Building a Deal-Ready Company: Financial, Legal, and Strategic Preparation

Lee represents a wide range of clients in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, complex business transactions, and general corporate matters. Clients appreciate Lee’s no nonsense, practical approach to matters. Lee represents private equity, independent sponsors, entrepreneurs, and other clients in M&A transactions of all types, including asset purchases, equity purchases, and mergers. He has led and managed transactions across a multitude of industries and jurisdictions from letter of intent to closing. Lee also assists clients in corporate finance and facilitating and documenting complex capital structures in limited liability companies, including operating agreements with sophisticated and unique distribution waterfalls and governance provisions.

In addition, Lee acts as outside general counsel advising clients and their principals on day-to-day legal needs. These services cover a variety of issues, including advising, drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, joint ventures, employment and consulting agreements, non-competes, and equity incentives. He also works with business owners on multifaceted issues involving governance and control, transfer restrictions, buy/sell agreements and other general corporate matters.

Ben Smith provides advisory services to middle-market, closely held clients in a variety of sectors including, manufacturing and distribution, construction, high-technology, and healthcare. He specializes in financial and tax due diligence, quality of earnings studies, working capital analysis, stress-testing of financial projections, and financial reporting and analysis.

Mr Vedie is a seasoned CEO with a track record of growth and an expertise in M&A execution. He has 27 years’ experience in the automotive industry working for global corporations in Europe and North America. He has worked extensively in regulated environments including leading an initial public offering (NSE: VARROC), capital raising and general compliance.

He is currently the CEO of LUXIT Group, a global lighting supplier to the Automotive Industry. Prior to joining LUXIT Group, Mr. Vedie was the North American CEO at Magneti Marelli (now Marelli) and the Global CEO at Varroc Lighting Systems (now Plastic Omnium Lighting).
Mr Vedie is a non-executive director of Seeing Machines Ltd (AIM: SEE).
Mr. Vedie holds dual Masters Degrees, one in Purchasing from University of Grenoble (France,) and the other in Business Administration from the Graduate School of Business in Amiens (France).

Charlie Zalud is a Vice President at Townsend Street Capital, where he is actively involved in deal sourcing, transaction execution, and portfolio company support. He brings broad experience across change-of-control acquisitions and minority equity investments in the lower middle market, and has advised companies spanning multiple industries, including a multi-billion-dollar consumer products manufacturer.

Prior to joining Townsend Street Capital, Charlie served as a Vice President at a private equity-focused family office, where he led execution for the firm’s direct investing strategy. His responsibilities included sourcing opportunities, valuation, due diligence, financing, and legal documentation. He also worked closely with portfolio company management teams to identify growth drivers, refine competitive strategy, and implement risk management frameworks to support long-term value creation. Earlier in his career, Charlie was an Analyst at an institutional investment consulting firm, advising public pension plans, endowments, and foundations on private fund allocations totaling $250 million.