Arma Partners adds new partner to team

Arma Partners has hired Ron Pillar as a partner. In his new role, Pillar will run the firm’s New York’s operations. Previously, Pillar was the founder and head of Pillar Capital Advisors, a M&A advisory firm.

PRESS RELEASE

Arma Partners (“Arma”), a leading independent Communications, Media and Technology (“CMT”) focused M&A advisory firm, today announces the strengthening of its global advisory capabilities with the appointment of Ron Pillar as our partner spearheading the New York operations. Working closely with Arma’s established U.S. team in New York and Palo Alto, Ron will enhance the firm’s North American business. He begins his role at Arma immediately.

Ron has over 20 years of investment banking experience in the CMT sector and during his career has advised on deals worth over $50 billion, with a particular specialisation in Software and Communications Technology. Prior to starting his role at Arma, Ron headed up Pillar Capital Advisors (“Pillar Capital”), the independent, technology-focused M&A advisory firm he founded in January 2014. During his two years leading Pillar Capital, Ron advised on deals including the sales of Teamviewer to Permira and Shunra to Hewlett-Packard. Prior to this, Ron was a Managing Director at Sagent Advisors and before that was the head of J.P. Morgan’s Technology Investment Banking Group, advising on mandates including the spin-off of Teradata from NCR, the NeuStar IPO and the merger of Lucent and Alcatel. Ron was with J.P. Morgan for 9 years. He received a BSE from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.

Pratik Patel, a founding member of Pillar Capital, will join Arma as a Managing Director, also based in New York. Specialising in Enterprise Software and Internet / Digital Media, Pratik has executed over $15 billion in technology M&A and capital raising transactions during his 15-year career as an Investment Banker. Prior to Pillar Capital, Pratik was a Managing Director at Gridley & Company and a technology banker at J.P. Morgan, with a focus on Enterprise Software and Emerging Enterprise Digital Technologies. Pratik received a BSc in Biochemistry and BA in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh and Northwestern University respectively.

Paul Guély, Founder and Managing Partner at Arma Partners, commented: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Ron Pillar and Pratik Patel. I have known Ron for a number of years and have no doubt that his extensive domain expertise, long-standing client relationships and transaction execution experience will prove to be a significant addition to that of our senior team. Our clients require and expect from Arma the best quality of advice, informed by a comprehensive understanding of trends in the technology sector. Ron’s appointment is fully consistent with these expectations and will further strengthen the firm’s cross-border advisory capabilities and its access to the leading companies and financial sponsors in the sector.”

Ron Pillar commented: “Arma has an outstanding transaction track record and a first-class reputation for delivering consistently high standards of M&A execution in the CMT sector and I’m extremely pleased to be joining as Arma’s partner leading its New York operations. In an increasingly global, borderless industry, the breadth and depth of Arma’s international network will be highly complementary to the independent advice I will continue to provide to clients. I look forward to working with Paul and the rest of the team to help the firm grow its activities, both in the U.S. and throughout other established and emerging technology markets.”

About Arma Partners
· Established in 2003, Arma Partners is a global Communications, Media & Technology M&A advisory firm with offices in London, New York and Palo Alto and affiliates in İstanbul, São Paulo, Sydney, Tel Aviv and Tokyo.

Arma works with a wide range of clients including start-ups, established market leaders, Venture Capital and Private Equity investors and large publicly-listed companies.

· It advises clients on public and private mergers, acquisitions, divestments and recapitalisations.
· Arma Partners LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England No OC307424.

· US Arma Partners LP is regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and is a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC).

· www.armapartners.com