David Kirk

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

David is the former CEO of Fairfax Media, where he led the successful investment into a number of internet businesses including Fairfax’s acquisition of Trade Me and Stayz. He has been a growth stage investor in technology-based businesses since 1999 and was an IPO investor in Xero.

David is Chairman of KMD Brands [ASX:KMD, NZE:KMD], made up of iconic brands Kathmandu, RipCurl and Oboz, and Chairman of Forsyth Barr, a privately-owned New Zealand investment firm.

David is Chairman of Bailador investee companies, Rezdy and Rosterfy, and a board observer for Mosh.

Prior to joining the corporate world, David enjoyed a highly successful rugby career. He captained the All Blacks to win the World Cup in 1987 and was awarded an MBE in 1988. He was also a policy advisor to the New Zealand Prime Minister.

David is a Rhodes Scholar with degrees in Medicine from Otago University, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford University.

Paul Wilson

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Paul has extensive private equity investment experience as a Director of CHAMP Private Equity in Sydney and New York, with MetLife in London and New York, and as Executive Director at Illyria, a media focused investment group.

Paul is a Director of Bailador company SiteMinder [ASX:SDR]. He is also Director of Rajasthan Royals (IPL cricket) and VRTUS fitness studio.

Paul has a Bachelor of Business from QUT. He is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia, a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Australia, and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

James Johnstone

Partner

James was made Partner in 2020 and leads Bailador’s new investment activity along with providing operational expertise to the fund’s portfolio companies. He was previously a founding Commercial Director of Mozo, an online financial comparison marketplace which was acquired by Future Plc (FUTR.LSE) in 2021.

James has more than 20 years’ experience in venture capital, strategy consulting and corporate development, previously working with Virgin Group portfolio companies in Sydney and London.

He completed a Co-op Scholarship (Bachelor of Accounting) from UTS Sydney, is a qualified Chartered Accountant, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

James led the sale process for Bailador’s exited investments in DocsCorp and Viostream, and worked closely with Bailador’s exited investment in Lendi. He is a Director of Straker Translations (ASX:STG) and Access Telehealth, and a Board Observer on Bailador’s investments in Mosh and InstantScripts.

Bevin Shields

Partner & Head of Investor Relations

Bevin was made Partner in 2022 and leads Bailador’s investor relations activities, as well as working closely with portfolio company Rezdy. He was Director of Bailador’s recently exited investment, Standard Media Index.   

Bevin has over 15 years’ M&A, Capital Markets and Corporate Development experience. The majority of his time has been focused on assisting early-stage businesses grow either organically or by acquisition.

Bevin was previously Head of M&A, Capital Markets & Investor Relations at Catapult Group, an ASX-listed sports technology company specialising in athlete tracking for professional sporting leagues globally. During this time, Bevin led numerous cross-border acquisitions and raised over $170 million in funding across seven separate transactions.

Prior to Catapult, Bevin spent 11 years in Investment Banking and Advisory with the Royal Bank of Scotland, Helmsec Global Capital and Macquarie Group, securing over $1 billion in funding for early stage companies across advisory and principle investment capacities.

Bevin holds a Master of Commerce (Finance, Accounting and Economics) from the University of Sydney.

Michael Hayes

Investment Director

Mike is responsible for identifying and evaluating new investment opportunities, and he worked on our investments into Instaclustr, DocsCorp and Rosterfy.

Mike also provides extensive operational support for the Bailador portfolio including business performance analysis, strategic planning, corporate development, capital raising and exit support. He is currently a Director of portfolio company Rosterfy, and he worked closely with several of Bailador’s now exited investments, including as a Board Observer for Instaclustr, and with DocsCorp and Stackla.

Mike has more than 10 years’ experience evaluating investment opportunities across the technology and media sectors. He began his career in the Corporate Strategy group at The Walt Disney Company, the in-house M&A and strategic consulting team, where he was responsible for evaluating and executing M&A transactions for Disney.

Prior to joining Bailador, Mike was a Buy-Side Equity Analyst at Boulevard Capital Management, a US hedge fund based in Los Angeles.

Mike graduated with Honors (cum laude) from Harvard University, where he received an A.B. in Economics. Mike is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Alexander Lenartowicz

Investment Associate

Alexander joined Bailador in 2021 and is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities and providing operational support to existing portfolio companies. 

Prior to his role at Bailador Alexander was a Summer Analyst in the investment banking team at Bank of America, before moving to Europe as part of Santander’s investment banking team where he specialised in M&A for cross-border renewable energy infrastructure transactions. Most recently Alexander was at Monash Private Capital in Sydney where he developed his passion for growth-stage technology businesses. 

Alexander holds a Master of Commerce (Finance & International Business) from the University of Sydney.

Jordan Martenstyn

Investment & Portfolio Analyst

Jordan is responsible for monitoring and analysing the financial and operational performance of BTI’s investment portfolio. Jordan is also actively involved in evaluating new investment opportunities. 

Concurrent to his work at Bailador, Jordan is completing both a Master of Clinical Psychology and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at The University of Sydney. 

Prior to joining Bailador, Jordan was a Junior Equity Research Analyst at Frazis Capital Partners, an investment fund focused on technology and the life sciences. 

Jordan graduated with the University Medal from The University of Sydney in 2019, where he received a Bachelor of Science (Advanced), majoring in Psychology and Physiology.

Helen Foley

Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary

Helen has been with Bailador since 2011. She has previously held senior finance roles at Inchcape Motors Australia, Tubemakers of Australia, and BRW Fast 100 winner and technology company LX Group. Helen has consulted on best practice finance systems and governance across a range of companies and government bodies.

Helen holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and a Masters in Politics and Public Policy. She is a Fellow of CPA Australia, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Justice of the Peace in NSW.

Chloe Grist

Executive Assistant to the Managing Partners & Chief Financial Officer

Chloe is assistant to Bailador’s Managing Partners, David Kirk and Paul Wilson, and Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary, Helen Plesek. She also provides support to Bailador’s investment team and Board of Directors, as well as supporting the day-to-day operations of the Sydney office.

Chloe previously worked as a local newspaper reporter. She holds a BA in Multi-Media Journalism from Bournemouth University (UK). 

Andrew Bullock

Independent Non-Executive Director

Andrew is Managing Director at private equity firm Adamantem Capital, and was previously a partner at Australian law firm Gilbert + Tobin in the Corporate Advisory Group. He specialises in mergers and acquisitions, fundraisings and strategic joint ventures and media sectors. He was previously a partner of Minter Ellison and spent 3 years in the London office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Andrew has a Bachelor of Arts from Sydney University and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales.

Jolanta Masojada

Independent Non-Executive Director

Jolanta Masojada is Principal of MasMedia Advisers, providing strategic investor relations and communications advice to listed companies. She has more than 25 years’ experience in financial markets and equity research in the media and technology sectors in Australia and the US.  Jolanta was formerly Director Equity Research at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, with previous roles at Macquarie Bank and Pierson Sal. Oppenheim in New York.

Jolanta is a graduate of the University of Natal and Cambridge University. She is a fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Brodie Arnhold

Independent Non-Executive Director

Brodie Arnhold is an experienced ASX listed board member with over 15 years domestic and international experience in private equity, investment banking and corporate finance.

Brodie is the CEO and Executive Director of iSelect (ASX:ISU) having joined the Board in September 2014 and stepping into the CEO role in April 2018. Prior to his current role with iSelect, Brodie was the CEO of Melbourne Racing Club. He has also worked for Investec Bank from 2010-2013 where he was responsible for building a high-net-worth private client business and for Westpac Banking Corporation where he was Investment Director at Westpac’s private equity fund.

During his career Brodie has also worked at leading accounting and investment firms including Deloitte (Australia), Nomura (UK) and Goldman Sachs (Hong Kong).

Brodie is also the Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG) and is Chairman of private companies Endota Spa Pty Ltd and Industry Beans Pty Ltd.

Brodie holds a Bachelor of Commerce and MBA from the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ).