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Our Story

The Team

Clavana was built on a simple belief: people power deals, not spreadsheets.

We’ve lived the serious side of banking and consultancy - but also built businesses, sat on boards, and wrestled with the real challenges of growth ourselves. That mix of grit and experience gives us an edge.
 

Our bios aren’t corporate CVs. They’re snapshots of the quirks, childhood obsessions, and personality traits that still drive us today. Because the same things that made us who we were as kids - curiosity, competitiveness, persistence - are exactly what make us who we are now.
 

We’re redefining modern M&A: independent, vibrant, human-centric. Meet the team.

Founding Partner
Barefoot, caked in mud, and racing across a New Zealand field. Not much has changed - except, now the field has got much bigger with Clive representing New Zealand internationally in world duathlon championships (and proving that “old man’s categories” still come with medals). Glass-half-full, endlessly competitive, and fuelled by Monster energy drinks and Lindt, his dream of becoming the next master chef didn’t quite pan out - but he's certainly travelled some interesting paths en route to Clavana! From pressing sheep’s wool (and other things...) into bales, a stint as a shepherd (have you guessed he's from NZ yet?), through to a (slightly) more polished career in banking, his formative years have set Clive up to consistently challenge the limits of possibility. He's now led numerous businesses - and deals - across continents, and really is living proof of what can be accomplished when you dare to dream. Despite being an over-achiever, Clive is a team player to the core. If he were an animal, Clive would be a dolphin - always popping up at the right time to surprise and delight, and always reliable.

Clive Cooper

Barefoot, caked in mud, and racing across a New Zealand field. Not much has changed - except, now the field has got much bigger with Clive representing New Zealand internationally in world duathlon championships (and proving that “old man’s categories” still come with medals). Glass-half-full, endlessly competitive, and fuelled by Monster energy drinks and Lindt, his dream of becoming the next master chef didn’t quite pan out - but he's certainly travelled some interesting paths en route to Clavana! From pressing sheep’s wool (and other things...) into bales, a stint as a shepherd (have you guessed he's from NZ yet?), through to a (slightly) more polished career in banking, his formative years have set Clive up to consistently challenge the limits of possibility. He's now led numerous businesses - and deals - across continents, and really is living proof of what can be accomplished when you dare to dream. Despite being an over-achiever, Clive is a team player to the core. If he were an animal, Clive would be a dolphin - always popping up at the right time to surprise and delight, and always reliable.
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Director, Origination & Outreach
Dimples, charm, and a hockey stick - Willy peaked early. The NHL never called, but twice a week he still plays like the Scouts are watching. Off the ice, Willy is Clavana's golden retriever: boundless enthusiasm, always positive, ever dependable. Whilst Willy's dream of going pro is far from the world of deal flow, his knack of being able to talk for hours (and we mean hours) on end to literally anyone - be it client, company owner, someone in an elevator - a wall - his "tenacious" communication and boy-like charm equips him very well for speaking with company owners and understanding every single corner of a business . He certainly found his home in M&A! At Clavana, Willy is our team pilot - calm through turbulence, destination locked, able to navigate storms and course-correct like a pro. Just don't give him a messy workflow. He might whack you with his hockey stick.

Willy Doremus

Dimples, charm, and a hockey stick - Willy peaked early. The NHL never called, but twice a week he still plays like the Scouts are watching. Off the ice, Willy is Clavana's golden retriever: boundless enthusiasm, always positive, ever dependable. Whilst Willy's dream of going pro is far from the world of deal flow, his knack of being able to talk for hours (and we mean hours) on end to literally anyone - be it client, company owner, someone in an elevator - a wall - his "tenacious" communication and boy-like charm equips him very well for speaking with company owners and understanding every single corner of a business . He certainly found his home in M&A! At Clavana, Willy is our team pilot - calm through turbulence, destination locked, able to navigate storms and course-correct like a pro. Just don't give him a messy workflow. He might whack you with his hockey stick.
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Director, Research & Data Science
From organising warehouses at a lighting shop aged 14 to organising datasets at Clavana, Hrag has always been about turning chaos into order. Obsessed with systems and routines, he’s the guy who’s read Atomic Habits ten times, is armed with more health tips than Gwyneth Paltrow, and loves nothing more than a new daily habit to add to his colour-coded to-do list. Calm under pressure and able to turn any data set into a thing of beauty, Hrag is the architect of workflows that actually work - keeping Clavana’s data sharp, and the team even sharper. Fun fact: he shares a birthday with Josh. Bucket list? Tour every WWII site in Europe and every single malt distillery in Scotland - probably not on the same trip.

Hrag Dadayan

From organising warehouses at a lighting shop aged 14 to organising datasets at Clavana, Hrag has always been about turning chaos into order. Obsessed with systems and routines, he’s the guy who’s read Atomic Habits ten times, is armed with more health tips than Gwyneth Paltrow, and loves nothing more than a new daily habit to add to his colour-coded to-do list. Calm under pressure and able to turn any data set into a thing of beauty, Hrag is the architect of workflows that actually work - keeping Clavana’s data sharp, and the team even sharper. Fun fact: he shares a birthday with Josh. Bucket list? Tour every WWII site in Europe and every single malt distillery in Scotland - probably not on the same trip.
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Research Manager

Prajwal Narur leads research at Clavana from Bangalore powered by tea, patience, and an uncanny ability to find the exact information you didn’t know you needed (usually before you’ve finished asking). As a child, he attended family gatherings largely for strategic access to everyone’s phones - an early sign of technical curiosity and competitive data gathering. He also occasionally hid his sister’s belongings while she rushed out the door, unknowingly running small-scale experiments in timing, observation, and controlled chaos. Outside work he’s usually on a cricket field, a badminton court, or deep into a “one more episode” situation that becomes an entire season. Friends describe him as dependable, calm under pressure, and an excellent listener. They also note that his “five minutes” operates on its own time zone. At Clavana, Prajwal sets the benchmark for research. Analytical, composed, and relentlessly thorough, he turns ambiguity into structure and data into decisions. If there’s a harder way to validate something, he’s probably already done it - twice.

Prajwal Narur Nagesh

Prajwal Narur leads research at Clavana from Bangalore powered by tea, patience, and an uncanny ability to find the exact information you didn’t know you needed (usually before you’ve finished asking). As a child, he attended family gatherings largely for strategic access to everyone’s phones - an early sign of technical curiosity and competitive data gathering. He also occasionally hid his sister’s belongings while she rushed out the door, unknowingly running small-scale experiments in timing, observation, and controlled chaos. Outside work he’s usually on a cricket field, a badminton court, or deep into a “one more episode” situation that becomes an entire season. Friends describe him as dependable, calm under pressure, and an excellent listener. They also note that his “five minutes” operates on its own time zone. At Clavana, Prajwal sets the benchmark for research. Analytical, composed, and relentlessly thorough, he turns ambiguity into structure and data into decisions. If there’s a harder way to validate something, he’s probably already done it - twice.
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Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
Chris grew up in the mountains - the kind of kid who thought “downhill” was a lifestyle, not a direction. Since then, he’s only had two speeds: full throttle and deep focus. From launching himself off icy ridges at questionable velocities to quietly destroying crosswords like a retired professor, that mix of fearlessness and precision turned him into a three-time Olympian and World Champion in Ski Cross - essentially downhill chess at 70mph. After years competing for Canada, he made the rare switch back to Team USA, now coaching, competing, and helping rebuild the Ski Cross programme while chasing his Milano-Cortina 2026 shot. He does everything with absolute commitment and zero shortcuts - his 17,000-shot coffee machine confirms this. Off the snow, he’s the same: detail-driven, quietly intense, Sudoku assassin, and very much a wolf at heart - steady, thoughtful, always reading the terrain ahead. Whether it’s The Art of War, a puzzle grid, or a founder who only opens up when you strike the perfect tone, he reads, he thinks, he solves. At Clavana, he brings that calm, methodical, marathon-runner-meets-chess-player energy to origination. No drama. No shortcuts. Just the quiet excellence of someone who’s spent a lifetime flying down mountains… and always getting back up again.

Chris Del Bosco

Chris grew up in the mountains - the kind of kid who thought “downhill” was a lifestyle, not a direction. Since then, he’s only had two speeds: full throttle and deep focus. From launching himself off icy ridges at questionable velocities to quietly destroying crosswords like a retired professor, that mix of fearlessness and precision turned him into a three-time Olympian and World Champion in Ski Cross - essentially downhill chess at 70mph. After years competing for Canada, he made the rare switch back to Team USA, now coaching, competing, and helping rebuild the Ski Cross programme while chasing his Milano-Cortina 2026 shot. He does everything with absolute commitment and zero shortcuts - his 17,000-shot coffee machine confirms this. Off the snow, he’s the same: detail-driven, quietly intense, Sudoku assassin, and very much a wolf at heart - steady, thoughtful, always reading the terrain ahead. Whether it’s The Art of War, a puzzle grid, or a founder who only opens up when you strike the perfect tone, he reads, he thinks, he solves. At Clavana, he brings that calm, methodical, marathon-runner-meets-chess-player energy to origination. No drama. No shortcuts. Just the quiet excellence of someone who’s spent a lifetime flying down mountains… and always getting back up again.
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Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
By the time most people hit snooze, Lara’s already biked through the Everglades, nodded politely at a few alligators, and blended a smoothie with one of the three portable blenders she travels with (don’t ask how many adapters). A two-time Olympian, lifelong lake kid, and professional “let’s catch the sunrise” enthusiast, she’s built her life around curiosity, calm intensity, and a suspiciously consistent ability to switch between grace and grit at will. She grew up sailing on Minnesota’s White Bear Lake, treating “wind shifts” as standard childhood vocabulary. That early obsession carried her to Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, with podiums across Etchells, Melges 20s, Farr 40s, and a place in the Eckerd College Hall of Fame along the way. She’s also obsessed with patterns (crushes puzzles), positivity (her default setting), and smoothies (the portable blender is non-negotiable life support). If Lara were an animal, she’d be a bald eagle - clear-sighted, composed, always scanning the bigger picture. At Clavana, she brings that same steady-but-electric energy: calm when conditions get tricky, full breeze when it’s time to move, and always spotting the subtle patterns others miss.

Lara Dallman-Weiss

By the time most people hit snooze, Lara’s already biked through the Everglades, nodded politely at a few alligators, and blended a smoothie with one of the three portable blenders she travels with (don’t ask how many adapters). A two-time Olympian, lifelong lake kid, and professional “let’s catch the sunrise” enthusiast, she’s built her life around curiosity, calm intensity, and a suspiciously consistent ability to switch between grace and grit at will. She grew up sailing on Minnesota’s White Bear Lake, treating “wind shifts” as standard childhood vocabulary. That early obsession carried her to Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, with podiums across Etchells, Melges 20s, Farr 40s, and a place in the Eckerd College Hall of Fame along the way. She’s also obsessed with patterns (crushes puzzles), positivity (her default setting), and smoothies (the portable blender is non-negotiable life support). If Lara were an animal, she’d be a bald eagle - clear-sighted, composed, always scanning the bigger picture. At Clavana, she brings that same steady-but-electric energy: calm when conditions get tricky, full breeze when it’s time to move, and always spotting the subtle patterns others miss.
Linkedin
Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
Paul is our resident James Bond - if Bond wore skis, lived in a van, and travelled the world with a sourdough starter. An Olympic biathlete with sniper-level accuracy and monk-level calm, he can ski for miles at warp speed and still hit a biscuit-sized target… yet somehow can’t jump higher than a paperback book. Life is balance. Originally from Wisconsin, Paul grew up wanting three things: freedom, flapjacks, and a van. He achieved all three - and now makes sourdough flapjacks every single Friday, no matter the continent. When he’s not racing, he’s happiest in the wild: foraging, hunting, or fixing things (Paul already has the tools, the solution, and three optional upgrades you never knew you needed). If civilisation ended tomorrow, he’d survive, thrive, and probably start a community bakery by nightfall using nothing but a patch of forest and a multi-tool. At Clavana, he hunts for founders the same way he hunts in the backcountry - patiently, methodically, and determined not to leave a single lead behind. People trust him within 30 seconds, which is fortunate, because he usually has five new ideas by minute 31. Superpower: Generating five new business ideas before lunch. Kryptonite: …generating five new business ideas before lunch.

Paul Schommer

Paul is our resident James Bond - if Bond wore skis, lived in a van, and travelled the world with a sourdough starter. An Olympic biathlete with sniper-level accuracy and monk-level calm, he can ski for miles at warp speed and still hit a biscuit-sized target… yet somehow can’t jump higher than a paperback book. Life is balance. Originally from Wisconsin, Paul grew up wanting three things: freedom, flapjacks, and a van. He achieved all three - and now makes sourdough flapjacks every single Friday, no matter the continent. When he’s not racing, he’s happiest in the wild: foraging, hunting, or fixing things (Paul already has the tools, the solution, and three optional upgrades you never knew you needed). If civilisation ended tomorrow, he’d survive, thrive, and probably start a community bakery by nightfall using nothing but a patch of forest and a multi-tool. At Clavana, he hunts for founders the same way he hunts in the backcountry - patiently, methodically, and determined not to leave a single lead behind. People trust him within 30 seconds, which is fortunate, because he usually has five new ideas by minute 31. Superpower: Generating five new business ideas before lunch. Kryptonite: …generating five new business ideas before lunch.
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Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
Adele Likin is what happens when elite triathlon fitness meets an industrial-scale social battery. A seasoned Ironman 70.3 professional with multiple top-five finishes, including podium placement, in elite fields, she races professionally around the world - and still somehow has more energy left than most people have before breakfast. She once sat next to a stranger on a plane, talked for the entire flight… and accidentally became the neighbourhood’s full-time, fully booked, most sought-after dog sitter for a month. This is basically Adele in a sentence: start a conversation, build a connection, end up running an elite operation. She is famously terrible at cooking. Her solution? Eat cookie dough instead of cookies. Elegant. Efficient. Problem solved. She also once took a ukulele class “just because”, which is extremely on brand. At Clavana, Adele is pure team momentum. She thrives on shared goals, loves building things with other people, and brings high-energy, collaborative drive to everything she touches - the kind that turns “we should” into “this is happening.” Superpower: Turning casual conversations into fully-formed ecosystems Kryptonite: Accidentally agreeing to run all of them

Adele Likin

Adele Likin is what happens when elite triathlon fitness meets an industrial-scale social battery. A seasoned Ironman 70.3 professional with multiple top-five finishes, including podium placement, in elite fields, she races professionally around the world - and still somehow has more energy left than most people have before breakfast. She once sat next to a stranger on a plane, talked for the entire flight… and accidentally became the neighbourhood’s full-time, fully booked, most sought-after dog sitter for a month. This is basically Adele in a sentence: start a conversation, build a connection, end up running an elite operation. She is famously terrible at cooking. Her solution? Eat cookie dough instead of cookies. Elegant. Efficient. Problem solved. She also once took a ukulele class “just because”, which is extremely on brand. At Clavana, Adele is pure team momentum. She thrives on shared goals, loves building things with other people, and brings high-energy, collaborative drive to everything she touches - the kind that turns “we should” into “this is happening.” Superpower: Turning casual conversations into fully-formed ecosystems Kryptonite: Accidentally agreeing to run all of them
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Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
A world-class backstroker and lifelong water native, Destin is happiest in the ocean, on a surfboard, or quietly plotting the next conversation like a very polite apex predator. If he were an animal, he’d be an orca: loyal to the pod, highly strategic, and extremely comfortable operating in deep water. On land, however, things get less elegant. By his own admission he’s “bad at land sports,” which is impressive considering he’s one of the fastest humans alive once submerged. Put him in the sea and he’s elite. Put him in a company five-a-side and suddenly it’s character-building. Destin once worked a seafood stall at a farmers’ market at 15 (spot the water theme yet?) - early training in long hours, even earlier mornings - and talking to absolutely everyone. These days the conversations are with founders instead of customers, but the formula’s the same: show up early, stay consistent, build trust, repeat. He once wanted to be a veterinarian; now he diagnoses businesses instead of animals, which feels like a natural progression - same instincts. different species. Destin brings thoughtful, strategic, quietly competitive energy to Clavana - the kind of person who just keeps showing up, keeps improving, and makes consistency look effortless. Superpower: Relentless discipline and team loyalty. Kryptonite: Any sport that happens on land

Destin Lasco

A world-class backstroker and lifelong water native, Destin is happiest in the ocean, on a surfboard, or quietly plotting the next conversation like a very polite apex predator. If he were an animal, he’d be an orca: loyal to the pod, highly strategic, and extremely comfortable operating in deep water. On land, however, things get less elegant. By his own admission he’s “bad at land sports,” which is impressive considering he’s one of the fastest humans alive once submerged. Put him in the sea and he’s elite. Put him in a company five-a-side and suddenly it’s character-building. Destin once worked a seafood stall at a farmers’ market at 15 (spot the water theme yet?) - early training in long hours, even earlier mornings - and talking to absolutely everyone. These days the conversations are with founders instead of customers, but the formula’s the same: show up early, stay consistent, build trust, repeat. He once wanted to be a veterinarian; now he diagnoses businesses instead of animals, which feels like a natural progression - same instincts. different species. Destin brings thoughtful, strategic, quietly competitive energy to Clavana - the kind of person who just keeps showing up, keeps improving, and makes consistency look effortless. Superpower: Relentless discipline and team loyalty. Kryptonite: Any sport that happens on land
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Founding Partner
Lara’s first deal? Age three, closing it on a toy phone. Not much has changed - she’s been calling clients ever since. Lara has never been afraid of "standing out from the crowd". Raised on martial arts movies and inspired by 90s heroines like Buffy and Xena, she started rescuing animals before she could walk (once adopting a cat that promptly gave birth to 12 kittens… later escalating to dogs, foxes, snakes, and other less-friendly critters). Lara channelled that grit and determination into black belts in kickboxing, a master’s in neuroscience, a career in financial services, and a second life in health and performance. She’s also a qualified clinical nutritionist and once launched her own nutraceutical company - because why stop at just one world? Fuelled by coconut matcha and a love of adventure, Lara’s trained in Thai fight camps, trekked solo through the Amazon, and built two worlds - one in deal origination, one in health. She’s Clavana's walking contradiction: equally at home in a business suit or on a BJJ mat; at a private equity conference or hiking the wilderness with her huskies; closing deals or teaching burnout seminars. Balanced? Definitely not. Driven? Always.

Lara Hughes-Francis

Lara’s first deal? Age three, closing it on a toy phone. Not much has changed - she’s been calling clients ever since. Lara has never been afraid of "standing out from the crowd". Raised on martial arts movies and inspired by 90s heroines like Buffy and Xena, she started rescuing animals before she could walk (once adopting a cat that promptly gave birth to 12 kittens… later escalating to dogs, foxes, snakes, and other less-friendly critters). Lara channelled that grit and determination into black belts in kickboxing, a master’s in neuroscience, a career in financial services, and a second life in health and performance. She’s also a qualified clinical nutritionist and once launched her own nutraceutical company - because why stop at just one world? Fuelled by coconut matcha and a love of adventure, Lara’s trained in Thai fight camps, trekked solo through the Amazon, and built two worlds - one in deal origination, one in health. She’s Clavana's walking contradiction: equally at home in a business suit or on a BJJ mat; at a private equity conference or hiking the wilderness with her huskies; closing deals or teaching burnout seminars. Balanced? Definitely not. Driven? Always.
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Origination & Outreach Specialist
In Grade 2, Josh had big dreams of becoming a bus driver. These days he’s not behind the wheel, but he does spend his time helping clients “get where they need to go” - with fewer traffic lights and with a lot more speed! Josh's motto is work-hard play-hard. Outside of work, when he's not coaching basketball, entertaining a house-full of kids (or the family dogs), Josh can be found jumping out of planes. That's right, he has currently conducted three sky dives, is en route to his "solo flyer" certification and his ambition is to brave the "EdgeWalk" of the CN Tower...Clavana benefits from this high-octane positivity, where his style is that of a pro speed-dater: rapid-fire questions, world class efficiency, and always circling back for more. Josh is known for finding the bright side in any situation; ever smiling, always cracking a joke (although the laughs don't always follow...), Josh is Clavana's very own silver back gorilla - big presence, much friendlier than he looks.

Josh Oakman-Allen

In Grade 2, Josh had big dreams of becoming a bus driver. These days he’s not behind the wheel, but he does spend his time helping clients “get where they need to go” - with fewer traffic lights and with a lot more speed! Josh's motto is work-hard play-hard. Outside of work, when he's not coaching basketball, entertaining a house-full of kids (or the family dogs), Josh can be found jumping out of planes. That's right, he has currently conducted three sky dives, is en route to his "solo flyer" certification and his ambition is to brave the "EdgeWalk" of the CN Tower...Clavana benefits from this high-octane positivity, where his style is that of a pro speed-dater: rapid-fire questions, world class efficiency, and always circling back for more. Josh is known for finding the bright side in any situation; ever smiling, always cracking a joke (although the laughs don't always follow...), Josh is Clavana's very own silver back gorilla - big presence, much friendlier than he looks.
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Research Manager
Kiran’s childhood photo is legendary: a three-year-old hauling a cricket bat nearly twice his size, already convinced he was opening for India. The pro career didn’t happen, but the stubborn persistence did - once he sets his mind on something, it’s happening. Kiran applies that un-rivalled relentlessness, precision, and tenacity into breaking down datasets and turning complexity into clarity. And the Clavana team (and our clients!) thank you! Most unusual job? Kiran once taught abacus lessons. Bucket list? Visiting every country in the world; until then, he’s smashing boundaries closer to home.

Kiran Bhusannavar

Kiran’s childhood photo is legendary: a three-year-old hauling a cricket bat nearly twice his size, already convinced he was opening for India. The pro career didn’t happen, but the stubborn persistence did - once he sets his mind on something, it’s happening. Kiran applies that un-rivalled relentlessness, precision, and tenacity into breaking down datasets and turning complexity into clarity. And the Clavana team (and our clients!) thank you! Most unusual job? Kiran once taught abacus lessons. Bucket list? Visiting every country in the world; until then, he’s smashing boundaries closer to home.
Linkedin
Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
By sunrise, Teal’s already rowed more miles than most people drive before work, downed a Celsius, and cleared her inbox - all before breakfast. A member of the 2024 United States Olympic Team in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls (that’s rowing, for the laymen out there), multiple gold medallist, and world-class multitasker, she somehow makes “doing it all” look effortless. Disciplined to her core but with a sense of humour about it, Teal’s mastered the art of juggling elite sport, professional life, and just enough sleep to qualify as human. When she’s not chasing medals or meetings, she’s cycling to cafés for pastries, experimenting in the kitchen, or rewatching Grey’s Anatomy for the tenth time. Friends call her unstoppable, family call her overdue for a rest day - and both are right. At Clavana, Teal brings the same precision, drive, and team-first energy that earned her Olympic stripes - just with fewer blisters.

Teal Cohen

By sunrise, Teal’s already rowed more miles than most people drive before work, downed a Celsius, and cleared her inbox - all before breakfast. A member of the 2024 United States Olympic Team in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls (that’s rowing, for the laymen out there), multiple gold medallist, and world-class multitasker, she somehow makes “doing it all” look effortless. Disciplined to her core but with a sense of humour about it, Teal’s mastered the art of juggling elite sport, professional life, and just enough sleep to qualify as human. When she’s not chasing medals or meetings, she’s cycling to cafés for pastries, experimenting in the kitchen, or rewatching Grey’s Anatomy for the tenth time. Friends call her unstoppable, family call her overdue for a rest day - and both are right. At Clavana, Teal brings the same precision, drive, and team-first energy that earned her Olympic stripes - just with fewer blisters.
Linkedin
Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
Kali grew up in Hawaii, the kind of person who thinks every day should start at sunrise and preferably involve water. Curious, energetic, and socially unstoppable, she spent her childhood dragging friends out of bed for “one quick adventure” - a trait they still love and mildly resent. When she’s not training or working, she’s dancing bachata, doing pull-ups for fun, or deep-diving into real-estate listings she has absolutely no intention of buying. She’s an otter at heart: playful, happiest in the water, community-oriented, and moving between worlds with ease. As a Team USA Sprint Kayaker with her sights set on LA 2028 (and a World Surf Life Saving Championships detour for good measure), she has mastered the sport’s signature mix of explosiveness, precision, and calm under pressure - traits she carries everywhere. At Clavana, Kali channels that same fast-twitch, sunshine-powered energy into origination: quick to adapt, impossible not to like, and frighteningly good at getting founders to open up. She reads, she asks, she listens - then somehow convinces people to tell her everything.

Kali Wilding

Kali grew up in Hawaii, the kind of person who thinks every day should start at sunrise and preferably involve water. Curious, energetic, and socially unstoppable, she spent her childhood dragging friends out of bed for “one quick adventure” - a trait they still love and mildly resent. When she’s not training or working, she’s dancing bachata, doing pull-ups for fun, or deep-diving into real-estate listings she has absolutely no intention of buying. She’s an otter at heart: playful, happiest in the water, community-oriented, and moving between worlds with ease. As a Team USA Sprint Kayaker with her sights set on LA 2028 (and a World Surf Life Saving Championships detour for good measure), she has mastered the sport’s signature mix of explosiveness, precision, and calm under pressure - traits she carries everywhere. At Clavana, Kali channels that same fast-twitch, sunshine-powered energy into origination: quick to adapt, impossible not to like, and frighteningly good at getting founders to open up. She reads, she asks, she listens - then somehow convinces people to tell her everything.
Linkedin
Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
Madigan (“Maddie”) grew up in Colorado - the kid who always needed a plan, a schedule, a backup plan, and preferably a mountain to climb before breakfast. Sitting still was never an option. By 11 she’d found bikes, and soon she was collecting World Championship medals, World Cup podiums, and enough mud to qualify as an environmental hazard. She now races professionally for Team USA… and still gets bored faster than most people tie their shoes. Off the bike, she devours books, learns languages (she speaks fluent Spanish, of course), and convinces friends that a six-hour ascent really is a "relaxing weekend"... Her guilty pleasure? Ice cream. All flavours, all the time. She even worked at an ice cream shop - we question whether this was destiny or freezer-stock liability. Maddie’s hobbies mostly involve voluntary suffering - long climbs, backcountry missions, anything beginning with “we might bonk but it’ll be fun” - which gives some insight into how she shreds through Founder outreach. At Clavana, she's as efficient as a Swiss watch: precise, disciplined, beautifully engineered… and occasionally over-wound by perfectionism. Founders open up to her because she listens, she cares, and she radiates “I’m genuinely here for you” energy. Also because saying no to her feels mildly illegal.

Madigan Munro

Madigan (“Maddie”) grew up in Colorado - the kid who always needed a plan, a schedule, a backup plan, and preferably a mountain to climb before breakfast. Sitting still was never an option. By 11 she’d found bikes, and soon she was collecting World Championship medals, World Cup podiums, and enough mud to qualify as an environmental hazard. She now races professionally for Team USA… and still gets bored faster than most people tie their shoes. Off the bike, she devours books, learns languages (she speaks fluent Spanish, of course), and convinces friends that a six-hour ascent really is a "relaxing weekend"... Her guilty pleasure? Ice cream. All flavours, all the time. She even worked at an ice cream shop - we question whether this was destiny or freezer-stock liability. Maddie’s hobbies mostly involve voluntary suffering - long climbs, backcountry missions, anything beginning with “we might bonk but it’ll be fun” - which gives some insight into how she shreds through Founder outreach. At Clavana, she's as efficient as a Swiss watch: precise, disciplined, beautifully engineered… and occasionally over-wound by perfectionism. Founders open up to her because she listens, she cares, and she radiates “I’m genuinely here for you” energy. Also because saying no to her feels mildly illegal.
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Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
Darr is what you’d get if you crossed a golden doodle with a Dyson vacuum: endlessly energetic, relentlessly positive, and somehow able to turn chaos into a perfectly structured plan before anyone’s even asked for one. A professional triathlete with a decade of elite racing behind him, he’s the person who has a backup plan, a backup to the backup plan, and a colour-coded decision tree explaining both. Born with more energy than the national grid, Darr hasn’t sat still since 1998. As a kid he wanted to be a yard man with a backpack leaf blower - an early sign he was destined to spend adulthood strategically engineering systems for everything. Today he channels that same energy into specialty coffee, mini-hoops basketball, and navigating airline loyalty programmes with the precision of a hedge-fund quant. Relaxing is theoretically possible for him… but there’s no evidence in the wild. In sport, Darr races with a process-driven, no-hype mindset: consistent, analytical, and exceptional at cutting through noise to break big challenges into simple, actionable steps. At Clavana, he brings that same high-output clarity to origination. Founders leave conversations with him suddenly understanding their own business better - often wondering how he reorganised their entire thought process in under five minutes.

Darr Smith

Darr is what you’d get if you crossed a golden doodle with a Dyson vacuum: endlessly energetic, relentlessly positive, and somehow able to turn chaos into a perfectly structured plan before anyone’s even asked for one. A professional triathlete with a decade of elite racing behind him, he’s the person who has a backup plan, a backup to the backup plan, and a colour-coded decision tree explaining both. Born with more energy than the national grid, Darr hasn’t sat still since 1998. As a kid he wanted to be a yard man with a backpack leaf blower - an early sign he was destined to spend adulthood strategically engineering systems for everything. Today he channels that same energy into specialty coffee, mini-hoops basketball, and navigating airline loyalty programmes with the precision of a hedge-fund quant. Relaxing is theoretically possible for him… but there’s no evidence in the wild. In sport, Darr races with a process-driven, no-hype mindset: consistent, analytical, and exceptional at cutting through noise to break big challenges into simple, actionable steps. At Clavana, he brings that same high-output clarity to origination. Founders leave conversations with him suddenly understanding their own business better - often wondering how he reorganised their entire thought process in under five minutes.
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Origination & Outreach - Elite Athlete Program
Grace Castonguay is a Team USA biathlete powered by world-class endurance, meticulous systems, and the unshakeable belief that everything can be improved with one more cappuccino. When she’s not racing World Cup circuits, Grace is knitting. Relentlessly. Sweaters, hats, socks, gifts friends didn’t know they needed. Knitting is her version of downtime (a concept she approaches with mild suspicion) - which is to say: still highly productive and faintly competitive. She is famously Type A: the friend with the plan, the schedule, and a backup plan for the schedule. The one who gets everyone where they’re going - and then convinces them to do something mildly unhinged once they arrive. If she were an animal, she’d be a cat: either extremely social and affectionate or completely unavailable. As with her approach to sport (and knitting), there is no middle ground. Grace operates like a living training log: precise, process-driven, and always three steps ahead. The hardest task gets done first, systems get built for absolutely everything, and “relaxing” is only permitted once sufficient suffering has occurred. At Clavana, efficiency tends to follow her around. Founder conversations move faster and her approach to note-taking could be reasonably classified as an Olympic event. Superpower: Hearing a problem and producing five solutions before you finish the sentence. Kryptonite: Sharing those solutions before you finish the sentence.

Grace Castonguay

Grace Castonguay is a Team USA biathlete powered by world-class endurance, meticulous systems, and the unshakeable belief that everything can be improved with one more cappuccino. When she’s not racing World Cup circuits, Grace is knitting. Relentlessly. Sweaters, hats, socks, gifts friends didn’t know they needed. Knitting is her version of downtime (a concept she approaches with mild suspicion) - which is to say: still highly productive and faintly competitive. She is famously Type A: the friend with the plan, the schedule, and a backup plan for the schedule. The one who gets everyone where they’re going - and then convinces them to do something mildly unhinged once they arrive. If she were an animal, she’d be a cat: either extremely social and affectionate or completely unavailable. As with her approach to sport (and knitting), there is no middle ground. Grace operates like a living training log: precise, process-driven, and always three steps ahead. The hardest task gets done first, systems get built for absolutely everything, and “relaxing” is only permitted once sufficient suffering has occurred. At Clavana, efficiency tends to follow her around. Founder conversations move faster and her approach to note-taking could be reasonably classified as an Olympic event. Superpower: Hearing a problem and producing five solutions before you finish the sentence. Kryptonite: Sharing those solutions before you finish the sentence.
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The Clavana DNA


At Clavana, we’re fuelled by a shared sense of purpose and a passion for excellence. Our growth is built not only on performance, but on trust, collaboration, and lasting impact.
 

We build trusted partnerships grounded in integrity, driven by purpose, and sustained through disciplined execution - combining insight, creativity, and collective strength to create enduring value in every transaction.

Rooted in loyalty and rigour, we bring structure, intelligence, and humanity to the M&A process, transforming relationships and knowledge into long-term outcomes that matter.

How We Work

​We think fast, act with integrity, and deliver with purpose.
Our culture is modern, human, and fiercely effective - where data meets discernment, rigour meets creativity, and people power every deal.

Our Principles

Exploring Nature
Integrity in Action


Integrity isn’t an aspiration - it’s how we operate.We honour our commitments, communicate transparently, and approach every engagement with honesty, respect, and accountability.

Yoga in Nature
Mastery in Motion


Curiosity drives performance. We’re relentless in learning, refining, and improving - challenging ourselves and our clients to reach the next level of excellence.

Meditating In Nature
Passionate & Purposeful

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We care deeply about what we do and why we do it. Every project, partnership, and conversation is approached with intent, energy, and heart - because meaningful outcomes start with meaning.

Traveling in Nature
Modern, Human & Fiercely Effective


We combine precision with empathy. By blending technology, data, and human insight, we cut through complexity to deliver clarity, connection, and measurable results.

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Tell us a little about your investment focus and we’ll come back with how we can build your pipeline.

Clavana works with private equity funds, portfolio companies and corporates worldwide.

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