Deals & People May 9, 2007
New PE Firm Launched by Pacific Corporate Group Execs
Three private equity executives have formed a new firm, Leucadia Capital Partners LLC (LCP), to provide customized private equity investment management and advisory services to institutional investors.
Reported by Nevin E. Adams
The La Jolla, California-based firm is managed by Monte M. Brem, Chief Executive Officer; Thomas P. Keck, Chief Investment Officer; and Jose A. Fernandez, Managing Director. Together, the three founders have more than 30 years of experience as transaction advisors and principal investors. According to a press release, the customized portfolios they have built, primarily for public pension plans, have consistently generated market-leading returns. LCP expects to have a team of 10 professionals in place by June.
The George Kaiser Family Foundation and the Kuwait Investment Authority have already retained LCP, according to the firm.
Founder Profiles
Prior to founding LCP, Brem, 38, was the President of Pacific Corporate Group (PCG), a private equity investment firm that oversaw over $15 billion of private equity allocations. Brem managed the investment activities and operations of PCG Asset Management, the operating division of PCG that was responsible for all of its partnership investment activities. Prior to his appointment as President, Mr. Brem was a member of PCG’s Direct Investment Group and Investment Committee that managed PCG’s Corporate Partners and Co-Investment Funds.
Keck, 40, previously was a Managing Director and Head of Research at PCG, and chaired its Investment Committee. He led the restructuring of PCG’s investment process, organizing PCG’s 15 member research team into sub-sector specialties to ensure broad and deep market coverage. He joined PCG from Blue Capital, a middle market buyout firm founded by partners from McKinsey & Company.
Fernandez, 35, was also a Managing Director of PCG and a member of PCG’s Management Committee and Investment Committee. He served as Senior Vice President/General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of PCG before his promotion to Managing Director. During his years at PCG, he created separate account structures and specialized fund of funds for clean energy technology and international investments. He also drafted and helped manage direct investment funds and co-investment funds. Before joining PCG, Fernandez was an associate with the Corporate Department of the Los Angeles office of Latham and Watkins LLP.