VLADIMIR BREYTER, MANAGING DIRECTOR
Prior to joining TAP in 2011, Mr. Breyter1 worked at a number of middle-market private equity firms based in the United States and Europe. Mr. Breyter started his career in the Financial Sponsors Group of JP Morgan where he covered large-cap and middle-market private equity funds. While at JP Morgan, Mr. Breyter worked on number of transactions spanning a wide array of industries, including notable transactions such as the $33 billion buyout of HCA.
Mr. Breyter earned his MBA from the William E. Simon Graduate School at the University of Rochester. Additionally, he graduated cum laude from the University of Rochester with a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Computer Science. Mr. Breyter is conversant in Russian.
JAMES FLICKER , MANAGING DIRECTOR
James Flicker1 has more than 25 years of investment banking experience. Before joining TAP Advisors, he ran the Forest Products and Packaging groups at DC Advisory, Greenhill and Citigroup. He also spent almost eight years at UBS in the Forest Products group. He started his career as an II-ranked Equity Research Analyst at Lehman Brothers. In addition to an MBA from Fordham University, James holds a BA from the University of Vermont where he sits on the Board of the Grossman School of Business and co-teaches a class. Since 1995, James has been a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts. He lives in Fairfield, CT with his wife and three children.
CHRIS GAERTNER , VICE CHAIRMAN and HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY
Mr. Gaertner1 has 30 years of experience in underwriting, advising, and mergers and acquisitions for many leading technology companies. Prior to TAP, Mr. Gaertner was Vice Chairman and Global Head of Technology Investment Banking for Rothschild & Co. Mr. Gaertner previously held the position of Global Head of Corporate Finance for Technology Investment Banking for Credit Suisse. Mr. Gaertner has also been the Head of Technology Investment Banking for Merrill Lynch & Co and Bank of America. Mr. Gaertner has advised on over 100 equity and M&A transactions, including leading some of the largest deals in technology, including IPOs for companies such as Google and OpenTable.
He holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an MS in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a CFA. He served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army with the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, and 1st Special Operations Command.
ANDREW KRAMER , MANAGING DIRECTOR, HEAD OF RESTRUCTURING & CAPITAL ADVISORY
Prior to joining TAP, Andrew Kramer1 was a Managing Director at UBS focused on Restructuring and Capital Advisory. Prior to joining UBS, Mr. Kramer held similar roles at Greenhill, Credit Suisse and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Mr. Kramer has advised a variety of stakeholders in restructuring and capital markets transactions, including companies, creditors, and equity constituents. His experience includes engagements across a wide range of industries including energy, power, healthcare, media, technology, gaming & leisure, and general industrial concerns.
Mr. Kramer has an M.B.A from Columbia Business School and a B.A. in Economics from Brown University.
TOBY PEARCE , MANAGING DIRECTOR - LONDON
Prior to joining TAP, Mr. Pearce2 was a Managing Director in the TMT Group at Houlihan Lokey in London. Mr. Pearce has over 20 years’ investment banking experience predominantly focused on M&A/advisory and capital markets in the Telecom/Communications and surrounding industries including Cloud/IT Managed Services. He was formerly Head of Media & Telecom at Houlihan Lokey, EMEA, and was previously at Rothschild in London and Hong Kong, where he was Head of Telecom, Greater China. He began his career as a corporate lawyer at CMS in London, following which he joined HSBC’s equity capital markets team in London, and then moved into corporate finance/M&A at HSBC. He has extensive experience in the initiation, structuring and managing of often complex transactions in the sector, including some situations involving high leverage
Mr. Pearce holds an LLB from the London School of Economics and was a practicing Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales.
JEREMY SMITH, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Ms. Smith is in charge of all administrative and operational aspects of the Company.
Prior to joining TAP, Ms. Smith1 was a Vice President of Acquisitions and Real Estate Development for the Athena Group, where she analyzed real estate investments for Athena’s private equity fund and assisted in managing large real estate development projects in both the Las Vegas and Washington DC areas. Ms. Smith began her career at Prudential Securities working as an Analyst in the Consumer Investment Banking Group, followed by Deutsche Bank as an Analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group as a generalist, and Morgan Stanley in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group and MSREF fund as a Summer Associate. After receiving her MBA, she joined the New York City Economic Development Corporation where she was an Assistant Vice President managing large-scale real estate development projects for the City of New York, including the new Yankee Stadium and Queens West in Long Island City, and spearheading economic development initiatives throughout the boroughs of Queens and the Bronx.
Ms. Smith graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Economics and received an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.
PHILIP SMITH, MANAGING DIRECTOR, HEAD OF INDUSTRIALS
Prior to joining TAP, Mr. Smith2 was the EMEA Head of Industrials at Nomura in London. Mr. Smith has over 20 years of investment banking experience in the global Industrials sector, across a range of acquisitions, divestment and capital raisings, with a focus on Capital Goods and Automotive companies. He has previously worked for Moelis and Company as a Managing Director and EMEA Head of Industrials in London, and was a Managing Director in Citigroup’s Industrial Group having worked in both London and New York. He began his career with Deloitte in London where he qualified as a chartered accountant.
Mr. Smith received his BSc in Engineering Science from Durham University and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.