Scaling Success: How IB & PE Firms Drive Deal Flow at Scale

Dan Arras joined Baird in 2013 and is currently Global Investment Banking’s Director of Talent. As Director of Talent, Dan manages all things talent-related within GIB, including recruiting, training & development, performance management and numerous other functions impacting the operations of the group. Prior to becoming Director of Talent, Dan spent 9 years as an investment banker focused on mergers & acquisitions and equity underwritings in Baird’s Technology & Business Services group. Dan received his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and graduated with a B.A. in Government and Asian Studies from Cornell University. Prior to attending Kellogg, Dan helped found Honey-Can-Do, a consumer products start-up company specializing in home organization and storage products.

Carlos Soto is a Managing Director and Head of H.I.G. Business Development, based in H.I.G.’s Miami office. He is responsible for leading the business development and transaction origination efforts for all of H.I.G. Carlos has private equity investing experience across a wide range of industries.

Prior to joining H.I.G., Carlos was a Managing Director and Head of Business Development at MSD Partners, where he was responsible for leading and managing the origination and business development efforts for MSD Private Capital. Prior to MSD, Carlos was a Managing Director and Head of Business Development at Comvest Partners. Carlos started his private equity career at The Gores Group.

Carlos earned a B.A. in American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Kevin has more than 20 years of sales and business development experience in the private equity, pharmaceutical, and health information technology sectors. He’s currently a Partner at Riverside Partners, a lower middle market private equity fund exclusively investing in healthcare and technology sectors. Prior to joining Riverside Partners in 2022, Kevin spent 14-years at a large global multi-strategy private equity fund where he led business development efforts for the firm’s largest North American buyout funds. His previous experience includes sales and business development roles in the pharmaceutical and HCIT sectors.

Josh Nulman is Ontra’s General Manager of Investment Banking. Josh is responsible for driving strategic direction, product development and operational excellence for Ontra’s investment banking vertical. Prior to joining Ontra in 2019, Josh was an M&A lawyer at Covington & Burling in New York. Based in Englewood, NJ, Josh enjoys hiking, weightlifting and traveling with his wife and three kids.