| Charles Kemper (or Charlie Kemper) is an international executive with diverse experience in all aspects of business development, corporate finance, fundraising, corporate governance, financial management, strategic planning, product marketing, and international channel sales. He has direct experience in venture capital, private equity, investment banking, digital media, communications technologies, enterprise software, and internet services. |
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PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY |
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| Currently engaged as a private equity investor at Steelpoint Capital Partners, Charles is actively involved in the growth and financing of numerous companies in digital media, marketing services, information technology, and business services. In this capacity, he helps fund and/or acquire privately held companies that are led by top management teams and demonstrate significant potential for growth. Until this most recent project, Charles was engaged as an advisor by several technology and financial groups. He was involved in the development & execution of a new business delivering next-generation carrier-grade software solutions for IP-based rich media communications. He played a critical role in assisting an Australian video compression business to refine its strategy and raise fresh equity, an IP traffic engineering startup to restructure, a new US Hispanic-focused private equity fund to organize the business, and a group of entrepreneurs negotiating a management buyout of a successful skills assessment technology. He is currently also an advisor to a rapidly growing branded gourmet prepared frozen foods retail operation and a founding senior advisor to a non-profit 501(c)(3) focused on financial education & alternative banking services in the US Hispanic market. Previously, Charles worked with Darby Overseas Investments, a global private equity firm with over $1 billion in capital under management led by Nicholas F. Brady, former US Secretary of the Treasury and Chairman of Dillon, Read & Co., in 2000 to develop a plan to launch a new technology-focused investment vehicle. He also assisted in sourcing, evaluating, and executing new investment opportunities in the areas of digital media, communications services, enterprise software, and information technology. As a founding member and investment officer of the Darby Technology Ventures Group, the technology venture capital arm of Darby, he played a lead role in the development of the investment thesis and strategy of the newly formed group. Charles was responsible for deal origination, investment due diligence, financial analysis, deal structuring, and valuation. During his two-year tenure with Darby, Charles was part of the team that executed investments in four businesses; a messaging applications provider, an inventory management software developer for mobile applications, a software security business with a leading PKI technology, and a facilities-based business center operation. He also provided ongoing counsel to management of portfolio companies on issues of value building, strategic planning, corporate governance, accounting, fundraising, and new partnerships or acquisitions. Prior to Darby, Charles served as a lead financial executive in the area of Product Development for the Explorer Vehicle Line within Ford Motor Company. He was closely involved in the conceptualization, design, and development of new vehicles with a particular focus on business analysis, supplier negotiation, product pricing, development procedures, and new markets. From 1996 to 1999, Charles co-founded and managed a new media consulting firm focusing on Internet and related technologies. Charles was responsible for all financial and managerial aspects of the operating firm in addition to playing a key role in new business development. Previously, he has worked with Avalanche Systems, Inc. (now SBI-Razorfish, Inc.) to develop web-based software, communications, and commerce solutions for a variety of clients in the media, entertainment, and financial services industries. Charles has also held positions at Ameritech, Credit Agricole Indosuez, & Robert Bosch Corporation. |
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EDUCATION |
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| Charles holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University. He is also fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, in addition having had assembled skills in a number of software development languages. |
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INTERESTS |
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| Charles enjoys traveling, sailing, and snowboarding. He is also an avid ping-pong, squash and tennis player. Currently, Charles sits on the Board of the Northwestern Alumni Association, and is actively involved with the Northwestern Alumni Admission Council, the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, the Phi Delta Theta Advisory Board, and the Hispanic Alliance for Progress. |
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CONTACT |
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| Feel free to drop Charles a note or phone call, he always welcome a good conversation, a challenging squash game, a new deal, or a glass of great wine. You can reach him at the office at +1-212-912-3815 or via electronic mail at ckemper-AT-kmf.net. |
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