Leah Gistenson joined Virtas Partners as a director. In this role, she will assist private equity firms and privately held companies, including startups, in growing revenue and improving business performance, and will assist in executing turnarounds and capital restructures and placements. She also will utilize her business development experience to drive further growth in Virtas Partners’ other practice areas, including exits and acquisitions, and finance and accounting optimization.
“We are excited to bring Leah into the Virtas family,” Tim Czmiel, co-founder and managing partner at Virtas Partners, said. “She has a deep understanding of the art and science of helping clients succeed in a variety of special situations.”
Gistenson has experience assisting businesses monetize their commercial and industrial assets through asset purchases and divestitures, liquidations, public auctions and equipment financing. She also has worked on and coordinated buy-side transactions, including 363 and Article 9 sales.
Before joining Virtas Partners, she worked in business development, originations and deal structure at a private equity firm that specializes in finding creative financing solutions for under-performing small and mid-market companies.
Gistenson is a non-practicing attorney and a member of both the Chicago chapter of the Turnaround Management Association and the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, serving as membership chair of both organizations.
“Leah is a great cultural fit for our firm as a results-driven, positive and collaborative teammate who is deeply committed to helping our clients succeed as well as driving the growth of Virtas Partners,” Neal McNamara, co-founder and managing partner at Virtas, said. “Our firm continues to grow and to further add to our capabilities to support clients through their most challenging transitions as we expect many more challenges for our clients as we head into 2021.”
