Speakers

Malcolm Frank is Cognizant’s Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. In this role, he is responsible for defining and overseeing all aspects of the company’s corporate strategy and go-to-market positioning. His deep understanding of the digital economy—at scale across silos, organizations and marketplaces—and ability to see around technology’s tight corners are key factors in Cognizant’s consistent industry-leading growth and ability to address clients’ ever-changing business needs.

Malcolm’s influence is wide ranging and evident across media. He has co-authored two best-selling books, “What to Do When Machines Do Everything” (2017) and “Code Halos” (2014), both of which received multiple international book awards. He has also authored numerous white papers focusing on the Future of Work and created the term “SMAC Stack,” now an industry standard. A highly sought-after speaker, Malcolm has presented at various conclaves, including the World Economic Forum and the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals. He is frequently quoted, is the subject of a Harvard Business School case study and was named “one of the most influential people in finance” by Risk Management magazine.

Beyond his practical vision on artificial intelligence (AI) and experience as a founder and CEO of three business ventures, Malcolm works closely with Cognizant clients to gain business advantage from large-scale digital transformation programs. He also serves on the Board of Directors of FactSet Research Systems Inc. Malcolm holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Yale University.

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Cole Bader is a Managing Director, Head of Technology Investment Banking and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions. Mr. Bader has more than 25 years of experience providing strategic advisory services to public and private companies across a broad range of transactions, geographies and industries.

Mr. Bader joined Stifel in connection with Stifel's acquisition of Thomas Weisel Partners in July 2010.  He was previously a Managing Director and Co-Head of M&A at Thomas Weisel Partners, joining the firm in 2002.  Prior to that, he spent 10 years in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at Morgan Stanley, both in New York and London, and was a co-founder of Morgan Stanley’s East Coast Technology M&A practice in 1997.

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Abilash Jaikumar is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of TresVista, the leading provider of high-end outsourced support for asset managers, investment banks, research firms, and corporates. TresVista client’s operate across geographies, industries, asset classes, and deal sizes. Their asset management clients collectively have AUM in excess of $400 billion. TresVista supports its clients broadly in three areas (1) research and valuation, (2) FP&A, and (3) data analytics.

Previously, Abilash has worked in both the investment banking and private equity industries and has been involved in more than $20 billion of financing and M&A activity.  Abilash graduated with Honors from Georgetown University with a B.S.B.A in Finance and Accounting and minors in Philosophy and Economics and currently serves as the Chairman of Georgetown's Alumni Admissions Program in India. He is also on the board of Beyond Capital Fund, a non-profit impact investment fund that invests in for-profit social enterprises throughout India and East Africa. He is also a member of the Board of ACG New York.

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James D. Rosener is a partner in the Commercial Department of Pepper Hamilton LLP. Mr. Rosener heads the firm's International Practice Group, is managing partner of the New York office and has served as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. His practice is devoted primarily to international transactions, private equity, mergers and acquisitions and corporate financing.

Mr. Rosener has represented domestic and foreign private equity funds in transactions in more than 70 countries throughout the world, including platform and follow-on acquisitions; distressed buyouts, including in bankruptcy; corporate carve-outs and restructurings. He also has represented U.S.-based companies in transactions throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia (particularly, India and China), as well as several European, Indian, South American and Japanese companies in merger and acquisitions, financing and licensing transactions involving the United States. In addition, he also has represented management-led groups in the acquisition of businesses from divesting corporations.

Within the corporate financing practice area, Mr. Rosener has represented domestic and foreign issuers in public offerings (both U.S. and foreign listings), venture and mezzanine capital raising and traditional bank financing transactions. In addition, he has represented a number of issuers and bondholder groups in debt restructuring, recapitalization and work-out plans. Mr. Rosener regularly acts as international legal counsel to issuers and underwriters on off-shore public offerings in India, the United Kingdom and Europe.

Mr. Rosener worked in the corporate finance field for nine years before becoming a lawyer. His experience in senior financial positions included the initial and subsequent public offerings of equity and debt securities of a major international integrated oil producer and a health care company, the acquisition of several publicly held companies and the financing of several stand-alone projects.

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Brendan Scollans is a Partner at EQT Partners. Prior to joining EQT Partners in March 2016, Brendan worked as a Partner at Avista Capital, a private equity firm based in New York, Houston and London, for 11 years. He was a founding member of the firm, sat on the Investment Committee, and served as head of Avista’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications group from 2011-2016. Prior to Avista, Mr. Scollans was an investment professional at DLJ Merchant Banking Partners where he spent time in the firm’s New York and London offices. Prior to joining DLJ Merchant Banking Partners, he was an Associate in the private equity investments group and an Analyst in the healthcare investment banking group of JP Morgan.

Mr. Scollans earned a B.S. degree in Finance, summa cum laude, from Boston College. He also received an M.B.A. with high distinction from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar.

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Michael Cassidy serves as Founder and Partner at August Spark, a NY based family office making investments in marketing, business and technology enabled service companies.  

Prior to launching August Spark, Cassidy founded Undertone, an internet advertising technology company where he served as CEO until 2014.

Michael is currently a board member for two nonprofits; Friends of Karen and Feeding Westchester. 

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Nick Castellina is the Director of Industry and Solution Strategy responsible for Infor manufacturing. 

Prior to Infor, Nick was Vice President and Research Group Director of the Aberdeen Group’s Business Planning and Execution research practice. There he worked with software vendors and end users to analyse trends and produce industry-leading content in topics related to Enterprise Resource Planning, Enterprise Performance Management, Project Portfolio Management, and Business Process Management. He was also responsible for managing a team of analysts dedicated to manufacturing, product innovation and engineering, supply chain management, and financial management and GRC.

Castellina earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Bentley University and a Masters in Business Administration with specializations in marketing and finance at the University of Massachusetts - Boston.

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A seasoned strategy, marketing and general management executive, Rebecca has wide-ranging experience as a successful tech entrepreneur, top-tier management consultant, and a senior leader of CPG and healthcare corporations.

Currently, she is Vice President of Growth at the private equity firm, Serent Capital. Her focus is on driving measurable improvements in operational performance, revenue acceleration and earnings velocity.

Prior to joining Serent, Rebecca served as the General Manager of North America for Hydralyte – a health and wellness CPG brand out of Australia.

Previously, Rebecca worked as the VP of Global consumer marketing for Mylan. Prior to Mylan, Rebecca worked at PepsiCo where she was responsible for the Aquafina and SoBe brands, at Avon where she led global digital strategy and operations, and at McKinsey and Company as a consultant for media and technology companies.

Rebecca began her career with a successful tech start-up, building and then selling a digital video-focused services agency during the first “dot com” bubble.    

Rebecca received her undergraduate degree from Yale University. She lives in New York City with her husband, Michael, and two twin boys, Jacob and Zachary.

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David Reynolds is a Senior Director with Alvarez & Marsal in their Private Equity Performance Improvement group. He has more than 18 years of consulting experience in North America and abroad. His background includes revenue generation and profit improvement in supply chain optimization, operational improvements and product line profitability. He has worked in several sectors of business services, technology and consumer goods.

Mr. Reynolds has held interim-COO roles from sponsor backed business service companies to contract pet food manufacturing. Each company ranging in $100M-$450M of revenue. He also has extensive experience in merger and acquisition due diligence in businesses in various industries such as B2B services, technology-enabled companies, IOT leaders and more.

Mr. Reynolds earned his bachelor’s in Industrial and Systems Engineering and M.B.A. from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

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Jon Weber is the Head of Portfolio Company Management, and serves on the Firm’s Investment Committee. Mr. Weber works with management and boards of companies where the firm is an influential investor. Prior to joining BlueMountain, Mr. Weber headed groups at Anchorage Capital Group, Goldman Sachs Special Situations Group and Icahn Enterprises, where he was responsible for operational oversight, governance and value enhancement of portfolio companies. In those capacities, he has served as a board member, senior executive, and board-level advisor for companies in a broad range of industries over 15 years. Roles included President of Icahn Enterprises, L.P. (NYSE-IEP), CEO of Philip Services Corporation and Viskase Companies, and board member of American Railcar Industries, Bavaria Yachtbau, Crescent Communities, Martinrea Honsel, National Energy Group, WestPoint International, WIND Hellas, Xenith Bankshares and XO Communications. Previously, Mr. Weber was an investment banker at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley, and an attorney with Weil, Gotshal & Manges. He is a Life Member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Mr. Weber earned a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School, and B.S. and M.B.A., magna cum laude, from Babson College.

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