Keynote Fireside Chat: David Baram, Co-Founder and Managing Director, VMG Partners

SPEAKERS: 

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David Baram has spent over 16 years in the consumer products and entertainment and media industries. In 2007, Mr. Baram co-founded the private equity firm VMG Partners, which has become an industry leader in investing and growing marketing-driven, branded consumer product companies. VMG collaborates closely with entrepreneurs and management teams to provide capital, resources and strategic guidance that accelerate growth and raise brand awareness. VMG has raised over $2 billion in capital to date; its current and past portfolio companies include leading brands in the food, wellness, sports nutrition, personal care, beverage, and pet categories, among others, such as Drunk Elephant, Natural Balance Pet Foods, Justin’s Nut Butters, Vega, Solid Gold Pet Products, Kind Healthy Snacks, Quest Nutrition, Pirates Booty, Waggin' Train Pet Treats, Pretzel Crisps and many others. Mr. Baram currently focuses on all aspects of the Fund's investment strategy, execution and portfolio company management, as well as leading its unique partnerships with media companies in the entertainment industry to provide marketing support to VMG portfolio companies.

Prior to co-founding VMG, Mr. Baram served as President and COO of The Firm, the leading talent management and film/television/music production company in the entertainment industry. During his more than nine year tenure in that role, Mr. Baram and his partners at The Firm helped develop and manage the careers of many of the industries' leading artists, including Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Snoop Dogg, Martin Scorcese, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Criss Angel, and many others. In his role at the Firm, Mr. Baram also raised over $50 million in private equity capital from investors such as Thomas H. Lee and Bain Capital and acquired numerous other talent management and production companies.

During his tenure at the Firm, Mr. Baram also helped lead The Firm’s innovative consumer products group which combined entertainment marketing with owned-and-operated consumer product brands. This included the acquisition of Pony International and the dramatic growth of the sneaker and apparel company and its successful sale in 2003. Mr. Baram has also executive produced over 100 episodes of television and is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Prior to joining The Firm, Mr. Baram was a partner at the law firm of Alshuler, Grossman, Stein & Kahan from 1991 to 1999 and previously practiced law at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker.

Mr. Baram received his J.D. with Honors from Harvard Law School and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston University with a B.A. in Economics.

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Nanette C. Heide is a Partner in Duane Morris’ Corporate Practice Group, Co-Chair of its Private Equity Division and team lead of the firmwide Private Equity Industry Group. She is also Senior Advisory Partner to the firm's Fashion/Retail/Consumer Branded Products Group.

Ms. Heide has significant experience handling complex transactions and providing general corporate counseling. She regularly represents private equity and venture capital investors, multinational and domestic corporations (public and private) in a wide spectrum of corporate finance transactions, including private equity and venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, institutional private placements, cross-border transactions, debt and equity structuring transactions, joint ventures and strategic alliances. She also has formed and structured private equity and hedge funds.

Ms. Heide is a member of the firm's Partners Board. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, Mergers & Acquisitions named Ms. Heide one of the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A. She previously served as general counsel and chief financial officer of two technology companies. She is a graduate of Washington and Lee University School of Law, where she was editor in chief of Washington and Lee Law News, and is a graduate of West Virginia University.