Management Team
Christophe CharlierChairman and Chief Executive Officer
Christophe Charlier is an international financier with 30 years of experience in investment banking, private equity and international management. Throughout his career he has acted as a principal or advised on a number of landmark transactions in the telecom, financial services, natural resources, energy and sports and entertainment industries across developed and emerging markets. These experiences have enabled him to develop strong, personal relations with private equity and public market investors and senior management at private equity and investments banks in the United States and Europe, which will be critical to our firm’s efforts to identify and evaluate targets and negotiate a business combination on attractive terms.
Mr. Charlier has extensive public market and SPAC experience, currently serving as an independent director of Tavia Acquisition Corp., a SPAC seeking to consummate a business combination, and La Française de l’Energie, a publicly held French clean energy production company, as well as having served as an independent director of Oxus Acquisition Corp., which successfully completed a business combination in February 2024.
Mr. Charlier served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Renaissance Capital, an investment bank specialized in emerging and frontier markets, from April 2017 to March 2020. As Chairman, Mr. Charlier coordinated the work of Renaissance Capital’s board of directors and oversaw strategic development, the global brand, and relationships with key clients and stakeholders globally.
Previously, Mr. Charlier served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Onexim Group, a private investment fund founded by Mikhail Prokhorov in Moscow from September 2008 to June 2014. In this capacity, he served on the boards of directors of several of Russia’s largest companies, some of which were listed on international exchanges, and on the boards of several mid-size companies and startups in Onexim’s portfolio.
Mr. Charlier also acted as Chairman and Alternate Governor of the NBA’s Nets franchise from 2010 to 2014, the team’s last two seasons in New Jersey and its first two in Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He remained as a director of the Nets and Barclays Center until Mr. Prokhorov’s sale of both to Joe Tsai in 2018 and 2019.
From February 2002 to March 2004, Mr. Charlier was Director of Strategic development and M&A of Norilsk Nickel, a publicly held Russian company, where, among other transactions and developments, he led its acquisition of strategic stakes in Stillwater Mining Company and Gold Fields. He also actively participated in the acquisitions which led to the creation of Polyus Gold, Russia’s largest gold company.
Mr. Charlier started his investment banking career in 1995 at JPMorgan in the M&A Group in New York.
Mr. Charlier graduated cum laude with a BS in Economics with a concentration in Finance from the Wharton School and a BA in International Relations from the College of Arts & Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania in 1994.
Mr. Charlier has extensive public market and SPAC experience, currently serving as an independent director of Tavia Acquisition Corp., a SPAC seeking to consummate a business combination, and La Française de l’Energie, a publicly held French clean energy production company, as well as having served as an independent director of Oxus Acquisition Corp., which successfully completed a business combination in February 2024.
Mr. Charlier served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Renaissance Capital, an investment bank specialized in emerging and frontier markets, from April 2017 to March 2020. As Chairman, Mr. Charlier coordinated the work of Renaissance Capital’s board of directors and oversaw strategic development, the global brand, and relationships with key clients and stakeholders globally.
Previously, Mr. Charlier served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Onexim Group, a private investment fund founded by Mikhail Prokhorov in Moscow from September 2008 to June 2014. In this capacity, he served on the boards of directors of several of Russia’s largest companies, some of which were listed on international exchanges, and on the boards of several mid-size companies and startups in Onexim’s portfolio.
Mr. Charlier also acted as Chairman and Alternate Governor of the NBA’s Nets franchise from 2010 to 2014, the team’s last two seasons in New Jersey and its first two in Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He remained as a director of the Nets and Barclays Center until Mr. Prokhorov’s sale of both to Joe Tsai in 2018 and 2019.
From February 2002 to March 2004, Mr. Charlier was Director of Strategic development and M&A of Norilsk Nickel, a publicly held Russian company, where, among other transactions and developments, he led its acquisition of strategic stakes in Stillwater Mining Company and Gold Fields. He also actively participated in the acquisitions which led to the creation of Polyus Gold, Russia’s largest gold company.
Mr. Charlier started his investment banking career in 1995 at JPMorgan in the M&A Group in New York.
Mr. Charlier graduated cum laude with a BS in Economics with a concentration in Finance from the Wharton School and a BA in International Relations from the College of Arts & Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania in 1994.
Jennifer CalabreseChief Financial Officer
Jennifer Calabrese is the founder and CEO of Calabrese Consulting, LLC (“CCL”). Founded in 2012, CCL is a minority/woman-owned, full-service accounting and financial reporting advisory firm with over 50 employees, serving clients around the world. CCL specializes in SEC financial reporting, compliance, and consulting services to facilitate the reporting between auditors and public/private companies on behalf of clients.
Ms. Calabrese also currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company which recently entered into a business combination agreement with Ace Green Recycling, Inc., and is also on the Audit Committee of Marpai, Inc., a company which provides administration services to self-insured employer groups across the United States.
Ms. Calabrese previously spent several years working for several publicly traded companies, serving in various roles including as Corporate Controller, Director of Accounting and SEC Reporting, Executive Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer.
Beginning her career at KPMG, LLP, Ms. Calabrese held numerous positions, including senior audit manager.
Ms. Calabrese holds a Master of Science in Accounting from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and BBA in Accounting and a BS in Psychology from Hofstra University.
Ms. Calabrese also currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Athena Technology Acquisition Corp. II, a special purpose acquisition company which recently entered into a business combination agreement with Ace Green Recycling, Inc., and is also on the Audit Committee of Marpai, Inc., a company which provides administration services to self-insured employer groups across the United States.
Ms. Calabrese previously spent several years working for several publicly traded companies, serving in various roles including as Corporate Controller, Director of Accounting and SEC Reporting, Executive Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer.
Beginning her career at KPMG, LLP, Ms. Calabrese held numerous positions, including senior audit manager.
Ms. Calabrese holds a Master of Science in Accounting from SUNY Polytechnic Institute and BBA in Accounting and a BS in Psychology from Hofstra University.
Board of Directors
Gregory ParsonsIndependent Director
Gregory Parsons is a seasoned financial services executive and investor with over 25 years of experience across investment management, capital markets, telecommunications and emerging markets. His career spans leadership roles in public and private markets, with deep domain expertise in institutional asset management, broker-dealer operations, and veteran-focused economic initiatives.
Mr. Parsons currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of CAVU Securities, a FINRA-registered, minority- and veteran-owned broker-dealer delivering cash management, capital markets, advisory, and fund distribution solutions to institutional clients. Under his leadership, CAVU has expanded its strategic partnerships and grown its impact-oriented platform serving Fortune 500 companies, leading asset managers, and federal agencies.
Prior to CAVU, Mr. Parsons founded and led Semper Capital Management, a fixed income asset manager specializing in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. During his tenure, the firm grew into a leading credit manager, achieving consistent outperformance and serving a global institutional client base. He was responsible for strategic direction, client development, and product innovation.
Mr. Parsons has SPAC leadership experience in a public company context, having previously served as an independent director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Lerer Hippeau Acquisition Corp., a NASDAQ-listed blank-check company that was originally focused on technology-enabled businesses. Lerer Hippeau Acquisition Corp. was unable to consummate an initial business combination and was forced to dissolve and liquidate in 2023.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Parsons served as an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, where he advised financial institutions on corporate strategy, risk, and operations.
Mr. Parsons began his professional journey as an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for leadership and service.
Mr. Parsons is actively engaged in public and philanthropic service. He is the founder of the Semper True
North Foundation, a platform focused on veteran transition and empowerment. He also serves on the Board of
Directors of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and is a National Trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of
America.
Mr. Parsons graduated with a BA in Politics from Princeton University in 1994.
Mr. Parsons currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of CAVU Securities, a FINRA-registered, minority- and veteran-owned broker-dealer delivering cash management, capital markets, advisory, and fund distribution solutions to institutional clients. Under his leadership, CAVU has expanded its strategic partnerships and grown its impact-oriented platform serving Fortune 500 companies, leading asset managers, and federal agencies.
Prior to CAVU, Mr. Parsons founded and led Semper Capital Management, a fixed income asset manager specializing in mortgage- and asset-backed securities. During his tenure, the firm grew into a leading credit manager, achieving consistent outperformance and serving a global institutional client base. He was responsible for strategic direction, client development, and product innovation.
Mr. Parsons has SPAC leadership experience in a public company context, having previously served as an independent director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Lerer Hippeau Acquisition Corp., a NASDAQ-listed blank-check company that was originally focused on technology-enabled businesses. Lerer Hippeau Acquisition Corp. was unable to consummate an initial business combination and was forced to dissolve and liquidate in 2023.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Parsons served as an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, where he advised financial institutions on corporate strategy, risk, and operations.
Mr. Parsons began his professional journey as an Infantry Officer in the United States Marine Corps, where he was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for leadership and service.
Mr. Parsons is actively engaged in public and philanthropic service. He is the founder of the Semper True
North Foundation, a platform focused on veteran transition and empowerment. He also serves on the Board of
Directors of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and is a National Trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of
America.
Mr. Parsons graduated with a BA in Politics from Princeton University in 1994.
Trent StedmanIndependent Director
Trent Stedman has been an institutional investor for 30 years, managing private credit and public equity funds following a formative experience as an investment principal with an early private equity leader.
Since June 2019, Mr. Stedman has managed Columbia Pacific Business Finance Fund, LLC (“CPBF”), a direct lender focused on non-PE sponsor owned middle market and lower middle market businesses seeking capital to support transformative organic and inorganic growth initiatives. CPBF invests throughout the United States and has financed companies in a range of industries, including software and hardware technology, logistics, HVAC/MEP, healthcare, gaming, hospitality, and payment processing. Mr. Stedman joined Columbia Pacific Advisors in 2013 and also has led initiatives in UK structured finance and US public equities.
From July 2004 through March 2013, Mr. Stedman managed New Vernon Aegir Fund (fka New Vernon North American Opportunity Fund), a long-short equity hedge fund focused on investment opportunities in public companies listed in North America.
From December 1995 through June 2004, Mr. Stedman was an associate then principal on the investment team at Centre Partners Management LLC (“Centre Partners”). During his time at Centre Partners, Mr. Stedman’s teams originated, managed, and exited investments of various Centre Partners private equity funds, focused primarily on acquisitions and growth capital investments in middle market businesses based in North America.
Mr. Stedman began his finance career at Merrill Lynch in 1993, where he was an investment banking analyst in the Special Advisory Services group, in which he focused on structured corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions transactions with Fortune 100 companies.
Mr. Stedman graduated with a BS in Economics with a concentration in Finance from the Wharton School in 1993.
Since June 2019, Mr. Stedman has managed Columbia Pacific Business Finance Fund, LLC (“CPBF”), a direct lender focused on non-PE sponsor owned middle market and lower middle market businesses seeking capital to support transformative organic and inorganic growth initiatives. CPBF invests throughout the United States and has financed companies in a range of industries, including software and hardware technology, logistics, HVAC/MEP, healthcare, gaming, hospitality, and payment processing. Mr. Stedman joined Columbia Pacific Advisors in 2013 and also has led initiatives in UK structured finance and US public equities.
From July 2004 through March 2013, Mr. Stedman managed New Vernon Aegir Fund (fka New Vernon North American Opportunity Fund), a long-short equity hedge fund focused on investment opportunities in public companies listed in North America.
From December 1995 through June 2004, Mr. Stedman was an associate then principal on the investment team at Centre Partners Management LLC (“Centre Partners”). During his time at Centre Partners, Mr. Stedman’s teams originated, managed, and exited investments of various Centre Partners private equity funds, focused primarily on acquisitions and growth capital investments in middle market businesses based in North America.
Mr. Stedman began his finance career at Merrill Lynch in 1993, where he was an investment banking analyst in the Special Advisory Services group, in which he focused on structured corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions transactions with Fortune 100 companies.
Mr. Stedman graduated with a BS in Economics with a concentration in Finance from the Wharton School in 1993.
Esther FarkasIndependent Director
Since March 2025 Esther Farkas has served as Managing Partner of A Different Fund, an investment vehicle she founded.
Prior to that, from May 2019 to March 2025 Mrs Farkas held various positions with Unite USA Inc., a healthcare technology company, including Chief Operating Officer from January 2023 to December 2024, Chief Financial Officer from January 2022 to January 2023, Chief Strategy Officer from September 2021 to January 2023, and Senior Vice President Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer from May 2019 to September 2021. She also served on its board of directors from March 2021 to March 2025.
Previously, she was co-founder and partner of Farkas & Neurman PLLC, a business law firm, from 2013 to 2019, and an associate specializing in public mergers and acquisitions at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.
Mrs. Farkas is a Member of the Board of Visitors of Duke University School of Medecine.
Mrs. Farkas holds a JD from the University of Michigan Law School and completed her undergraduate studies at Duke University.
Prior to that, from May 2019 to March 2025 Mrs Farkas held various positions with Unite USA Inc., a healthcare technology company, including Chief Operating Officer from January 2023 to December 2024, Chief Financial Officer from January 2022 to January 2023, Chief Strategy Officer from September 2021 to January 2023, and Senior Vice President Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer from May 2019 to September 2021. She also served on its board of directors from March 2021 to March 2025.
Previously, she was co-founder and partner of Farkas & Neurman PLLC, a business law firm, from 2013 to 2019, and an associate specializing in public mergers and acquisitions at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.
Mrs. Farkas is a Member of the Board of Visitors of Duke University School of Medecine.
Mrs. Farkas holds a JD from the University of Michigan Law School and completed her undergraduate studies at Duke University.