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Global Leisure Partners LLP
17/18 Old Bond Street, London W1S 4PT, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8050, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7016 8060
Web: www.globalleisurepartners.com |
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The GLP Team
The GLP team has established relationships with key business leaders throughout the gaming, lodging and leisure industries. A seasoned group of deal professionals, the team leverages its depth of focus and expertise to the benefit of clients and investors alike.
Mark W.B. Harms
Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
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Mark Harms has completed leisure sector advisory and principal
transactions in North and South America, Europe and Australia over the last 20
years. With over 100 completed advisory engagements and with more than half of
these in the fitness, gaming, hospitality and leisure industries, Mark Harms brings
a deep understanding and knowledge regarding the competitive strategies of the
major companies in each industry sector.
In addition, Mr. Harms has extensive experience with regard to leveraged debt,
mezzanine and equity financing techniques in Europe and the U.S. He has completed
more than $40bn of sector transactions. Mr. Harms has a deep knowledge of each
of the financing markets worldwide, and significant restructuring expertise. Under
his leadership Oppenheimer and CIBC developed a global reputation for financing
and advisory excellence and leading market shares in each of the key financing
product lines. He divides his time equally between the U.S. and the U.K. He is
highly experienced in cross-border transactions.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8057
markharms@glp.uk.com |
Robert L. Decker
Managing Director
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Robert Decker was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Churchill Downs Incorporated from 1997-2002, and prior to that was Vice President of Finance of Hilton International Plc. Mr. Decker brings strong operational and capital raising expertise in the hospitality and pari-mutuel sectors. Mr. Harms and Mr. Decker have worked together since 1997, when they devised and then collectively executed a strategic plan for Churchill Downs completing 4 acquisitions and raising over $300m of capital for the company in less than five years. Mr. Decker is based in the U.S.
Tel: +1 502 561 3431
robertdecker@glp.uk.com |
Chris Gagnon
Managing Director
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Chris Gagnon joined Global Leisure Partners in September 2006.
Chris previously was Managing Director at Inverness Management. He has also worked
in private equity at both Merrill Lynch Private Equity Partners and Blue Capital
Management. Before entering private equity, Chris was a Principal at McKinsey
& Co. where he worked from 1987 to 1997 in Los Angeles and New Jersey. While
at McKinsey, hotels and gaming were two of his special areas of client service.
In addition, Chris was a core member of the Firm’s Organization practice
and he led the team that wrote Real Change Leaders (Random House Times Books 1996).
He is also the author of several articles on change management and governance
in publications such as the Harvard Business Review. In his prior roles working
for Merrill Lynch and Blue Capital Management as both lead and co-investors, Chris
has been involved in the investment of over $300 million in equity into deals
representing several billion dollars of enterprise value. Mr Gagnon brings an
investor perspective to GLP and will also leverage his strategy and operating
expertise working with GLP’s Operating Executives to develop new ways to
create value in GLP’s investment space. Mr Gagnon is based in the U.S. in
Bedminster, New Jersey.
Mr Gagnon has an AB from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School
of Business Administration at Dartmouth.
Tel: +1 908 901 0700
chrisgagnon@glcapitalpartners.com |
Paul
Richardson
Managing Director
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Paul Richardson most recently worked as an Executive Director in CIBC World Markets’ European Mergers & Acquisitions Group where he worked extensively with Mark Harms. A solicitor by training, Paul Richardson worked as a senior associate at Norton Rose, the London headquartered law firm, for eight years as an attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions and securities law. He has extensive experience in cross-border private and public company acquisitions, IPOs and other securities transactions. Since joining GLP in April 2005, Paul has been involved in several transactions including Permira’s acquisition of a 30% equity interest in Gala Group (EV: £1.9bn), Gala Group’s £2.1bn acquisition of Coral Eurobet, Hg Capital’s £76m buyout of Sporting Index, Principal Hotels’ £358m acquisition of Hayley Conference Centres and Permira’s acquisition of a 20% stake in Galaxy Entertainment Group for $840m.
Paul Richardson has a law and French degree (LLB Hons.) from Cardiff University in the UK and is admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. He is fluent in French.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8069
paulrichardson@glp.uk.com |
Tina
Palastanga
Executive Director
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Tina Palastanga joined the firm in May 2004 having previously spent five years at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in both the European Transaction Group and the Food, Consumer and Retail Group. Tina has been involved in a number of major transactions while at GLP, including the sale of 50% of Atronic to GTECH Holdings, Permira’s acquisition of 30% in Gala Group (EV: £1.9bn), Gala Group’s £2.1bn acquisition of Coral Eurobet, Hg Capital’s £76m buyout of Sporting Index, the £31m sale of the Clermont Club from Rank Group plc, Permira and Apax’s €1.14bn acquisition of Italian gaming group Sisal SpA and the $27.8bn leveraged buyout of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. by Apollo and TPG.
Tina Palastanga was educated at Birmingham University and completed an Executive Management Training programme at INSEAD. She is fluent in German and Italian.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8061
tinapalastanga@glp.uk.com |
Adam Loriente
Vice President
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Adam Loriente previously worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Melbourne, Australia as a Manager in the Corporate Finance group for four years following two years in the Valuation & Strategy team. Adam joined GLP in November 2004 and has been involved in several transactions including Permira’s acquisition of a 30% equity interest in Gala Group (EV: £1.9bn), Gala Group’s £2.1bn acquisition of Coral Eurobet, BC Partners’ £840m buyout of Fitness First, the £31m sale of the Clermont Club from Rank Group plc, Principal Hotels’ £358m acquisition of Hayley Conference Centres and Permira’s acquisition of a 20% stake in Galaxy Entertainment Group for $840m and Crown Limited’s (ASX: CWN) pending US$1.8bn acquisition of Cannery Casino Resorts.
Adam Loriente received a B.Com from Melbourne University and has completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance & Investment from the Financial Services Institute of Australia. He has a strong understanding of Italian.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8068 adamloriente@glp.uk.com |
James Turnbull
Associate
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James Turnbull joined GLP in July 2007 following seven years with PwC in Perth, Australia where he worked as an Associate Director in the Mergers & Acquisitions group. During his time at PwC, James was involved in several transactions including financial and trade sales, public and private capital raisings and cross-border transactions across a broad range of sectors.
James received a B.Com with First Class Honours from the University of Western Australia, has completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance & Investment from the Financial Services Institute of Australia and is a CFA charterholder and member since 2005.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8066 jamesturnbull@glp.uk.com |
Michael
Petschler
Associate
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Michael Petschler joined GLP in August 2006.
Michael Petschler previously worked as an Equities Analyst for Macquarie Bank
in Sydney, Australia. During his time at Macquarie, Michael provided stock coverage
of companies in the Tourism and Leisure sector including casino, gaming, wagering,
pubs and hotel groups. Michael also gained experience working and advising on
a number of corporate transactions within the sector, including IPOs and mergers
and acquisitions. Michael has been involved in Crown Limited’s (ASX: CWN) pending US$1.8bn acquisition of Cannery Casino Resorts.
Michael Petschler holds a B.Commerce (Economics and Finance) from the University
of Sydney and has completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance & Investment from the Financial Services Institute of Australia.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8042 michaelpetschler@glp.uk.com |
David Bains
Transaction Executive
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David Bains joined Global Leisure Partners in October 2006. Since joining, David has been involved in Permira’s 20% investment into Galaxy Entertainment Group for $840m and is editor of GLP’s Quarterly Review. David previously worked as a Consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in London. During his time at PwC David worked in several teams focusing predominantly on the valuation of shares and shares options provided to senior executives of FTSE 100 entities. This provided exposure to several corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions and IPO’s, across a variety of sectors.
David received a BSc in Business, Mathematics and Statistics from the London School of Economics in 2003, qualified as a chartered accountant in 2006 and gained the ICAEW Intermediate Corporate Finance Diploma in 2007
Tel: +44 (0)20 7016 8065 davidbains@glp.uk.com |

Accountant
Beverley
Langley
Office Manager
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Beverley Langley joined GLP as an Office Manager in April 2004.
Previously she worked for PA Consulting as a Project Manager and prior to that spent several years as a Business Manager and in-company Trainer for Ernst & Young Management Consultancy.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8057
beverleylangley@glp.uk.com |
Alexa Sale
Fund and Compliance Administrator
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Alexa Sale joined Global Leisure Partners in June 2005. Previously, she worked for the British Museum as a Fundraising Manager in their Development Department for 5 years where she was responsible for Trusts, Foundations and Public Sector fundraising. Prior to that she worked for the NSPCC and Walker Books Ltd.
Alexa Sale has an English Literature Degree (MA Hons) from Edinburgh University.
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7016 8058
alexasale@glp.uk.com |
Céline Tarnay
Executive Assistant
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Céline Tarnay joined Global Leisure Partners in December 2007.
Previously she worked in Property Management for Farley Surveying & Professional Limited. Prior to that she worked for the new UAE based airline Etihad Airways in London, IATA (International Air Transport Association) and British Airways in Geneva, Switzerland.
She is fluent in French.
Tel +44 (0)20 7 016 8062
celinetarnay@glp.uk.com |
Stephanie Bartosh
Executive Assistant/Office Manager
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Stephanie Bartosh joined Global Leisure Partners as an Executive Assistant/Office Manager for New Jersey in December 2007.
Previously she worked for a Medical Education Company as a Senior Program Coordinator and prior to that worked as a Project Coordinator through a third party vendor to Amgen Pharmaceuticals.
Stephanie has a BS in Business Management from Kean University.
Tel: +1 908 901 0700
stephaniebartosh@glcapitalpartners.com |
Mina Odedra
Executive Assistant
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Mina Odedra joined Global Leisure Partners in March 2008.
Previously she worked with the Dual Diagnosis Network Service for the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust as a Team Administrator for 5 ½ half years.
Prior to that she studied at the University of North London where she gained a Diploma in Business Management.
Tel +44 (0)20 7 016 8064
minaodedra@glp.com.uk |
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