Operating Partners and Advisors
WAVE’s Operating Partners and Advisors are recognized leaders from energy, private equity and infrastructure industries. Their experiences and insights help us maintain highest business standards and foster trusting relationships with entrepreneurs, businesses and investors.
Phil Cooper has 30 years of experience in alternative asset management as an entrepreneur, principal investor, fund investor, and secondary investor. He is experienced in hedge fund and quantitative money management, with a particular focus on risk control. Phil conceived, founded, and led the Goldman Sachs Private Equity Group to over $11 billion in assets and international prominence. Phil is a resource to the firm for advice on firm management, input on investments, deal sourcing, and can be “of counsel” to portfolio companies.
Background
While at Goldman Sachs, Phil designed innovative risk control methods for private equity and secondary investing. He served on the Goldman Sachs Asset Management Risk Committee, Operating Committee, and Goldman Sachs Technology Committee. He retired as a Goldman Sachs Partner in 2004. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Cooper was a partner in several money management firms, and in the early 1980s was a repeat technology entrepreneur. He has had extensive experience serving on numerous corporate boards and private equity advisory boards.
A frequent industry speaker, he served as Vice chairman of the Forsyth Medical Institute; and currently serves on the Investment Committee of the Children’s Hospital Endowment. From 2004 until the present, Phil has served as an Investor, Partner and Advisor to several Alternative Investment and Advisory firms.
Phil is also a Senior Lecturer in Finance at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He and his co-authors were granted a patent titled “Deriving a Probability Distribution of a Value of an Asset at a Future Time.” Phil holds a BS from Syracuse University and an MS in management from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he was appointed an Alfred Sloan Fellow..
Dr. Stanislaw is an internationally respected advisor to countries and corporations on strategies to deal with opportunities and risks in international energy markets. Previously, he co-founded Cambridge Energy Research Associates in 1983, an energy research consultancy firm, and served as CEO prior to its acquisition by IHS Energy. Currently, he is an active investor and serves on the Boards of several innovative companies.
From 2006-2014, Dr. Stanislaw was an Independent Senior Advisor to Deloitte’s Energy & Sustainability practice, a role which included assisting the organization and its clients in identifying and developing services and strategies in the areas of clean and emerging technologies, sustainable development, carbon initiatives and innovation. Dr. Stanislaw also serves on the Board of Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University, and is an Adjunct Professor at the Nicholas Center for Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University. His current and past Board affiliations include Gulf Keystone Petroleum, Dana Gas, Climate Change Capital, Good Energies Inc., Monaco Eco+, and Edinburgh Oil & Gas.
Dr. Stanislaw co-authored The Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy (Simon & Schuster, 1998), which has been translated into 13 languages and made into a six-hour documentary which first aired to wide acclaim on PBS in 2002 as the network’s major television series on globalization, and the documentary continues to be shown periodically on PBS, BBC and internationally. The book and the film are staples in university courses on globalization and the global economy. Previously, Dr. Stanislaw also co-authored Energy Economics: Growth, Resources, and Policies (Cambridge University Press, 1981). He has authored over a hundred published reports some of which are:
- “Energy: A Tectonic Shift Underway – The Driving Force for Tech Innovation,” January 2013
- “Every Company is an Energy Company,” Deloitte Clean Energy Center, February 2011
- “Great Game 2.0 – The Clean Energy Race,” Financial Times, September 2010
- “Clean Energy 1.0 – Moving beyond green to create sustainable jobs and a long-term energy strategy,” Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions, June 2010
- “Clean: The 1st Step to Green?” Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions event summary, April 2010
- “Clean Over Green – Striking a New Balance as We Build a Bridge to Low Carbon Economy,” Deloitte, December 2009
- “Climate Change Everything: The Dawn of Green Economy,” Deloitte, January 2008
- “Beyond OPEC,” Daily for OPEC Head of State Summit, Saudi Arabia, November 2007
- “Climate Change and Energy Security: The Future is Now,” Deloitte, October 2007
Dr. Stanislaw has been awarded Honorary Doctorate and Professorship by the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas, Moscow, Russia. He earned his Ph.D. from University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and a B.A. with Economics major from Harvard College. He is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).
Thomas founded three companies; each experienced rapid growth, became market leaders, and all three companies achieved successful Initial Public Offerings. Thomas possess strong operating skills and excels in architecting and implementing scalable business models. He thrives on mentoring and coaching management teams to drive operational excellence. Thomas works with the leadership teams of WAVE’s portfolio companies to enhance operational efficiencies, performance and acceleration of revenue growth.
Background
Prior to joining the WAVE Private Equity team, Thomas founded three companies; Mass Micro Systems, Focus Enhancements, and Bridgeline Digital. Each experienced rapid growth, became market leaders, and all three companies achieved successful Initial Public Offerings. Cumulatively his three ventures generated over $700 Million in revenues and in multiple years were recognized by Inc. 500 and Deloitte Fast 500 as one of the fastest growing companies in America.
For several years, Thomas was a member of the Board of Directors of MapInfo, a location intelligence software company. He was Chairman of MapInfo’s Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee. MapInfo was acquired by Pitney Bowes for $480 million dollars.
Thomas is the President and CEO of Topline Performance Solutions, Inc., a Boston based Management Consulting firm. He was a non-commissioned Officer in the United States Army, 101st Airborne Division and is an active volunteer member of the American Legion. Thomas is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Warriors A Team Inc., a non-profit dedicated to assist United States Military Veterans who struggle re-acclimating into civilian life.
Education
Thomas attended Wayne State University and is a guest lecturer at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Robert J. Manning school of Business.
Mirko is a Director and Co-Head of the Infrastructure and Energy at Deutsche Bank Private Equity GmbH. As part of the Infrastructure and Energy team, he directs private equity funding to energy and utilities (e.g. power plants, grids, water and waste management,) transportation, and Public-Private Partnership projects in Europe, North America and developing countries. The energy group is part of DB Asset and Wealth Management platform which has client assets of $11 billion. He has 17 years’ experience in the private equity industry.
Background
Prior to joining DB, Mirko served as an Investment Manager, Managing Director and Partner at Net Capital Partners GmbH. He joined DB Private Equity GmbH’s predecessor firm in 2006. Earlier, he was an Investment Director of Sal. Oppenheim Private Equity Partners GmbH and worked at CAM Private Equity where his main responsibilities included European Buyouts and Emerging Private Equity Markets. While working at Apax Partners, Mirko invested in early stage technology companies.
Mirko started his career at Boston Consulting Group Inc., as a Strategy and Management Consultant. He has also been a successful entrepreneur and co-founded several technology companies. He was the Co-Founder and Director of BioNET AG. He specializes in financial services, organizational development and growth strategies.
Mirko serves as a Director of Ultrasonic Systems GmbH, and served as a Director of NCP Group AG. Mr. Jovanovski also served on several Advisory Boards of technology start-up companies.
Education
He earned an M.B.A. and Masters in Economics from the University of Berlin.
Pete Nicholas is co-founder and chairman of the board of Boston Scientific Corporation. He served as chairman and chief executive officer from the company’s founding in 1979 until 1999, when he turned over CEO responsibilities. Under Nicholas’ vision and leadership, Boston Scientific has grown from a start-up company with 38 employees to a global corporation with approximately 24,000 employees and revenue of $7.143 billion in 2013. Boston Scientific is one of the world’s largest medical device companies dedicated to less-invasive therapies.
Before co-founding Boston Scientific with John Abele, Nicholas served as general manager of the Medical Products Division of Millipore Corporation. From 1968 to 1978, he held a variety of positions both domestically and internationally at Eli Lilly in sales, marketing, and general management.
Nicholas is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and vice chair of its Academy Trust, and he is a member of the American Academy of Achievement. He is a recipient of the Phoenix Lifetime Achievement Award, signifying distinguished leadership and accomplishment in the medical device industry. He is also a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Nicholas has served on various for-profit and not-for-profit boards, and was formerly chairman of the board of trustees of Duke University. He is the founder of the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.
Nicholas served as an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1966, resigning his commission as a lieutenant. He holds a BA from Duke University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Matt has over 30 years of operations related experience working for and with public, privately owned and private equity-sponsored global companies. Matt has consistently demonstrated the ability to lead teams to improved operational performance regardless of the technology. Most recently he led the team at Segway to a Manufacturing Leadership Award for Operational Excellence Leadership.
Background
Prior to becoming an Operating Partner with WAVE Equity Partners, Matt served as Vice President of Operations for Segway Inc. Matt has held several positions at Beacon Power (start-up) that was acquired by Rockland Capital where he substantial improved performance in terms of cost, quality and schedule. He has also worked at Advance Storage Products helping to lead the privately-owned company to first ever profitability. Early on in his career at The Boeing Company, Matt led a three-shift operation and was the manufacturing site manager for a $137 million NASA composite wing development program. Matt currently serves on the Board of Directors of Family Continuity, a private, non-profit mental health and social services agency.
Education
Matt received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is also Lean Six-Sigma certified and holds several certificates from Dale Carnegie training that includes Trusted Advisor Boot Camp, Advanced Leadership, Front Line Leadership, Productivity Boot Camp, Professional Effectiveness, Senior Leadership, Front Line Management, and Advanced Management.