WaveCrest Securities Research
Advisory Approach
WaveCrest Securities is a global independent, middle-market boutique investment bank founded on the thesis that the most valuable advisory relationships are built on unbiased advice, senior-level attention, and creative solutions. The firm is composed of seasoned veterans from major investment banks (Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, BNP Paribas, Bankers Trust, Merrill Lynch) with decades of execution experience. The founders—Kristoffer Mack and Paul Rapello—established the firm with a commitment to providing institutional-quality advice to leading corporations, financial sponsors, and entrepreneurs. The firm's philosophy emphasizes deep relationships with capital providers (family offices, PE firms, hedge funds, mezzanine and senior lenders, commercial banks) and a track record of delivering results across complex, multi-decade transaction histories.
Sector Focus
WaveCrest Securities maintains a diversified but deep practice across multiple industry verticals, with particular strength in healthcare services and products, real estate finance, technology (especially healthcare IT and SaaS), and infrastructure/transportation. Within healthcare, the firm has closed transactions spanning dental services (Eastern Dental acquisition advisory in 2025), medical devices (multiple biotech and med-tech deals), behavioral health platforms, and clinical operations. The team includes specialists with deep clinical backgrounds (including registered nurses and medical device founders), which differentiates the firm from generalist banks.
In real estate, the firm has executed over $2.5 billion in complex commercial real estate financing transactions, including securitized lease structures with GSA, VA, FEMA, and major corporates (IBM, Walmart, Walgreens). Gregory Haidet, a Managing Director with 30+ years of CRE experience, leads this practice.
The firm also maintains active practices in technology (SaaS, healthcare IT, software), business services, manufacturing, metals and mining, and emerging energy/cleantech sectors.
Deal Track Record
WaveCrest Securities has executed transactions spanning nearly three decades, from the 1990s through 2025. Recent deals include the Branford Castle acquisition of Eastern Dental Management (2025), KindBio cultivation license sale ($5M, 2024), MAP sale to Industrial Realty Group (2022), and Business of Home sale to Recurrent (2022). Larger historical transactions include Penn National Gaming LBO ($6.1B, buy-side advisor), Intrawest LBO ($28B), Japan Tobacco/RJR International acquisition ($8B), GHL/Iridium SPAC ($650M), and IndyMac Bank FDIC auction ($2B). The firm's portfolio spans debt arranging, equity placements, M&A advisory, restructuring, fund placement, and principal investment across deal sizes from $5M to $28B+.
Process & Fee Structure
WaveCrest Securities provides full-service investment banking with institutional-quality processes and senior-level attention from partners with 20-40 years of experience. Services include private placements (debt/equity capital), M&A advisory (change of control, carve-outs, divestitures), direct private investment solutions for family offices, and fund placement for alternative managers. The firm emphasizes unbiased advice and creative solutions rather than formulaic deal processes.
Buyer Network
Based on transaction history, WaveCrest maintains strong relationships with:
- Private Equity: Fortress Group, Ripplewood, Value Act Capital, Carlyle Group, KKR, Blackstone, Bain Capital
- Strategic Acquirers: Branford Castle Partners, Industrial Realty Group, Recurrent, Rock Mountain Capital, Fortune 500 industrials
- Institutional Investors: Family offices, hedge funds, mezzanine funds, senior lenders, commercial banks
The firm has worked as buy-side advisor for major LBOs, indicating deep PE relationships across large, middle-market, and lower-middle-market sponsors.
Competitive Positioning
WaveCrest differentiates through exceptional team depth (13+ Managing Directors with 15-40 years each), founder-led expertise (35+ and 30+ years), proven transaction capability across deal sizes and structures, international experience across multiple continents, unbiased independence, and full-service in-house capabilities. The team includes rare combinations of expertise: clinician-bankers in healthcare, metal/mining veterans, CRE financing specialists, technology investors, and infrastructure experts—allowing deep strategic insight without generalist compromises.
Team Overview
The firm's strength is its experienced senior partnership of 13+ Managing Directors:
Founders & Senior Leadership:
- Kristoffer Mack: President, Senior Managing Director, 35 years investment banking, former Global Head Hedge Fund Coverage Deutsche Bank
- Paul Rapello: Senior Managing Director, 30 years investment banking, founded Great Circle Capital
Healthcare & Life Sciences:
- Marcus Henschen (RN, Series 7/63): 12 years healthcare, founded medical device and biotech companies
- Shailendra Mahajan: Co-founder Maxim Ventures ($200M healthcare fund), 20+ healthcare startup investments
Technology & SaaS:
- Charles E. Womack: 20+ years, early-stage to large companies across tech, cannabis, consumer
- Jason Denenberg: 20+ years, CIO family office, founded SaaS wellness company
Infrastructure & Real Estate:
- Gregory A. Haidet: 30+ years, $2.5B+ complex CRE financing
- Tony Wood: International specialist (UK, Europe, Asia, Australia), founded Blaxland Funds
Industrial & Metals:
- Mitch Hecht: 40+ years, Wall Street + Fortune 500 CFO + founder recycling startup
- Ryan Kuhn: 15 years, $5B+ aggregate transactions, energy and logistics
Structured Finance & Credit:
- Barry W. Dennis (CFA): 25+ years credit markets, Merrill Lynch, Canaccord
M&A & Technology:
- Stephen Cervieri: 20+ years investment banking, healthcare IT specialist, 6 languages
Real Estate:
- Jeremy Gordon: Founder August Realty Capital, CRE broker 20+ years, Series 7/63/79
Geographic Coverage
Headquarters: Brentwood, Tennessee. Offices in New York (Manhattan). Global transaction history across North America, Europe (UK, Germany, Austria, France), Asia (Japan, China), Australia, and emerging markets (Russia, CIS, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Mexico).