operations, finance, accounting, investor relations and compliance for the firm. Victoria began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Information Systems from Queens College in New York City.