Announcing Clavana's June 2026 Elite Athlete Cohort
Clavana is delighted to welcome the newest members of our Elite Athlete Programme:
Australian Olympian Angus Dawson, Team USA Olympians Aaron Small and Drew Kibler, and Finnish National Champion Liina Winborn.
Announcing Clavana's June 2026 Elite Athlete Cohort
Clavana is pleased to welcome Australian Olympian Angus Dawson, Team USA Olympians Aaron Small and Drew Kibler, and Finnish National Champion Liina Winborn to its growing Origination Team through the firm's Elite Athlete Program.
As Clavana continues to expand its global team, the firm remains committed to recruiting individuals who have demonstrated excellence at the highest levels. While their sporting backgrounds span rowing, kayaking, swimming and distance running, Angus, Aaron, Drew and Liina share the qualities that define both elite athletes and exceptional originators.
Each athlete is actively pursuing future international success, with ambitions that include competing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, while simultaneously building professional careers beyond sport. Clavana is proud to support that journey by providing meaningful commercial experience, flexible career opportunities and a platform to develop skills that extend far beyond competition.
Angus Dawson
A two-time Olympian, two-time Under-23 World Champion and Australian national champion, Angus Dawson. Having represented Australia at the Tokyo Olympic Games and Paris (in both the Men’s Eight and Men’s Four), he is currently training out of Australia's National Training Centre in Canberra as he pursues further international success.
Alongside his rowing career, Angus attended the University of California, Berkeley on a rowing scholarship, competing in the varsity eight and helping one of the world's premier collegiate rowing programs capture multiple national championships. His experience across elite sport, international competition and collegiate athletics have shaped a high-performance mindset built on discipline, resilience and teamwork.
Aaron Small
Aaron Small represented Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, competing in both the Men's K-1 1000m and Men's K-2 500m sprint kayak events. Alongside teammate Jonas Ecker, he helped deliver one of the strongest performances for American men's sprint kayaking in recent history, reaching the Olympic A Final in the K-2 500m and showcasing the progress of the program on the world stage.
Originally from Seattle, Aaron is a graduate of the University of Washington and has balanced elite sport with academic and professional development throughout his career. His journey to the Olympic Games reflects years of commitment, perseverance, and continual improvement, qualities that continue to drive him as he pursues future international success and the road to LA28.
Drew Kibler
A two-time Olympian, Olympic silver medallist, World Champion, former world record holder and multiple-time NCAA champion, Drew spent his collegiate career at the University of Texas, where he developed within one of the most successful swimming programs in the world before going on to represent Team USA at the highest levels of international competition. Now training in Los Angeles as he pursues a third Olympic Games at LA28, Drew continues to compete amongst the world's best freestyle swimmers.
Away from the pool, Drew has built valuable experience in commercial real estate business development, including with Oasis Amenities, where he has focused on relationship development and growth initiatives within the multifamily housing sector. Through his professional experience and active thought leadership, he has demonstrated a strong interest in networking, business development and creating meaningful connections, making him a natural fit for Clavana's origination team.
Liina Winborn
Liina Winborn is the 2025 Finnish National Champion over 10,000 metres and has built an impressive career across both European and American distance running. Competing collegiately at the University of Florida, she earned multiple NCAA Championship qualifications and competed in one of the premier distance running programs in the United States, developing as an athlete across multiple environments, cultures and levels of competition.
Alongside her pursuit of international success and the road to LA28, Liina has spent the past year working as a teacher while continuing to train and compete at an elite level. Her ability to balance the demands of professional life, high-performance sport and long-term athletic development reflects the discipline, adaptability and commitment that make her a valuable addition to Clavana's origination team.
The Clavana Elite Athlete Program
Clavana’s Elite Athlete Program was created to support world-class athletes as they pursue their competitive ambitions while building meaningful careers beyond sport.
We recognize that elite athletes share many of the same qualities that make outstanding dealmakers: resilience, persistence, drive, competitiveness, focus under pressure, and exceptional communication.
Through the program, Clavana provides hands-on professional experience in origination, business development, and deal sourcing. The initiative offers both economic and structural support, creating a bridge between athletic excellence and future professional pathways. It helps athletes gain transferable skills, build networks, and develop commercial acumen while maintaining the flexibility required to train, travel, and compete at the highest level.
“Our goal is to create opportunities that not only recognize the discipline and intensity it takes to compete globally, but also provide a meaningful platform for transition, from sport to professional life,” said Clive Cooper, Co-Founder of Clavana, who has also enjoyed a remarkable career representing New Zealand in duathlon and continues to compete internationally. “This is about empowering exceptional individuals to thrive both on and off the field.”
About Clavana
Redefining M&A Deal Origination: Modern, Human and Fiercely Effective
Clavana helps private equity funds, portfolio companies, and corporate acquirers build predictable M&A pipelines through vetted, off-market opportunities worldwide.
We combine decades of private markets experience with focused research, human-first outreach, and qualified introductions to create proprietary deal flow without the noise.
Our role is simple but powerful: to help ambitious investors access off-market opportunities, build predictable acquisition pipelines, and connect with the right business owners at the right time.
By combining rigorous research, thoughtful engagement, and a global network of experienced originators and elite athletes, we help clients access decision-makers, uncover acquisition opportunities, and build relationships before opportunities reach the wider market.