Atlas Technology Group provides independent M&A advice to software companies and software-focused private equity firms. We advise on the full range of strategic transactions, including mergers, private placements, sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory, leveraged buy-outs, spin-offs, split-offs, and divestitures.

Bret led the Technology Merchant Banking group within Opus Bank's Merchant Banking Division. The Merchant Banking Division of Opus Bank (Nasdaq:OPB) includes the Private Equity Group, Opus Equity Partners ("OEP"), and the Investment Banking Group, Opus Financial Partners ("OFP"). The Merchant Banking Division makes equity and debt investments between $5MM and $25MM in growth companies, and provides a broad range of M&A advisory, capital advisory and general financial and restructuring services. All securities transactions are conducted through OFP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Opus Bank.

Bret was a Managing Director and one of the Founders of Arrowroot, a merchant bank providing capital and M&A advisory to Software businesses.

Bret was an Executive Director in Investment Banking at Nomura International plc where he was a senior lead coverage banker responsible for the global Technology sector as well as several Industrial/Manufacturing and Energy sub-verticals. In this capacity, Bret originated, sourced, managed and executed transactions in Europe, the US and Asia on behalf of his clients across selected software, hardware and clean technology verticals. He advised corporate (blue-chip and emerging growth companies) and private equity clients on mergers and acquisitions (sell-side and buy-side), strategic advisory (growth and operations) and financings (equity and debt financings).While at Nomura, Bret had leadership responsibilities within the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) team, which included client targeting, strategic forecasting and analysis and business plan development. He also provided performance reviews, recruited new and experienced hires, supervised and influenced personnel professional development and promotions and collaborated with senior management to accomplish business and team objectives.

Bret was a Vice President and Associate in Investment Banking at Lehman Brothers Europe Ltd which was acquired by Nomura in the Fall of 2008. During his time at Lehman, Bret advised and executed M&A and financing transactions within the semiconductor, capital goods, solar, software, mobility, Internet, financial technology and communication equipment sectors. As a VP Bret was responsible for the team’s European semiconductor and solar practice while working closely with his colleagues in the US and Asia. Core responsibilities included client management, generating and evaluating strategic ideas, deal analysis, creating presentations, dataroom preparations, due diligence and negotiations. Bret conceived, drafted and presented board deliverables, marketing material and internal/external committee memoranda. Conducted financial analyses including merger combinations and complex valuations (comparable company, credit, DCF, precedent transactions and LBO). During his last year at Lehman he oversaw staffing and career development of ~15 analysts and associates.

Bret was a publishing Equity Research Analyst covering the Technology sector. He was part of a team that was ranked #4 in 2005 and Runner-Up in 2004 by Institutional Investor. Bret researched and analyzed industry sector trends, developed investment theses, mapped industries, diligenced and financially modeled and valued companies to pick winners and losers to eventually make investment recommendations. Bret wrote company and sector research reports; he presented and marketed this investment research to leading mutual funds and hedge funds as well as advised his clients on investing in the sector.

Spin-Off Advisors is a hedge fund and independent investment research firm focused on corporate spin-offs and divestitures. Bret performed and wrote analysis and made investment recommendations to the portfolio manager for fund’s investments into spin-offs.

Sales, Trading & Research Summer Associate Internship: Fixed Income Derivatives Structuring desk and US Equity Sales desk rotations.

Bret co-founded and helped start-up the Alternative Investments Group which provided business development capital raising, placement agent and advisory services to hedge fund managers. Bret was responsible for researching, diligencing, evaluating and selecting early stage hedge fund managers for Mondiale Partners to represent. For selected funds, Bret raised capital from institutional investors (endowments and pension funds), family offices, fund of funds and high-net-worth individuals.

Bret evaluated, selected, marketed and sold independent investment research to hedge fund and mutual fund portfolio managers.