Senior and Support Level Additions to Expand M&A Advisory
Progress Partners, a Boston and New York-based corporate M&A advisory firm, is pleased to announce the additions of Managing Director Chris Karl, Senior Analyst Sameer Patel, and Analyst Brent Mackman to the firm. These key hires reflect a need to meet the growing demand for the firm’s services within the Internet, Digital Media, and broader Technology sector. “We are extremely pleased with the continued momentum of the firm,” noted Sam Thompson, senior managing director of Progress Partners. “Chris, Sameer, and Brent all bring valuable and unique experience to the team. Their respective tallents will help the firm as we continue to bolster our capacity to manage mandates on both our buy-side and sell-side advisory practice."
Chris Karl joins Progress Partners after spending the past six months as an Executive in Residence with the firm. Chris brings over twenty years of commercial and leadership experience in digital media sales, strategy, advertising technology, data, and marketing to Progress Partners. He is a digital native and has driven change and innovation into the marketplace in a wide variety of areas that have been sources for significant growth and maturation of the digital advertising ecosystem. Earlier in his career, Chris led sales teams, served as a business unit GM, or held business development roles at Yahoo!, MTV Networks, and Alloy Media. He has developed marketing solutions and custom products across all media types (Broadcast, Print, Indoor/Outdoor, Digital, Mobile) while working with marketers like Procter and Gamble, Kraft, Pepsi, IBM, Ford, GM, and Verizon. Chris recently served as interim CEO of VertaMedia bringing a newly developed video header ad serving solution to direct publishers and launching a new company called AdTelligent. For the past several years he has been a vocal advocate for enabling publisher technology independence and transparency of markets, creating optimal pathways for data-driven marketers.
Chris also serves on the Boards of independent luxury travel publisher AGH Travel and location data provider Performance. He is a long-time member of the IAB and frequent speaker at Videonuze, Brand Innovators, Mediapost, and different digital media trade organizations.
Sameer Patel joins progress partners as an analyst from Glencore Ltd, where he worked as an analyst on the FP&A and Financial reporting team. Before that, Sameer worked at PwC as a Tax Associate for Asset and Wealth Management clients. He supports M&A and private placement engagements by conducting market and financial research, developing deal marketing material, and supporting the Managing Directors with business development opportunities. Patel will leverage his tax due diligence, tax structuring, and tax consulting services background working alongside the managing directors to support corporate, business, and investment valuation and analysis and assist with planning and executing client M&A and private placement engagements for the firm. He has passed all three CFA exams and is currently gaining the work experience to become a CFA charter holder. Sameer graduated from Boston University in 2015, Magna Cum Laude, with degrees in Finance, Economics, and Accounting.
Brent Mackman has transitioned to a full-time analyst at Progress Partners in New York after completing a spring internship with the firm in June 2018. Brent also interned at Progress Partners during the 2017 summer, assisting in the creation of proposals, briefings, and memorandums. Previously, Brent held an intern position at Charles Schwab where he was in charge of creating and maintaining customer accounts. Brent graduated from Bentley University with a B.S. in Corporate Finance and Accounting.
About Progress Partners
Progress Partners is a Boston and New York-based M&A advisory firm working with emerging technology companies within media, marketing, advertising sectors, serving SMB through Enterprise. Progress Partners works with buyers and sellers of high growth companies to complete M&A transactions, raise debt or equity capital, as well as, develop and implement strategic growth plans. The firm's high standards of excellence, deep industry experience, extensive network, and entrepreneurial background give Progress Partners the ability to build and realize superior value for its clients. Securities offered by Applied Capital, LLC, member of FINRA and SIPC. For more information, please visit www.progresspartners.com.
