Cascadia Capital added two new managing directors — Michael Del Pero and Muizz Kheraj — who will be based in its Los Angeles office. With a combined transaction history of over $10 billion, Del Pero and Kheraj bring a wealth of expertise that will directly benefit Cascadia’s clients, helping them navigate complex markets and achieve successful outcomes.
“We are thrilled to welcome both Michael and Muizz to our team,” Michael Butler, CEO of Cascadia Capital, said. “Their industry expertise and long-standing relationships in the Los Angeles and Southern California markets will be invaluable as we continue to expand our presence in this region and enhance our advisory services in the technology and industrial sectors nationally and internationally. We look forward to supporting them as they build their businesses on the Cascadia platform.”
Scott Ames, managing director and head of Cascadia’s financial sponsors group, will partner with Del Pero and Kheraj to strengthen the firm’s relationships with leading private equity groups in the Los Angeles market.
“There is vast potential waiting to be realized in the Southern California private equity ecosystem,” Ames said. “I’m excited to collaborate with Michael and Muizz to elevate our collaboration and growth in the region.”
Del Pero joins Cascadia’s industrials team, bringing two decades of M&A and financial advisory experience. He has worked with founders, entrepreneurs and private equity investors across the middle-market, as well as publicly traded companies in both the U.S. and internationally. Del Pero’s particular expertise lies in advising companies in specialized industries serving technically advanced OEM customers and applications where highly engineered products and manufacturing processes are required, such as high-reliability electronics and components, mission-critical systems, materials technology and engineered solutions. His clients span the aerospace & defense, semiconductor and industrial technology sectors. His impressive track record includes a multitude of financing and restructuring transactions, many of which have driven transformational growth for companies at the forefront of innovation.
“Cascadia’s commitment to industry depth and client service aligns with my own approach and philosophy,” Del Pero said. “I’m very excited to be part of such a collaborative team that is rapidly growing in the Southern California market and helping companies in the industrial sector navigate the next chapter of their growth. Muizz and I have worked together for nearly twenty years — across multiple investment banking platforms — and I am particularly excited to be partnering with him again here at Cascadia to continue to expand the firm’s presence in Southern California and beyond.”
Del Pero previously led the specialty industrials practice at FocalPoint Partners and subsequently at B. Riley Securities, pursuant to B. Riley’s acquisition of FocalPoint in 2022. His extensive experience and client relationships in the Los Angeles area position him as a valuable addition to Cascadia’s industrials practice. Del Pero earned his bachelor of arts degree in economic sociology from UCLA, with a specialization in business administration.
Kheraj joins Cascadia’s technology team with more than 20 years of experience, both as a software engineer and as a trusted advisor to middle-market entrepreneurs. His career has been defined by a focus on innovation and capital market solutions for fast-growing technology companies. Kheraj has become a go-to expert for tech entrepreneurs seeking to scale their businesses, with an outstanding track record of successfully guiding numerous transactions that have accelerated growth and innovation.
“Cascadia’s growth mindset and dedication to client success are something I deeply value,” Kheraj said. “I look forward to leveraging my relationships with founders, entrepreneurs and financial sponsors in the Los Angeles market and nationally to help companies in the technology sector thrive.”
Kheraj previously led the M&A technology practice at FocalPoint Partners and then B. Riley Securities. He holds an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business, a master of science in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Los Angeles, and a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering from UCLA. His unique blend of technical and advisory expertise positions him to strengthen Cascadia’s technology advisory capabilities on both a local and national level.
