Petsky Prunier LLC Appoints M. Jeffrey Branman New Managing Director
Thursday, 01 February 2007
Petsky Prunier LLC, a specialty investment bank providing merger and acquisition advisory services to companies in the marketing sector, announced today that Internet retail industry veteran M. Jeffrey Branman has joined the firm as a managing director. Branman comes to Petsky Prunier with extensive experience as an investment banker, investor and operator in the multichannel retail, electronic commerce, catalog, and Internet services industries.
Prior to joining Petsky Prunier, he was president of Interactive Technology Partners, LLC, a venture capital joint venture of QVC, Inc. and Comcast Corporation, where he originated and provided board level supervision for investments in the electronic commerce services and technology, supply chain integration services and technology, specialty media and interactive television businesses. Portfolio companies included GSI Commerce, Inc. [NASDAQ: GSIC], Commerce Technologies, Inc., Scene7, Inc. and The Knot, Inc. [NASDAQ:KNOT]. Branman also functioned as the senior corporate development executive for QVC, with responsibility for strategic partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, and interactive television technology.
“Jeff is an accomplished leader in his field and brings tremendous strengths to our firm,” stated cofounder, Michael Petsky. “He will become an important member of our management team and his knowledge and expertise in Internet retailing will add to our capabilities as we continue to focus on the growing multichannel retail industry.”
Petsky and partner, John Prunier, created the firm that bears their names in 1999 with an objective of elevating the quality and focus of investment banking advisory services provided to companies in the marketing sector.
At Petsky Prunier, Branman will work with senior management, clients, prospective buyers and analysts to manage transactions and processes around the firm’s growing business in Internet retail, catalog and Internet services.
“I am delighted to be joining Petsky Prunier,” said Branman. “I have known Michael Petsky and John Prunier for many years. They are highly respected in the industry and I look forward to adding to the capabilities and deep experience base of the firm.”
Prior to founding Interactive Technology Partners, Branman served as senior vice president of corporate development for Foot Locker Inc. (formerly Woolworth Corporation) where he led the restructuring of the company’s worldwide portfolio of retailing assets. While at Foot Locker, he also served as chief executive officer of FootLocker.com, where he built the business to $200 million in combined Internet and catalog sales organically and through the strategic acquisition of cataloger, Eastbay, Inc.
Prior to Foot Locker, Branman was an investment banker focused on the retailing and merchandising businesses at Financo, Inc., where he served as managing director and partner, and at Credit Suisse First Boston, Inc. where he was head of the Retail Industry M&A Practice. Branman’s clients have included Federated Department Stores, Allied Stores Corporation, Melville Corporation, Finlay Enterprises, Signet Group plc and Nautica Enterprises, among many others.
“The continued growth that we’re seeing in e-commerce services and technology is fueling greater M&A activity both within the retailing space itself and among the companies that serve it,” noted cofounder, John Prunier. “With Jeff’s investment banking pedigree and extensive experience working with Internet and multichannel retailers, he will undoubtedly play an integral role in helping our clients capitalize on such opportunities.”
Branman holds a B.A. in economics and statistics from the University of California, Berkeley, and he earned his Master of Science at the Tepper School of Business, Carnegie-Mellon University.