PARTNERS FOR GROWTH - Key Persons
Andrew enjoys partnering with business leaders to structure and monitor the funding requirements of high growth businesses and brings a range of skills including financial analysis, transaction management and performance monitoring to the team at PFG. Andrew draws on his experience across corporate finance, financial restructuring and management advisory.
Prior to joining PFG in 2019, Andrew worked for KordaMentha advising clients on issues ranging from financial restructuring, sale transactions, recapitalizations and business turnaround initiatives to improve cash flow and working capital management. Prior to KordaMentha he worked as a Management Consultant at WS &Associates.
Andrew is a Chartered Accountant with Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Applied Finance from Macquarie University.
Andrew Kahn - CEO, Managing Director
Andrew co-founded Partners for Growth with Don Campbell in 2004 and has been structuring custom financing for technology companies for the past 35 years.
Prior to forming PFG, Andrew and Don together managed Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty Finance (HQGF), the lending practice of San Francisco technology focused investment bank Hambrecht & Quist. Andrew held a variety of senior roles during his tenure at Hambrecht & Quest including General Partner of Access Technology Partners (a venture capital fund), a Managing Director of the H&Q Investment Bank, and President of HQGF.
Following Hambrecht & Quist's acquisition by Chase and merger with JP Morgan, Andrew was a General Partner with JP Morgan's buyout and growth equity practice, JP Morgan Partners. He also managed two of the firm's venture capital funds totaling over $400 million of invested capital. Earlier in his career, Andrew was a Manager at the Massachusetts Industrial Finance Agency where he had responsibility for bond financings to small businesses as well as managing the firm's direct lending program.
Andrew holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan.
Armineh focuses on sourcing and structuring new transactions and working with current portfolio companies. Armineh joined PFG in 2017, bringing her background as an operating executive at several Bay Area technology companies and previous investment experience working with Don and Andrew at Hambrecht & Quist and JP Morgan Partners. Armineh co-leads PFG's fintech and asset backed structured credit activities globally, and focuses the firms efforts in the EMEA region.
Prior to joining PFG, Armineh was CFO/COO for Solinea, Inc., a consulting organization providing open infrastructure services to Fortune 1000 enterprises. Prior to that, she was the CFO for Treq Labs, Inc., and oversaw the company's successful acquisition by Sonus Networks. Before that, she was Co-Founder and CFO of Vello Systems, Inc. where she was responsible for financial planning, treasury, tax, international accounting and all other operational and finance functions.
Armineh holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- General Counsel to PFG
Ben has served as General Counsel to PFG since the inception of PFG in 2004. Ben brings experience from large firm practice in securities and banking to boutique firm experience focused in general corporate practice, as well as handling a banking, finance and transactional practice in Asia.
Prior to PFG, Ben was General Counsel for the ChinaVest group of private equity Funds based in San Francisco and Hong Kong, where he handled the documentation transactions in the U.S. and greater China. Previously, Ben held CEO roles at a technology company and a telecommunications service company. Ben also handled venture finance matters on an outside counsel basis for Hambrecht & Quist and JP Morgan Chase after its acquisition of H&Q, along with many technology clients through his years of practice.
Ben holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley Law School.
Don Campbell co-founded Partners for Growth in 2004 and serves as a Senior Advisor to the firm. Don co-founded PFG's predecessor firm Hambrecht & Quist Guaranty Finance (HQGF) in 1985, serving as its Chief Executive Officer until 2001. From January 2002, Don has been serving as Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Finance Management, LLC, a company formed to manage HQGF under contract with JP Morgan Chase through March 2006, and then under contract to Guaranty Finance Investors, a firm formed to purchase the HQGF assets from JP Morgan Chase.
Mr. Campbell has extensive experience in corporate finance, as a financial analyst and a financial planner, and has served as a Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer and Director of a number of NASDAQ, New York Stock Exchange, and Bermuda, London, New Zealand and Australia stock exchange companies. Mr. Campbell was a founder and principal of Memorex Finance Company and Sequoia Capital Corp., both of which specialized in financing computer equipment and systems.
Don holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska, and a Master's in Business Administration from Stanford University.
Finn joined the PFG team in Sydney in 2020 to focus on portfolio management, origination and reviewing new investment opportunities. Prior to joining PFG full time he worked as an intern and graduate analyst with the company while finishing his studies.
Finn holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales with Distinction.
Geoff focuses on sourcing and structuring new transactions for PFG, working with companies across the U.S. and Latin America. Geoff joined PFG in 2012 with a background in corporate transactions and strategic advisory, bringing a range of analytical experience and expertise to the PFG team and oversees the firms portfolio management activities.
Prior to joining PFG, Geoff worked in the Economic & Valuation Services group at KPMG with engagements in M&A, restructuring, and corporate strategy across a variety of industries. He also worked as a management consultant for technology companies with Keystone Strategy and has experience with economic and financial research groups.
Geoff received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University and a Master's focusing in International Finance from Columbia University.
Jason has spent over 17 years working with technology and growth companies and has developed a passion for helping entrepreneurial companies succeed. Jason has played an integral role in all aspects of the PFG business since the foundation of the firm in 2004. Jason is based in Sydney, Australia and helps lead the firm's activities globally.
Jason relocated from the Bay Area to Sydney in 2016 to lead PFG's activities in APAC after a decade of transaction experience in Australia and countless transpacific flights. Jason managed the launch of PFG's business in Australia to ensure the PFG philosophies and execution strategies are core to PFG's APAC activities. Prior to joining PFG, Jason provided financing for technology and life science companies at Silicon Valley Bank in San Francisco.
Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and a Master's degree from the University of Oxford.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Fund Controller
Jing is responsible for operations and reporting, as well as the administrative functions of PFG. Jing joined the PFG team in 2020 and brings experience in private equity and asset management operational experience.
Prior to joining PFG, Jing worked at Asia Alternatives, an Asia focused private equity fund of funds for more than 5 years.
Jing holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of California, Santa Cruz and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Head of Business Development and Investor Relations
John manages investor relations, marketing, and channel management to help PFG continue to enhance its decades long relationship with Silicon Valley Bank. John joined PFG in 2017 and brings experience in alternative assets, credit trading and banking.
Prior to PFG, John was a Director and Product Specialist in Sales & Marketing at Passport Capital. Prior to Passport, John worked at Barclays in New York as a portfolio manager and credit trader for the bank's principal loan business, after beginning his career in investment banking.
John holds a Bachelor of Science from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Julia focuses on sourcing deals and working with existing portfolio companies with operations in Latin America. Julia joined PFG in 2022, bringing her background in operating her own company in Brazil, working for a tech unicorn in the Bay Area, and banking experience at Silicon Valley Bank.
Before joining PFG, Julia was at Silicon Valley Bank, where she led the bank's LATAM efforts, managing a client portfolio including startups and venture capital funds. During that time, Julia was part of the team launching the LATAM Growth Lending Fund in July 2020, a joint venture between PFG, SVB, and IDB Invest.
Julia holds a bachelor's degree in business from Ibmec, Brazil. Julia is also one of the founding members and serves as an adviser for Latinas in Tech.
Karthi joined PFG in 2016 to launch and grow PFG's Asia Pacific business based in Sydney, Australia. Karthi focuses on sourcing, negotiating, closing and monitoring transactions for growth stage companies, leading PFG's activities across Australia and Asia.
Prior to joining PFG, Karthi co-founded Health Live, a healthcare technology group in Sydney and managed healthcare private equity investments at Evolution Healthcare Partners. Previously, Karthi worked in investment banking with Macquarie Capital and Credit Suisse across Australasia and Asia, providing M&A and capital raising advice to healthcare, technology and financial services businesses. It was during this time that Karthi met Jason Georgatos and the PFG team, and together worked on one of PFG's earliest financing transactions in Australia.
Karthi holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Law and Finance from the University of Oxford.
Kate joined PFG during the latter part of 2020 as a part of our Finance team. Prior to PFG, Kate worked at a fund administrator firm for about ten years, primarily serving hedge funds, venture capital funds, private equity funds, management companies and other entities in the asset management space. Prior to that, she worked at Ernst & Young's Manila and San Francisco offices. She was a Manager in the Assurance Services in the Financial Services Office.
Kate holds a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from Saint Louis University, Philippines and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive), both in the U.S. and the in Philippines.
Job Titles:
- Director of Compliance
- Key Member of the PFG Team since the Launch
Kathy has been a key member of the PFG team since the launch of our second fund in 2006, and currently serves as PFG's Director of Compliance. Prior to joining PFG, Kathy worked in the media industry for ten years.
Kathy attended San Diego State University, 1986-1989 and San Francisco State University, 1989-1991.
Lisa joined PFG in 2020 and focuses on accounting for the management company. Her prior professional experience includes fund accounting at Blum Capital Partners, Top Sight Capital Management, Bowman Capital Management, and Marin Capital Partners. Lisa took a leave from the workforce in 2015 and joined PFG to continue her professional career.
Lisa began her career in public accounting at Deloitte and then at Ernst & Young in San Francisco. Lisa left Ernst & Young as an audit senior in the Assurance Practice, where she focused on serving hedge fund and venture capital clients.
Max Penel - Chief Investment Officer
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Investment Director
Max joined the PFG team in Sydney in 2017 with a focus on marketing, identifying and structuring investment opportunities, and portfolio management. Max co-leads PFG's fintech and asset backed structured credit activities globally. Prior to joining PFG, Max worked in Corporate Finance at KPMG. His work at KPMG spanned across valuations, mergers and acquisitions, infrastructure and projects, and debt advisory services. Previously, Max taught at the University of Sydney in the Business School and founded several small businesses in Australia and China.
Max holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney with Distinction and Post-Graduate Diploma in Languages (Mandarin) from the University of Sydney with Distinction.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Fund Controller
Natalie has been with PFG and its predecessor firm, HQGF, since 1991. Natalie handles much of the accounting and bookkeeping functions for PFG. Prior to joining HQGF, she worked with a Broker/Dealer Clearing Firm and Insurance Adjusters Company.
Natalie holds a Bachelor of Science from San Francisco State University.
Richard joined the team in 2021 with a focus on sourcing, evaluating and structuring investment opportunities for high-growth companies in the fintech space. Richard is also involved in the monitoring and management of existing transactions and portfolio companies. Prior to joining PFG, Richard worked in the Strategic Investments team at Westpac Banking Group with a focus on venture investing and new business development in the fintech space. Richard also worked at KPMG on the Corporate Finance team, specialising in debt advisory, structured credit and impact investing and founded two businesses whilst studying at university.
Richard holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics from the University of Sydney and is pursuing a Masters of Behavioural Economics from the University of Technology Sydney.
Victor Ng - CFO, Chief Compliance Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Chief Financial Officer
Victor joined PFG in 2020 and brings extensive private equity and asset management operational experience. Victor leads the Finance team at PFG, responsible for operations and reporting, compliance, as well as the administrative functions of PFG. Prior to PFG, Victor worked at a large private equity firm's Oakland Office, primarily responsible for the firm's general partnership financial accounting and reporting. Victor also worked at Asia Alternatives, an Asia focused private equity fund of funds for more than 8 years, first as Financial Controller and later as the Director of Finance.
Victor began his career in public accounting at Ernst & Young in San Francisco and worked at Ernst & Young's San Francisco and Hong Kong Offices. Victor left Ernst & Young as a Senior Manager in the Assurance Practice of their Financial Services Office, where he primarily focused on serving private equity, venture capital and hedge funds.
Victor holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Will joined the PFG team in 2021 and is responsible for identifying, structuring, and executing investment opportunities. Additionally, Will assists the PFG team with various portfolio management responsibilities. Prior to joining PFG, Will worked in the Debt Capital Markets Group at Citizens Bank, where he supported corporate and private equity-backed issuers to execute leveraged buyouts, M&A, and other opportunistic transactions through syndicated debt financings across the bank and institutional loan markets.
Will holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.