CRANEMERE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chief Investment Officer of Koval Capital, a Private Investment Office
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Director of Private Equity at Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / New York
Anjali focuses on identifying and evaluating potential acquisitions and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies. She currently works with the teams at Velocity Vehicle Group and Crossroads Equipment Lease & Finance.
Prior to joining Cranemere, Anjali was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Global Industrials group at Goldman Sachs. She graduated with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and International Business from Georgetown University.
If I weren't in finance, I'd be a teacher. Previous summers involved me and a couple dozen middle schoolers at the whiteboard, solving for unknowns and proving trigonometric identities. My students brought an electric energy to the room, and seeing the ‘aha' moment on their faces after cracking a tough problem always made my day.
When I'm not working, I'm eating! I love discovering new restaurants and cooking unique dishes that challenge my rudimentary culinary skills. Food has always been a meaningful avenue for me to meet New York's diverse population and their respective cultures.
Job Titles:
- Operating Partner
- Operating Partner / London, New York
Bernardo Hees has held numerous leadership roles at global companies. He is serving as Executive Chairman of Avis Budget Group since February 2020 until May 2024. From 2015 until June 2019, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Kraft Heinz Company. He served as Chief Executive Officer of H.J. Heinz Holding Corporation since 2013. From 2010 to 2013 Mr. Hees served as Chief Executive Officer of Burger King Worldwide Holdings, Inc. and from 2005 to 2010 he was Chief Executive Officer of América Latina Logística, a Brazilian logistics company. Hees was also a partner in the global investment firm 3G Capital from 2010 to 2019. Mr. Hees is currently a director of Bunge Limited and Aimbridge Hospitality.
Mr. Hees holds a BA in Economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and an MBA from Warwick Business School in the UK. He also completed the Owners/President Management program at the Harvard Business School.
Job Titles:
- Vice President - Legal
- Vice President - Legal / London
Catriona has over a decade of experience working with founder-led businesses, as well as investors and owner operators who support them. At Cranemere, Catriona advises on all aspects of our acquisitions and corporate governance and is responsible for oversight of the legal functions of our European operating company. Prior to Cranemere, Catriona worked at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, representing clients in the UK, US, Europe and Africa in relation to investments, M&A and corporate matters. Catriona obtained her Bachelor of Laws with honours at Aberdeen University.
I joined Cranemere because, following my earlier career working as an adviser to founders and investors who supported them, I wanted to become more involved in the growth of innovative companies "from the inside." I expected that I would probably find my way onto the in-house team of a founder friendly VC fund, but the opportunity to join Cranemere presented itself. I was impressed by the vision that Vincent had for the company as a true alternative to traditional private equity, and the chance to join at a stage where Cranemere itself was still growing offered the possibility of being a meaningful part of its development.
Job Titles:
- Senior Managing Director
- Senior Managing Director / New York
Chris has been acquiring and building businesses for 30 years with a focus on innovative companies that are leaders in their respective industries.
He joined Cranemere at its founding and heads the firm's Industrial team, which encompasses activities in industrial services, manufacturing and design. He has worked with Vincent Mai for 30 years including 20 at AEA Investors where he retired as a Partner and CFO. He has led, co-led or been an integral executive with respect to the acquisition and development of 15 operating companies, including five of Cranemere's operating businesses. In addition, during the last several years, his teams have completed over 20 add-on acquisitions to those Cranemere operating businesses.
He serves on the Board of Directors of Exemplis, Velocity Vehicle Group and Crossroads Equipment Lease & Finance and serves as Chairman of the Board of the Engineered Stone Group and System Pavers. Prior to Cranemere, he served as Chairman of the Board of both Convenience Food Systems and CPG International (now AZEK).
He started his career at Bain & Company and was an original partner of OceanBridge Partners. He graduated from Amherst College with honors.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Co - Founder of Omega Logic Non - Executive Director of Jupiter Asset Management, Xero, LendInvest and Lightspeed Commerce
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director / New York
Diana has more than 25 years experience investing in and building sustainability market leaders and purpose-led companies, and is a recognized thought leader on the market growth of these opportunities and how businesses that create stakeholder value can outperform their peers over the long term. Diana's sector expertise includes energy efficiency, green building, and natural health and wellness.
At Cranemere Diana focuses on identifying, evaluating and executing on opportunities driven by sustainability and social impact trends, as well as supporting Cranemere's operating companies in strengthening their environmental and social performance to build business value. Diana joined Cranemere because she believes that companies can capture their full potential and grow into their next chapter when they are partnered with a long term, stable capital partner that is values aligned.
Prior to Cranemere, Diana was co-managing partner at Expansion Capital Partners, providing growth capital to and serving on the board member of companies in sustainability markets including green building, energy services, and resource efficiency. While at Expansion Capital, Diana took companies public and also sold businesses to large corporations.
Diana is a producer of documentaries that profile businesses whose success is integrally tied to their leadership in sustainability and social wellbeing, including the award winning "Beyond Zero." Diana is on the Board of Trustees of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) where she chairs the investment committee, and is also on the Advisory Board of Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts Summa Cum Laude from Duke University, where she is an Executive-in-Residence. She will be teaching a course at Duke entitled "Investing in Climate Solutions" in the fall of 2023.
My upbringing influenced who I am today because I am the child of immigrants and grew up in the U.S. speaking several languages with my extended family overseas. I learned early on that there were many perspectives in life and it was important to put myself in other people's shoes to understand and learn from the diversity of views. I realized at an early age that there was no "normal" or "right or wrong perspective" and this helped me become a more empathetic person.
If I weren't in finance, I'd be a photographer. I am an insatiably curious person and love learning about other cultures. Photography is about observing and learning new insights. I would also spend half my time as a wilderness photographer of nature. There is nothing more inspiring, moving and humbling than photographing nature's great gifts.
What motivates me most is harnessing the power of business and capital to address some of our toughest challenges - climate change and social and economic inequities. I joined Cranemere because being a long term owner of companies is the best way to fully capture the opportunity to partner with sustainability and social impact leading companies and to more fully harness the business value from ESG initiatives within companies.
I am a big fan of baseball. My older brother made me a diehard NY Yankees fan but given my youngest son's passion for the LA Dodgers, I've achieved the difficult feat of being a loyal fan of both teams!
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal / London
Eddie has more than ten years of experience acquiring and building businesses. He focuses on identifying, evaluating and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies. Eddie works closely with the Engineered Stone Group. Prior to Cranemere, Eddie spent several years working for McKinsey & Company and founded and sold an EdTech company. He has an MBA with honors from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, and a Bachelor of Laws with honors and a Bachelor of Science from the University of New South Wales.
I joined Cranemere because I'm an entrepreneur at heart. I find it inspiring to challenge the status quo and to create a new and better way. And Cranemere is doing just that. Having a longer term view enables us to build better businesses, reinvest more in innovation and expansion, and create more value for all our stakeholders. Helping to pioneer this model and challenge industry norms is a sustaining, compelling vision.
I enjoy working with management teams and founders, because it offers diverse opportunities to develop strategy, build high-performing teams, and to drive execution. It's a real privilege to partner with and learn from the courageous, character-driven leaders doing this across Cranemere's team and operating companies. This passion extends beyond the individual company or individual - I'm eager to be part of the ways that capital, technology and business can capture the opportunities and address the challenges facing our world.
When I'm not working, having dinner with my wife, or wrestling with my kids, I'm looking for adventure and to push my limits. I get real satisfaction from challenging myself and doing things that scare me - whether that is ski-mountaineering, ironman triathlon, or learning how to make music. Life is short; I like to live it to the fullest.
Job Titles:
- Senior Managing Director
- Senior Managing Director / Washington, DC
Eric leads Cranemere's healthcare services team and serves as Chairman of NorthStar Anesthesia and Arietis Health and also serves as a board member of Outpatient Imaging Affiliates and Extant Healthcare. Prior to Cranemere, Eric was a Partner at TPG Growth, the CEO of PSA Healthcare (now Aveanna) and BestPractices. He holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BBA from James Madison University. Eric serves as a member of the board of the HSC Healthcare System (a nonprofit serving children with medical complexity affiliated with Children's National) and resides in Washington DC with his wife, Lilly, and their three children.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- General Counsel / Washington, DC
Evan joined Cranemere in 2018 and serves as our General Counsel. He has more than 20 years of transactions, compliance, governance and legal experience, consisting of more than ten years as the Chief Legal Officer of The Advisory Board Company, which was a publicly-traded company focused on the health care and education industries until its successful sale. At The Advisory Board Company, Evan also managed its legal, privacy, information security, business affairs, real estate and information technology functions. Prior to The Advisory Board Company, Evan was a partner at Hogan & Hartson LLP (now Hogan Lovells). Evan is a graduate of Binghamton University (SUNY) and The George Washington University Law School.
My father taught me at an early age that all business is personal. He emigrated from France as a child and worked as a pharmacist until he saved enough money to open a pharmacy of his own. He worked hard to build a successful business and worked even harder to build a business he was proud of and that served an important role in the small community. He cared for his customers like they were family and treated his employees with kindness and respect. He chose to work with vendors who similarly valued giving back to his community.
I started to work in the pharmacy when I was in middle school, although it wasn't until I became a lawyer that I actually appreciated how hard my father worked to support the people who relied on him. When I look at a transaction or assess an issue today, I try to apply the lessons I learned from him: All business is personal, the choices we make will have an impact on others, and all stakeholders should have a voice.
It's still important to me to stay involved in my community. I've been involved with and supported the Children's Law Center in Washington, DC for more than ten years. It is an organization that helps families navigate the health care, family court, and education systems. My work with CLC and other non-profits has provided me with opportunities to have a real-world impact.
I enjoy helping to build businesses in a place like Cranemere that also believes that business is personal - for management teams, employees, and those we chose to do business with. Because of our commitment to meaningful ESG and the communities we touch, I believe that even at work, I'm helping to have a positive impact on my community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chief Investment Officer of Talipot Investments, Board Chair Twelve Hundred VC
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate / London
Guillaume joined Cranemere in 2021 after completing his MBA at INSEAD. He focuses on identifying, evaluating, and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies. Prior to joining Cranemere, Guillaume was an Investment Banking Associate at Perella Weinberg Partners.
He graduated from University College London (UCL) with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- President of HCF International Advisors Former Vice Chairman of Ageas Group, and Former Chairman of AG Insurance
Scott Smith - Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MidFirst Bank and advisor to the family office of the bank's owners
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Senior Director at Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / New York
Jack focuses on researching, identifying, evaluating, and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies. Prior to joining Cranemere, Jack was an Investment Banking Analyst at Edgemont Partners, a boutique bank focused on healthcare services. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School.
I joined Cranemere because of its longer-term partnership approach that enables us to join forces with talented management teams to help build sustainable, enduring businesses. Through my prior experience in investment banking, I realized I desired to work in an operationally oriented investing role that would allow me to collaborate with many innovative executives, who have often built their companies from the ground up.
What I look forward to the most when I go to work is surrounding myself with many diverse colleagues who come from a variety of backgrounds and professional experiences. I believe one of the most important skills in life is to be willing to listen to and learn from others who have different perspectives and ways of thinking than your own.
I'm a big fan of sports. Having grown up in Kansas City, I find myself one of the few people in New York passionately rooting for the Chiefs, Royals, and the University of Kansas. It's always a goal of mine to make it to a Chiefs game when I'm home for the holidays.
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Member of the Advisory Board of Generation Citizen
- Principal / New York
Jackie Kier focuses on identifying, evaluating, and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies, including NorthStar Anesthesia, Outpatient Imaging Affiliates, and Arietis Health. Prior to Cranemere, Jackie served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the National Economic Council (NEC) at The White House in the Obama Administration. Jackie began her career at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Jefferies & Co. She has an MBA from The Wharton School and an AB from Dartmouth College.
Jackie serves as a member of the Advisory Board of Generation Citizen (a non-profit focused on encouraging civics education and civic participation across all communities) and a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations. She resides in her hometown of New York City with her husband, Casey, and their two sons.
I joined Cranemere because my work in the Obama Administration led me to believe that there is a better way to invest to build long-term economic value for all stakeholders. At the NEC, I was part of the team that studied the negative impact of "corporate short-termism" on the United States' economic competitiveness.
When I learned about Cranemere's unique long-term model, values oriented decision making, and partnership approach with its operating companies, I was excited by the opportunity to invest in a way that can not only garner superior financial results, but also create real, sustainable value for all stakeholders.
When I'm not working, I'm spending time in Central Park with my kids and trying to fit in as many days on the ski slopes as possible.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / New York
Jackson focuses on identifying and evaluating potential acquisitions and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies.
He currently works with the team at Engineered Stone Group and NorthStar Anesthesia. Prior to joining Cranemere, Jackson was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Mergers & Acquisition group at Solomon Partners.
He graduated with high honors from the University of Michigan with a BA in Economics.
When I'm not working, I like to spend time outdoors with my friends and family. Whether it's a hike, playing a pickup basketball game, a round of golf or just going for a walk, being physically active with the people I'm closest to is what I enjoy the most.
What I like best about Cranemere is our differentiated business model of partnering with businesses over a truly long-term horizon. I think it will be beneficial to work with founders and executives with the sole focus of creating sustainable value through strategic initiatives and partnerships.
I'm a big fan of Michigan athletics, especially our football team. My Saturday afternoons were spent cheering for the Maize and Blue while in Ann Arbor, which is something that I have continued to do even after my time at Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Non - Executive Director of Trainline Plc, NCC Group Plc and Mitie Plc Senior Advisor to NewYork - Presbyterian and to MSquared Lasers
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Senior Investment Manager at Railpen
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harley Davidson
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- President of American Financial Group and President of American Money Management Corporation
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal / New York
John has over ten years of experience investing in and advising businesses. He focuses on identifying, evaluating and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies as part of our Industrial team. John works closely with Exemplis and Velocity Vehicle Group, and he serves on the Board of Directors for Crossroads Equipment Lease & Finance and System Pavers.
Prior to Cranemere, John spent several years at Greenbriar Equity Group, a private equity firm focused on investments in the logistics, distribution and transportation sectors. John began his career at Citigroup in its investment banking division. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, with a concentration in Finance.
What I like best about Cranemere is the latitude we have to make decisions without the burden of managing to the traditional private equity timeline. Building great businesses is about a series of long-term, strategic partnerships rather than a narrow focus on managing short-term results.
My most productive habit is starting my day early. I think it's important to carve out "protected" time when so much of the day is over-scheduled. I often find that the first hour or two of quiet time in the morning are more productive than the remaining hours of the day combined.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chief Executive Officer / London, New York
- Chief Executive Officer of Cranemere Retired Partner, CVC Capital Partners
- Retired Partner
Kamil Salame is a retired Partner, CVC Capital Partners, where he oversaw the North American investment activities of CVC Strategic Opportunities, the firm's long-term capital fund, from 2020 to 2022.
From 2009 to 2020, he also served as a Partner and CVC's Global Co-Head of Financial Services and U.S. Head of Financial Services investing. Kamil was a core part of the senior team that built CVC U.S. over the last decade. Among other roles, he served as Co-Chair of the U.S. Advisory Board and Co-Chaired the CVC U.S. weekly private equity new business meeting. Kamil has served on the boards of more than 20 public and private companies globally.
Prior to joining CVC, he was a Partner and Member of the Management Committee at DLJ Merchant Banking, the private equity business of Credit Suisse, where he served in various capacities for over 14 years. Kamil also served as a Principal of DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners and as a member of DLJ's High Yield Group.
Kamil received a B.S. from Georgetown University, an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, where he was an Editor and Fellow of the Columbia Journal of World Business, and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He is admitted to practice law in New York, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C.
The historical figure I most admire most is Abraham Lincoln. All of us know of his great accomplishments. Some of us have read the litany of failures he endured along the way. A reading of his letters debunks the revisionist cynicism. As with King, Ghandi or Mandela in the following century, it was his moral clarity that changed the world.
The causes I care about and support are those which enable people to help themselves. For more than a dozen years, I have been a director of a non-profit which is focused on job skills, sustainable industry and women's economic empowerment in a developing economy. Seeing what people have been able to achieve in difficult circumstances, with even a small amount of help, has been truly inspiring. As an often quoted proverb states, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."
The most important advice I give to others is advice I received while a student in business school, inspired by Bryan Dyson's famous speech: "We are all choosing lives where we will be forced to juggle. The trick to success over the long-term is learning which balls are made of crystal and which ones are made of rubber, recognizing that we will all drop balls from time to time, and choosing to drop the right ones."
Job Titles:
- Financial Controller
- Financial Controller / London
In November 2023, Lisa Thomson joined Cranemere's Finance & Accounting team in London as Financial Controller.
Lisa hails from Edinburgh, and brings with her more than a decade experience in Financial Services Audit , most of which spent at EY in both London and San Francisco offices. She obtained a B.Sc. in Applied Accounting and holds ACCA and CIA qualifications.
I joined Cranemere because of the values of the Company and the team at Cranemere. Throughout the interview process it was clear that the team members are truly aligned with the mission of Cranemere and focused on partnering with businesses to achieve long-term sustainable value creation.
My favorite quote is from Armistead Maupin - ‘You don't have to keep up, dear. You just have to keep open.' I believe that in both personal and professional life it's OK not to know everything, what matters is remaining open to learning from those around us who have different expertise and experience.
When I'm not working I'm listening to music and planning what concerts to go to next. I try to see as much live music as I can, one of the highlights being the many times I was lucky enough to see my favourite band Fleetwood Mac with my Dad over the years.
The most daring thing I've ever done is probably joining EY at 18 directly after high school, though that may be more attributable to naivety than daring!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chief Executive Officer of E. León Jimenes, a Family - Controlled Investment Company
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Head of Alternative Assets at Everest Reinsurance Group
Job Titles:
- Principal
- Principal / Washington, DC
Minesh Mistry has nearly 20 years of experience as an investor and entrepreneur. He focuses on sourcing, evaluating and partnering with companies across healthcare and business services.
Prior to Cranemere, Minesh co-founded a consumer technology business that was named one of Time Inc.'s Top 10 startups in NYC in 2012 and was later acquired by Groupon, where he served on the management team of the company's fastest-growing business line, and a member of Groupon Labs, an internal business incubation team.
Before this, Minesh spent nearly a decade as an investor at General Atlantic, a global growth equity firm, where he focused on investments in healthcare services and technology and helped establish the firm's Silicon Valley office. Minesh began his career at Morgan Stanley in its Healthcare Investment Banking Group.
Minesh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School. He received his Bachelor of Science of Public Health (BSPH) in Environmental Science & Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated with Honors. He resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Emiko, and their two children.
An important piece of advice I received is to think of your comfort zone as bounded by two walls on either side that narrow over time. Unless you actively push against those walls, opportunities for meaningful progress will similarly narrow. Leaning into moments of discomfort and embracing thoughtful risk taking are essential for personal and professional growth.
A favorite quote of mine is Theodore Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena." It is about acknowledging the people who, driven by conviction, pursue a path of courage and action in the face of uncertainty and risk of failure. In the context of my career, the quote captures the tenacious spirit of the entrepreneurs I have had the privilege of working with on "both sides of the table" who through creativity and persistence aspire to build great companies that endure.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Jarf - Deputy President for Investment of Oman Investment Authority
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President / New York
Nick focuses on identifying, evaluating and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies. Prior to Cranemere, Nick was an Associate at Global Infrastructure Partners, where he focused on investments in the transportation and energy infrastructure industries. Nick began his career at Credit Suisse in its Industrials investment banking practice. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Haverford College.
I grew up as one of four boys which is another way of saying I grew up around a lot opinions! As a result of this experience, I learned early on in my life to value diversity of opinion. I make a habit out of absorbing as many different perspectives as I can. It often means that the best part of my day is meeting new people, particularly founders and business owners, learning from their experiences, and expanding my own understanding of the world.
If I weren't in finance, I would probably choose to be a journalist because I am naturally curious and am often consumed by a certain topic or idea. People gain a better understanding and appreciation when important issues and stories are brought to life through good journalism.
When I'm not working, I like to get out of the city with my wife and our flat-coated retriever, Nora. Nora needs a tremendous amount of exercise so you'll frequently find me near a mountain or on the beach. I believe that getting outdoors, often, is the single best thing you can do for your well-being. Our dog would certainly agree.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director / London
Rosario joined Cranemere in 2019 and leads our activities in Europe. He is a member of the Board of the Engineered Stone Group.
Prior to Cranemere, he was a Senior Principal in the Direct Private Equity team at CPP Investments, where he was responsible for the European Industrials and Business Services verticals, and where he led major investments in the technology and information industries as well.
Previously, he worked at First Reserve, AEA Investors - where he worked with Vincent Mai and Chris Mahan, Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity and Goldman Sachs.
Prior to business school, Rosario was a Lieutenant of the Italian Air Force, graduating first in his class from the Italian Air Force Academy, where he was Valedictorian. He received a MSc from Bocconi University's School of Management in Milan and a BA cum laude from Federico II University in Naples.
I have loved airplanes since being a child and I have been enormously lucky to make that part of my previous professional life. That afforded me the privilege to grow up alongside a group of truly extraordinary people in the Italian Air Force - to these days, that experience keeps reminding me of the meaning and power of values-based leadership, and I'm proud of being part of a team at Cranemere that embraces a values-based culture in all facets.
The quality I admire most in others is humility. Nobody has all the answers, nobody can do it all on their own. Humility breeds grit and a growth mindset, it breeds collaboration and teamwork, it breeds generosity and gratefulness: in investing, I believe that all is foundational to courage and conviction, as opposed to reckless risk-taking.
If I weren't in finance I would possibly be teaching, or be involved in education anyways. Education, and particularly some teachers and instructors I've had the fortune to cross paths with, have literally changed my life for the better and opened doors otherwise most improbable. It would be most fulfilling for me to enable the same for many young people.
Job Titles:
- Special Counsel / New York
Sandy has been a corporate lawyer for more than 45 years, serving as a senior partner (New York & London) in a global law firm and general counsel/partner to private equity firms. He has represented public and private corporations, private investment groups and senior executives in connection with various strategic matters and corporate transactions. His practice has focused on private investments, private funds, mergers and acquisitions, and international ventures.
Early in his career, Sandy served as Legal Adviser to the Ethiopian Government and he lived in Addis Ababa for several years. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Harvard Law School.
I joined Cranemere soon after its founding, after many years in the private equity world, because I thought its business plan presented a unique and compelling way to participate in the next generation of private financing activity.
For far too long, too much private capital has focused on short to medium term returns without regard to the obvious benefits of a long term strategy. Einstein noted that compounding is one of the strongest forces in the universe, and I found that concept even more compelling when coupled with a model that allowed capital to grow without the fees, expenses and disruptions of a turnover every few years.
Job Titles:
- Advisor
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice Chairman
- Owners
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President / London
Tim joined Cranemere in 2021 with more than 10 years experience investing in and advising businesses across a variety of industries including technology, healthcare, consumer and industrials. Prior to Cranemere, Tim spent several years at Canadian Pension Plan ("CPP") Investments, where he worked extensively with Rosario Corcione as a member of the Direct Private Equity team, and, prior to that, at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice ("CD&R"). An engineering graduate from Oxford University, Tim started his career in investment banking team at UBS.
I joined Cranemere because I was impressed by the team I would have the opportunity to be part of and because I believe it offers a highly distinctive and attractive alternative to traditional private equity for management teams and founders. With a long-term mindset, Cranemere can take a differentiated view and allow businesses to take the time to make the right investments for the future while not distracting management with continuous sale processes.
I like working with management teams, founders and entrepreneurs because their passion, energy and ambition to succeed is inspiring. I love to see their ingenuity at play as they build a business and execute their strategic vision. It is one of the best parts of my job to be a part of their journey, supporting and enabling them to realize their ambition and reach their full potential.
I think work/life balance is critically important, particularly as an increase in working from home has blurred the lines between the two. I believe a good balance allows me to be a better investor by becoming a more rounded individual through experiences outside of the office, having time to recharge and spending time with my young family.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / New York
Travis focuses on identifying and evaluating potential acquisitions and partnering with Cranemere's operating companies.
He currently works with the team at Outpatient Imaging Affiliates. Prior to joining Cranemere, Travis was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Healthcare Services group at Guggenheim Partners.
He graduated with a B.B.A. in Finance, Accounting and Economics from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
The most daring thing I've done was becoming a canoeing guide in northern Minnesota's Boundary Waters after my freshman year at Wisconsin. Despite a serious lack of prior canoeing/camping experience (my family only went "glamping" semi-frequently growing up), one of my professors urged me to apply for the job as an opportunity to grow by getting out of my comfort zone. She was right. While I had a lot to learn during training, and many of the Boy Scouts I was leading were more experienced than I was, I became confident in my ability to develop new skills, build trust among teams and be successful in challenging new environments.
The work experience that has influenced me the most is my first job at a local custard shop. I started as a busser shortly after I turned 16 and worked my way up to managing the front end of the restaurant by the time I left for college. In addition to hiring and developing many young employees like myself, the owner was extremely generous and invested in making my hometown a great place to live. I saw first-hand how small businesses and their owners can have meaningful impacts on their communities, and I'm excited to work with similar, values-driven entrepreneurs here at Cranemere.
When I'm not working, I'm doing something active, ideally outside. I've been involved in sports for my entire life, playing baseball, football and hockey growing up. While my more recent experience as a canoeing guide in college sparked my interest in camping, canoeing and hiking, it can be challenging to participate in those activities in NYC. More often, I go to the gym, run along the West Side Highway or play basketball with my friends. Either way, I find I bring more focus and energy to my work when I'm physically active on a regular basis.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Founder
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman of the Board of the Juilliard School
- Founder and Chairman / London, New York
- Founder, Chairman and Former Chief Executive Officer of Cranemere Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AEA Investors
Vincent Mai founded Cranemere in 2014 with the goal of creating a private holding company that allows for long-term value creation. Since then, Vincent has assembled a seasoned team of professionals who partner with several companies. Cranemere's unique structure permits it to take a long-term view funding capital investment and acquisitions to accelerate growth and build lasting value for all stakeholders.
Prior to Cranemere, Vincent was CEO and/or Chairman of AEA Investors, a private equity firm founded to make investments on behalf of S.G. Warburg & Co., as well as the Rockefeller, Mellon, and Harriman families. During Vincent's 20+ year tenure, AEA was ranked in the top 10 of 5,600 firms worldwide for the most consistent high performance by research firm Preqin¹. At AEA Vincent served on numerous boards in a period where more than 80% of the value creation was driven by revenue growth and margin improvement. Vincent also served as Chairman of the AEA Mezzanine and Small Business funds.
Vincent is the Chairman of the Board of the Juilliard School. Prior to his position at Julliard, he served as Chairman of the Board of Sesame Workshop, producers of Sesame Street. He also served on several boards including the Council on Foreign Relations, The Carnegie Corporation of New York and the International Center for Transitional Justice.
Vincent Mai, Cranemere's founder, grew up next door to an iconic farm in South Africa called Cranemere, which is home to the national bird, the Blue Crane. Blue Cranes are monogamous birds with long-term pair bonds. The Cranemere farm has operated for seven generations by one family - each generation improving the farm before passing it on to the next. The Seventh Generation Principle, an ancient philosophy from indigenous peoples, refers to ensuring that decisions regarding energy, water and natural resources, are sustainable for seven generations into the future. Our firm is inspired by this philosophy, the Cranemere farm legacy, and the power of private enterprise to steward businesses with enduring values over generations.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Financial Officer / New York
Vivake has 20 years of experience acquiring and building businesses. He joined Cranemere at its founding and, having served in several roles, currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to Cranemere, Vivake worked in management consulting for McKinsey & Company and as an investor in the clean energy, real estate and consumer sectors for Terra Firma Capital Partners and Qatar Holding. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Masters in Engineering from Imperial College, London.
After graduating business school, I spent a year traveling across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. It was an eye-opening life experience, especially for someone like me who'd only been on an airplane a handful of times. This year "on the road" helped me realize that despite language and cultural differences, people all over the world are really quite similar. And most people just want the same things: safety and security, food on the table, the ability to earn money, and the best possible life for their children.
If I weren't in finance I would probably be an architect, because I love buildings from both an aesthetic and a functional point of view. I'm also fascinated by their history, their design, and their purpose and believe that no matter the building, its design has the ability to influence human behaviors and interactions.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Group Finance Director
- Group Finance Director / London
Prior to joining Cranemere, Willem spent eight years at Charterhouse Capital Partners, a leading European private equity firm. As the Deputy Finance Director at Charterhouse, he had responsibility for all fund and company accounting and reporting. Willem also provided support in the structuring, funding and reporting of the portfolio investment structures. Prior to joining Charterhouse, he spent 11 years at the private equity firm Star Capital Partners.
Willem is a chartered accountant (CGMA) and graduated with a Bachelors of Commerce (Mathematics) and a Bachelor of Commerce Honours (Economics) from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
I joined Cranemere because the people, culture and acquisition strategy are aligned. The ambition and passion of the team is evident in everything they do. I felt a good connection from the early conversations I had and this only strengthened as I met more people within the team. Being part of this team on a journey to achieve the firm's vision - creating enduring value over the long term in a sustainable and socially responsible manner - has an intensely exciting energy about it.
My favourite quote is The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. This quote by Jacques-Yves Cousteau is probably the best poetic description of the ocean. For some, the ocean may create fear and stress, but for me, it produces awe and a profound and invigorating peace when I'm near, on, in or under the water.
When I'm not working, I am out in the countryside mountain biking with my family. Otherwise, when there is the opportunity, I will be diving, paddle boarding or surfing.
I can get to know someone best by listening. Personal or professional relationships are built on a foundation of mutual understanding - which means more listening than talking.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Head of Koç Family 's Private Investment Office