Partners, Managing Directors and Directors

Alex Minn
Non-Executive Chairman
Alex has more than 25 years experience advising corporate finance clients in Europe and North America, with a focus on the Technology, Media and Telecommunication sectors. Prior to joining Venero Capital Advisors as Chairman, he held senior positions at RBC Capital Markets, Oppenheimer and Morgan Stanley. He has executed more than 70 transactions across M&A and capital raising and has been responsible for maintaining senior coverage of key client relationships across continents. Alex started his career at Bloomberg and is a New York University Stern School of Business alumnus.

Georgios Markakis
Managing Partner
With more than 25 years of experience, Georgios carries an accomplished track record in deal origination and execution, financial analysis, due diligence, strategic review and valuation. He has advised numerous clients on more than $50 billion worth of M&A (buy-side, sell-side, defence), equity financing / IPOs, high yield and investment grade debt financing transactions. Prior to founding Venero Capital Advisors, Georgios spent 8 years at Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley covering public and private mid- and large-cap clients both in the UK and continental Europe. In the early 2000's he worked at KPMG as management consultant. He began his career at Merrill Lynch in New York. Georgios has a BSc. Electrical & Computer Engineering and MSc. Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, and an MBA (finance and accounting) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

George Galanopoulos
Partner, Corporate Finance
George has 20+ years of corporate finance and business strategy experience, with over 40 completed M&A deals. Before Venero, he was Director of M&A at Rothschild & Co. where he advised private and public clients in the UK and continental Europe on M&A, strategy, and equity and debt financing, including major cross-border acquisitions by Chinese, Japanese and US investors. His areas of particular sector expertise include Automotive, Building Materials, Engineering, Energy retail and Technology more broadly. George is also currently a Senior Advisor for Frost & Sullivan and holds board positions in a number of technology start-ups in London. George graduated with an MSc (distinction) in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics.

Lefteris Bibakis
Partner, Growth Stage Financing & Investments​
Lefteris has extensive experience in business development, international operations and capital raising with a professional career in London-based consulting and investment banking firms. He focuses on equity and debt financing for early and growth-stage technology ventures, real estate and hospitality across Central and Eastern Europe. He holds a masters degree in finance from LSE and focuses on early stage investment opportunities. 

Argyris Chatzilias
Managing Director, Debt, Capital and Treasury Advisory​
Argyris has 18 years’ experience in origination, structuring, execution of financing solutions and management roles in Global Corporate and Investment Banking. Before joining Venero Capital Advisors, he was EMEA Director and Head of Financial Sponsors at HSBC Global Banking and Markets in London. He has completed 80+ deals worth $20bn+ in corporate lending, leveraged finance, private placements, high yield, debt and equity capital markets, ESG finance, working capital and corporate treasury solutions for Mid-Market and Global Corporate clients.

Michael Goodwin
Managing Director, N. America​
Michael carries more than 30 years experience in strategy, M&A, capital raising and operations for high-growth SaaS and tech-enabled businesses. He has an accomplished track record advising businesses in the HR Tech space as well as hands-on operational experience. Michael was co-founder of WinRock HR and has also held senior executive positions at ExtraHop and SoftNAS. While Partner at Ephor Group, he was responsible for capital market activity, including buy-side sourcing for institutional investors and growth capital for clients. Michael holds an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a BA in Economics (Hons.) from the University of Texas at Austin.

Thierry Vanbever
Managing Director, European Coverage
With more than 30 years of experience, Thierry is a highly regarded M&A and corporate development practitioner with a deep focus on HR Technology and Payroll Services. Prior to Venero, Thierry spent 15 years at SD Worx, one of Europe's largest providers of People Solutions, most recently as Director of M&A and Alliances, and Managing Director International, responsible for the development of SD Worx across key European markets. Thierry holds a BS in Applied Economics from Université Catholique de Louvain.

Marc Garrido
Head of French Coverage​
Marc has over 35 years of professional experience in the HRIS industry, where he has held positions at organisations including ADP, IBM and HR access Solutions (Fidelity Investment). His entrepreneurial experience includes acquiring ICRH Group, growing it by 3x and subsequently selling it to HR Path. For a period of 7 years, he supported HR Path with fund raising, acquisitions and integrations, organic growth, organisational transformations, strategic partnerships and international development. He remains a strategic advisor to both early stage and established players of the HRIS industry in France and in Europe. Marc holds a Masters degree in Social Sciences from IGS Paris (Institut de Gestion Sociale).

Diana Markaki
Partner, ESG and Impact Investing​
Diana is an international M&A lawyer with extensive experience advising major organisations on debt and equity raising, IPOs & rights issues, mergers and acquisitions, project financing and corporate restructuring. ESG and impact investing. Prior to joining Venero she was Group Head of Asset Management at gategroup. Diana has held leadership positions at the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, a project of significant geopolitical importance, specialising on Environmental, Social and corporate Governance, regulatory matters and compliance. She is also independent board member and Chair of the Audit Committee of 5G Ventures. Diana holds a Law Degree and LLM in International Law from the University of Athens, School of Law, and an Executive MBA from Harvard Business School.

Charles Bedard
Director, Corporate Finance​
Charles has more than 20 years of corporate finance and M&A experience, specializing on Human Resources and HR Technology. Prior to Venero, Charles was principal partner at Ephor Group where he led the firm's Growth Practice and specialized in corporate development for emerging BPOs and tech-enabled businesses. Charles is a certified Exit Planning advisor and a member of the AM&AA. He holds a BA in Business from Southwestern University and an MBA from Texas Christian University - M.J. Neeley School of Business.

Advisors

Richard Fidler
Strategy and Corporate Finance
Richard has more than 20 years of experience having worked at UBS, NM Rothschild and Deutsche Bank advising corporates on M&A, capital raising and strategic issues, and was seconded to HM Government to prepare the Royal Mail for its IPO. Richard is an independent member of the endowment investment committee of Hertford College, Oxford University, since 2009 and was elected an associate member of the Senior Common Room of Hertford College in 2016. He graduated from Oxford University with a top first class honours degree in Economics and Management, and also holds a Masters in Finance from London Business School.

Sameer Merchant
Research, Bank @ Work and Financial Services​
Sameer has almost a decade’s experience in Equity Research at Goldman Sachs and Barclays, as well as at mid market and boutique research firms Peel Hunt and Atlantic Equities. He has covered stocks with market capitalisation ranging from $50 million to more than $100 billion across the US, Europe and MENA regions. Sameer brings in-depth knowledge of sectors including Fintech, Payments and the Bank @ Work ecosystem.

Swastik Nigam​
Growth and Private Equity Investments
Swastik has more than 17 years experience as a Multi-Asset Trader and Portfolio Manager. He has worked at Deutsche Bank's Asset & Wealth Management and Global Markets divisions, managing investments in private markets and leveraging bespoke financing structures, balance-sheet optimisation, securitisation and risk mitigation for clients ranging from pension funds to UHNWIs. He has also been closely involved in early stage and growth equity investing as an advisor and investor in a curated list of fintech, prop-tech, healthcare and mobility enterprises. Swastik is a Member of the Multicultural Professional Forum in the House of Lords and chairs the UK charity IIM-A Alumni London. He has a Certificate in Quantitative Finance, a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering from Mumbai University and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Matthias Bartholdi
DACH Relationship Management
Matt supports Venero's business development activities in Switzerland and the broader DACH region. He is an experienced C-Level Manager, Board Member/President and Lawyer with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology, telecommunication and utility industry. Skilled in Finance, Corporate Law, IT Law, Intellectual Property, Management, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Corporate Governance.

Nick Giannakakis​
Technology and Innovation
Nick is Group CIO at Motor Oil and is responsible for defining and executing the digital transformation strategy that will enable the company to achieve its growth targets. Prior to that he was Chief Technology Officer at British American Tobacco, where he set up the company's World Class Centre of Excellence and has been a key contributor to its global IT transformation programme. Nick has also held senior positions at luxury goods conglomerate Richemont, where he focused on digital transformation and the establishment of the company's omni-channel commercial model, Coca Cola and SAP. Nick holds an executive MBA from IMD and MIT Sloan.

Eric Baron
Technology, Media, Telecom and Broadcasting​
Over the last 25 years Eric has launched, built, expanded, rationalised and transformed Technology, Media and Telecom businesses organically and via M&A into regional and global sector market leaders. Until 2016 he was Head of EMEIA - TV and Media at Ericsson after serving as EVP of Ericsson’s Compression Business Line. Prior to that he was President of EMEIA at TANDBERG Television, a provider of award-winning advanced compression systems and on-demand content distribution solutions. Eric holds an MBA from Institut Supérieur de Gestion in Paris and degrees in Economics, Management and International Business from Universities in Tokyo and San Francisco. 

Nicholas Konstantinides
Corporate Law
Nicholas is a corporate lawyer at KPMG UK, seasoned in both Anglo-American and Continental law and brings a wealth of experience in regulatory, transactional and tax structuring matters. He has structured numerous cross-border transactions in CEE & SEE and has advised clients on acquisitions, divestitures, JVs, new market entries and business restructurings. Nicholas has practised for Ernst & Young and PotamitisVekris law firm. He was general counsel for the Funds & Asset Managers Association and special counsel for the Greek Capital Markets Authority. He began his career at the law firm of Pillsbury Winthrop in New York City. Nicholas holds an LL.B. from Greenwich University Law School, a PGCert in Chinese Investment Laws from Hong Kong University, an LL.M. in Capital Markets from Duke Law School and an LL.M. in Taxation from Athens University Business School.