Our People

Our People

Our People Make the Difference

 “Our people are everything. You can have a great strategy, but if you don’t have the people to execute, you have nothing. You can have a great mission statement, but if you don’t have the people who care about it, it’s not true.”

– Tom Gores, Chairman & CEO

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Mike Rawcliffe

Mike Rawcliffe

Principal

M&A
London

Mike Rawcliffe is responsible for financial due diligence and supports the structuring and execution of acquisition and divestiture transactions. As a member of the operating council for European portfolio companies, he has responsibilities related to post-acquisition monitoring and oversight of financial performance.

Prior to joining Platinum Equity in 2014, Mr. Rawcliffe spent eight years at Deloitte in its Transaction Services and Audit practices in London.

Mr. Rawcliffe holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Louis Samson

Louis Samson

Co-President

M&A
Greenwich

Louis Samson is co-president of Platinum Equity and a member of its Investment Committee. Among his responsibilities, Mr. Samson leads the investment teams and manages the operations of the New York, Greenwich and London offices. In addition, Mr. Samson plays an active role in the management of the firm’s day-to-day activities as well as its strategic direction.

Mr. Samson and his team led the acquisition of, divestment of or investment in the following: Maxim Crane Works, The San Diego Union-Tribune, PBH Marine Group, American Commercial Lines, NESCO, BWAY, Exterion Media, BlueLine Rental (formerly Volvo Rents), MACtac (Europe and the U.S.), Worldwide Flight Services, Electro Rent, PAE,

Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith

Managing Director

M&A
Los Angeles

Kevin P. Smith is Head of Debt Capital Markets and is responsible for all debt capital placement and related corporate finance activity for new and existing portfolio companies. Mr. Smith helps manage the firm’s relationships with capital providers around the world and spearheads financing transactions related to leveraged buyouts, refinancings and recapitalizations using High Yield, Senior and Junior Debt, and ABL structures.

Prior to joining Platinum Equity in 2010, Mr. Smith was a senior leverage finance banker with Wells Fargo, Mellon, UMTB Group, and First Chicago/Bank One.

Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Butler University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the USC Marshall School of Business.

Malik Vorderwuelbecke

Malik Vorderwuelbecke

Managing Director

M&A
London

Malik Vorderwuelbecke is responsible for the structuring and execution of acquisition and divestiture transactions. He also has responsibilities related to post-acquisition monitoring and oversight of operational performance at certain portfolio companies.

Prior to joining Platinum Equity in 2012, Mr. Vorderwuelbecke worked at Englefield Capital, a pan-European private equity firm and UBS Investment Bank.

Mr. Vorderwuelbecke holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and Finance from NYU Stern School of Business and a Master’s in Economics from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

David Wolf

David Wolf

Managing Director

M&A
Greenwich

David Wolf is responsible for financial due diligence and supports the structuring and execution of acquisition and divestiture transactions. As a member of the operating council for the New York team’s portfolio companies, he also has responsibilities related to post-acquisition monitoring and oversight of financial performance.

Prior to joining Platinum Equity in 2009, Mr. Wolf held positions at Ernst & Young and Crowe Chizek.

Mr. Wolf holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is also a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois (license currently inactive).

Eric Worley

Eric Worley

Managing Director

M&A
Los Angeles

Eric Worley is responsible for financial due diligence and supports the structuring and execution of acquisition and divestiture transactions. As a member of the operating council for certain portfolio companies, he also has responsibilities related to post-acquisition monitoring and oversight of financial performance.

Prior to joining Platinum in 2001, he spent eight years at Ernst & Young in its Transaction Support and Audit practices in Los Angeles and London. Mr. Worley received a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Michigan State University and is a licensed CPA in the State of California (inactive status).

Bob Wymbs

Bob Wymbs

Partner

M&A
Los Angeles

Bob Wymbs leads Platinum Equity’s dedicated, in-house sell-side team. In that capacity, he is responsible for managing a broad range of strategic divestiture opportunities throughout Platinum Equity’s portfolio.

As part of his sell-side responsibilities, Mr. Wymbs has led and negotiated numerous transactions, including full or partial sales of NextiraOne, Clipper Windpower, AEES, Contego, Alliance Entertainment, Acument, and many others.

Prior to joining Platinum Equity in 2000, Mr. Wymbs spent four years at the Los Angeles Dodgers and three years at McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm. At the two firms, he held various positions in strategic development, business development, project management, operations and marketing.

Delara Zarrabi

Delara Zarrabi

Managing Director

M&A
Greenwich

Delara Zarrabi is a member of the M&A Execution team and is based in Greenwich. Ms. Zarrabi worked on the PAE acquisition, refinancing and FCi add-on acquisition as well as the Husky and Ball Metalpack transactions. She is a member of the Operating Council of PAE, Husky, and Ball Metalpack.

Prior to joining Platinum Equity in 2013, Ms. Zarrabi was an analyst at CIBC World Markets and a Principal at Paine & Partners.

Ms. Zarrabi has a B.S. in Operations Research and Engineering as well as a Master of Engineering in Operations Research and Industrial Engineering both from Cornell University.


Platinum Equity Portfolio

The Platinum Equity portfolio consists of an industry-diverse, multi-billion-
dollar group of approximately 50 operational complex businesses.

Our Portfolio
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Platform

Pelican Products

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Platform

Solenis

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Platform

Urbaser