Drake Star Partners opens office in San Francisco, 10th globally

Drake Star Partners, an international M&A and corporate finance firm, has opened a new office in tech hub San Francisco, its third in the United States and tenth globally.

Founded in October 2016, by the merger of Redwood Capital and LD&A Jupiter, Drake Star Partners is a global investment banking and financial advisory firm serving the technology, media and communications sectors (TMC).

Drake Star Partners has expanded its global footprint with a new operation in San Francisco, based in an office at 650 California Street. The new wing in the world’s largest technology hub adds to its existing network of offices in New York, London, Paris, Munich, Los Angeles, Berlin, Amsterdam, Geneva and Tokyo.

The expansion is, according to Marc Deschamps, Co-CEO at Drake Star Partners, in line with the firm’s strategy to broaden its coverage in the West Coast. “Our San Francisco office launch is undoubtedly a show of confidence, which we believe to be backed by our deep sector expertise and established cross-border dealmaking capability. The office not only offers further reach to leading Bay Area investors and acquirers, extending our international operations, but also offers our differentiated M&A services for local growth and middle-market tech companies.”

Office head: Mark Bradt

To lead the San Francisco office, Drake Star Partners have brought in Mark Bradt, formerly a Director in Houlihan Lokey’s technology and media investment banking practice based in the firm’s San Francisco office, and previously a member of the firm’s European Corporate Finance practice in London. Before that, Bradt held several other roles in technology-focused investment banking groups, notably at ArchPoint Partners and J.P. Morgan Chase.

“I am thrilled to join a global firm offering such a strong focus in technology, media and communications. I feel privileged to be driving the firm’s operations in San Francisco, and look forward to deepening relationships with investors and corporates in the local market,” Bradt commented on his new challenge.

Gregory Bedrosian, Co-CEO at Drake Star Partners, added: “We are very pleased to have Mark Bradt lead our new San Francisco office. He not only brings over 16 years of experience advising on M&A and corporate finance transactions for clients around the globe, he also brings a valuable network of relationships from the Bay Area along with crucial local knowledge.”

Earlier this year Drake Star Partners bolstered its New York office with the appointment of Bob Ennis as a Partner.