Team Members
The Gemini team is led by experienced professionals with a unique combination of banking, valuation, consulting and operations experience.
Matthew Johnson, Managing Partner
Mr. Johnson brings to the Gemini Partners team over fifteen years of investment banking and executive operational experience. Mr. Johnson worked previously in investment banking for Prudential Securities and Credit Suisse First Boston in New York. He has financed and strategically advised a number of middle market companies, including a healthcare software firm where he also served as CFO. Mr. Johnson is a Board Member of Telscape Communications, Inc., Specialty Pharmacy Network, Inc., and Aura Renewable Energy Corporation, all funded through Gemini Partners. Mr. Johnson holds an M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) candidate.
Nathan Johnson, Managing Partner, Head of Restructuring Group
Mr. Johnson brings to Gemini Partners over fifteen years of investment banking, international finance, and turnaround operational experience. Most recently, Mr. Johnson served as an executive with a number of companies funded by JP Morgan Partners working specifically on financial and operational turnarounds. In addition, Mr. Johnson worked at General Motors Corporation in their New York Treasury Office serving roles in corporate finance, M&A and international finance. Mr. Johnson is a Board Member of Telscape Communications, Inc. and Aura Renewable Energy Corporation, both funded through Gemini Partners. Mr. Johnson holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business and an M.A. in International Business from the Lauder Institute, University of Pennsylvania and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) candidate.
Jeff McKenzie, Managing Director, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions Group
Mr. McKenzie brings to Gemini Partners over twenty years of middle market merger and acquisition experience with a particular expertise in plastics and packaging, as well as in healthcare. Most recently, Mr. McKenzie served as head of West Coast M&A and co-head of the Basic Industrial Group at Houlihan, Lokey, Howard and Zukin where he was instrumental in its growth and emergence as a leader in middle market M&A. During his tenure there, he successfully closed 43 transactions, including 30 private company sell-side engagements, as well as played a key role in establishing the firm’s National M&A Committee. Mr. McKenzie holds an M.B.A. from the Anderson Graduate School of Management, UCLA and a BA, cum laude, from Harvard University.
Kirk Huddles, Managing Director
Mr. Huddles brings to Gemini Partners over fifteen years of successful capital raising, business development and international trade experience. Most recently, Mr. Huddles served as Managing Partner for Point Capital Partners, a Chatham, NJ-based merchant banking firm specializing in real estate and energy investments. Additionally, Mr. Huddles continues to serve as a Managing Principal for Equator Enterprises Inc., a Baltimore, MD-based company dedicated to raising institutional capital for several select alternative investment firms primarily from the Taft-Hartley, Endowment and Municipal markets. Mr. Huddles holds an M.B.A. from the McDonough Graduate School of Management, Georgetown University.
Martial Chaillet, Managing Director
In addition to representing Gemini in Europe, Mr. Chaillet is the General Partner of MediaWin & Partners, a private investment firm based in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Chaillet has been researching and managing investments in both small and large cap companies for thirty years and is a recognized expert in the media sector. Prior to founding MediaWin, Mr. Chaillet was a Senior Vice President of Capital Research and Management, the mutual fund arm of the Capital Group, one of the largest financial institutions in the world. During his time at the Capital Group, Mr. Chaillet co-managed several funds including the Euro Pacific Growth Fund, the SMALLCAP World Fund, and the American Variable Insurance Intl and Global Growth Funds. From 1998-2002, Mr. Chaillet managed funds totaling between $4-6 billion. He was awarded the title Morningstar Fund Manager of the Year in 1999. He holds a Degree in Econometrics from the University of Geneva and is a Graduate with honors of the Swiss Technical School.
Frank Knuettel, Advisor
Frank Knuettel is a financial and operations executive with extensive experience in the capital markets. He currently serves at the CFO of IP Commerce, Inc. Prior to joining IP Commerce, Mr. Knuettel was CFO of InfoSearch Media (ISHM), a publicly listed online search engine marketing firm located in Los Angeles. Prior to InfoSearch, Mr. Knuettel was at Internet Machines Corporation, a fabless semiconductor company located in Los Angeles, where he served on the Board of Directors and held several positions, including CEO and CFO. At Internet Machines, Mr. Knuettel raised almost $90 million in equity and debt and managed the sale of the business to IDT Corp. in 2004. Prior to Internet Machines, he was CFO and COO of Viking Systems, Inc., a Boston-based producer of enterprise software systems for non-profit fundraising institutions. Mr. Knuettel received his B.A. with honors in Economics from Tufts University and holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.