LOS ANGELES, September 01, 2021 — Palm Tree LLC announced today that Phillip Cooper has joined the firm’s investment banking division to focus on its M&A Advisory and Capital Markets offerings.

“With his deep experience in the middle market, Phillip recognizes the value of having a hybrid of consulting and investment banking under one roof,” said Stephen Rossi, Head of Capital Markets at Palm Tree.  “Having Philip on the team is an overall win—he brings a consummate level of experience and professionalism that our clients are going to appreciate.”

“I value that Palm Tree has the whole lifecycle of a deal covered,” said Mr. Cooper. “From transaction to transition to transformation, our M&A consulting business ties in well with our investment banking practice. It means seamless services for our clients through a broad offering that you don’t often find.”

Mr. Cooper joins Palm Tree with nearly three decades of experience in investment banking, commercial banking, and corporate leadership. His background and skill set enable him to identify with the challenges faced by business owners and senior management, whether raising growth capital, navigating buy- or sell-side M&A transactions, or day-to-day financial management. Prior to Palm Tree, he spent nine years as an investment banker at Jefferies & Company, eight years at a boutique investment bank focused on the lower-middle-market, and co-founded a telecom firm. Notable brands he has served include AirTran Airways, Golfsmith International, and Uno Restaurant Holdings. In 2019, he was awarded the Private Equity Deal of the Year ($50MM–$75MM) by The M&A Advisor.

“Phillip was the first person to introduce me to investment banking over 20 years ago,” said Pardis Nasseri, Managing Director and President of Palm Tree LLC. “He was one of the people I consulted when Palm Tree decided to establish our own broker-dealer and to have him join our team now, is an honor.”