Mr. Siemer founded Siemer & Associates, LLC in 2007 to fulfill his vision of a true boutique merchant bank that works with technology, software and digital media companies throughout their complete life cycle. In addition to investment banking, he concurrently founded Siemer Ventures to assist early growth technology companies to achieve their full potential. One of the most active investment firms in Southern California, Siemer Ventures claims more than 40 current portfolio companies and makes about 12 new investments per year.

He was previously with Montgomery & Co. where he served as a key member of the Digital Media Investment Banking Group. In this capacity he led sales to major media companies such as News Corp, Google, Sony, Yahoo!, Hearst, Viacom, WPP and Disney, and he managed equity private placements from multiple venture capital firms and hedge funds.

Mr. Siemer began his career in 1995 at Desco Capital Partners, a Chicago based Internet and software venture fund. Here he managed investments into companies such as: Total Control Products (sold to GE), Conquest Communications (Sold to AT&T), StorageApps (Sold to HP) and Enact Software (sold to Sage SalesLogix).

Mr. Siemer received his M.B.A. in Finance and Economics from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business, with high honors. He completed his undergraduate work at Lehigh University with degrees in Management Information Systems and Accounting. He is a General Securities Principal licensed with FINRA/SIPC (formerly NASD).

Mr. Nikkhoo is responsible for all facets of the practice including business development, deal sourcing, origination, conversion and executing client mandates. He is also an advisor to S&A’s venture capital arm, Siemer Ventures.

He brings to S&A over 27 years of industry experience in various senior capacities both nationally and internationally. Prior to joining the firm, Ivan was the Head of the Technology Practice at Barrington Associates, a division of Wells Fargo Securities, focusing on advising emerging technology companies. Before that, he served as the Managing Director and Portfolio Manager for N3 Technology Fund, a long/short hedge fund co-managed with Dalton Investments. He has also served as the General Manager & Executive VP at SOA Software, responsible for mergers, acquisitions, investments, strategic alliances and joint ventures, as well as President of Vertex Systems, where he was focused on technology strategy, implementation and IP monetization. In addition, he has served as Director of European Operations for TLD Systems in Paris, France, providing software for European space and military projects.

Mr. Nikkhoo is a Wexner Heritage Program Fellow,  is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization and is very active in the tech community. He was a finalist for the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year Award and serves on the boards of a number of charity and business organizations including the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA), LA Chamber of Commerce, USC Marshall Partners, Junior Achievement of Southern California and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He is a frequent guest lecturer at the USC Marshall School of Business and has been featured in numerous publications including Fortune Magazine, the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Business Journal. Additionally, Mr. Nikkhoo is a partner at a venture fund focused on investing in emerging technology companies and serves on the boards of several technology companies.

He received his M.B.A. from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, and his B.S. in Engineering from McGill University in Montreal. He is a General Securities Principal licensed with FINRA/SIPC (formerly NASD).

Mr. Roth is ingrained in all aspects of the practice, handling business development, deal sourcing, origination, conversion and executing client mandates. He is also an advisor to S&A’s venture capital arm, Siemer Ventures.

Before joining S&A, Mr. Roth was a Senior Vice President at Cascadia Capital where he managed and executed M&A and private placement transactions. He advised numerous technology companies including Picnik, sold to Google; Umbria Communications, sold to J.D. Power and Associates (McGraw-Hill division); and Shelfari, sold to Amazon.com, Inc. Prior to joining Cascadia Capital, Mr. Roth was a senior banker with DeSilva & Phillips where he specialized in traditional and digital media companies and advised on numerous sell-side M&A and private placement transactions. Highlights included Austin Ventures investment into All Star Directories; FranchiseGator, sold to aQuantive; IEG, sold to WPP; and Mediabistro, sold to WebMediaBrands, Inc.

Mr. Roth was formerly a C-level leader and co-founder of two venture-backed Internet companies. He holds a B.A. from Columbia College and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. Mr. Roth is a General Securities Representative licensed with FINRA/SIPC (formerly NASD).

Dan Chen brings to Siemer & Associates nearly 13 years of investment banking, private equity and corporate development experience and completed transactions totaling over $5 billion in value. Most recently, Mr. Chen was Managing Director of Corporate Development at First Physicians Capital Group where he evaluated and executed on a wide variety of new investment and partnership opportunities in the healthcare services space. 

Prior to that, Mr. Chen was Vice President in the media practice at Montgomery & Co., where he provided M&A and capital raising advisory services to software, digital media and Internet-enabled services firms. Key transactions completed include Disney’s $700 million acquisition of Club Penguin and HBK Investments’ $165 million LBO of CoCreate Holding GmbH.

Before joining Montgomery & Co., Mr. Chen was an Investment Associate at TPG Capital. Here, he handled all aspects of deal sourcing and transaction execution for TPG’s cross-border private equity and venture investments in the U.S. and Asia. He participated in the investment activities of Newbridge Asia III, L.P. ($724 million) and Newbridge Asia II, L.P. ($392 million), and he monitored several portfolio companies in the Internet services space within those funds.

Mr. Chen began his career as an analyst in the M&A group at Merrill Lynch & Co. in New York and San Francisco. Key transactions completed were in the technology space and included Solectron’s $2.4 billion acquisition of NatSteel Electronics, Xilinx’s $300 million acquisition of RocketChips and Checkfree’s $1 billion acquisition of TransPoint.

Mr. Chen graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Mr. Lichauco heads S&A’s Hong Kong office, extending the firm’s global reach by developing business and executing client mandates throughout Asia. Concurrent to this position, Mr. Lichauco is Managing Partner at Global Gateway Venture Capital (G2VC), a venture capital firm with offices in the United States and Asia, focused on investing in global-facing Asian start-ups and early-stage companies. He is also an advisor to S&A’s venture capital arm, Siemer Ventures.

Mr. Lichauco was previously with American Orient Capital Partners Ltd., an investment and financial advisory services firm covering the Asia-Pacific region. He provided value-added M&A advisory services, corporate and debt restructuring, private placement of debt and equity capital and leveraged buyouts. He also managed principal investment and third party private equity funds in special situations throughout the region. Utilizing its offices in Hong Kong, the Philippines, India and Singapore, AO Capital Partners Ltd. has successfully completed transactions with total value in excess of US$10 billion.

His prior investment banking experience was with the ING Group, where he sourced, negotiated and closed buy-side and sell-side mandates for Philippine conglomerates and local subsidiaries of multinational corporations in the telecommunications, energy, retail and services sectors.

He brings to Siemer & Associates more than 15 years of cross-border private equity and venture investing experience, having begun his career with H&Q Asia Pacific (H&QAP), a division of the U.S. investment bank Hambrecht & Quist. He followed this with 12 years at Walden International, a cross-border venture investment firm, including a stint as Country Manager of the Philippine operations while assigned to Walden’s offices in San Francisco and Silicon Valley. He also covered Walden’s Southeast Asia operations identifying cross-border investment opportunities with the United States in the software, Internet, digital media and telecommunication industries. Both firms ─ H&QAP and Walden ─ are recognized as the pioneers of U.S.-style venture investing in Asia. Many of Mr. Lichauco’s investments in H&QAP and Walden either led to a successful local/regional listing or corporate acquisition.

Mr. Lichauco received his M.B.A. from the Arthur D. Little School of Management in Boston, with honors. He was a Venture Panelist for the 8th Kauffman Fellows Program and is a graduate of the 5th NVCA Venture Capital Institute (Graduate) Management Program (2004) and of the 29th Venture Capital Institute Management Program (2003).

Mr. Taylor manages engagements on a variety of M&A and capital raise transactions across the digital media landscape and evaluates potential venture capital investments for Siemer & Associates. He was previously with ORIX Venture Finance where he focused on providing capital to venture companies in the technology sector. Prior to that, he worked at Houlihan Lokey in its Financial Advisory Services group focusing on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings and additional advisory engagements. He has also worked at Marshall & Stevens, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup.

Mr. Taylor graduated with a B.S. from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California with a concentration in Finance. He is currently a Level 2 candidate in the Chartered Financial Analyst program and is a Registered General Securities Representative (Series 79, 63 and 7 licenses) with FINRA/SIPC (formerly NASD).

Mr. Mizrahi coordinates due diligence on client companies and prepares pitch materials on Siemer & Associates’ behalf. Previously, he helped entrepreneurs to create and implement marketing plans, sales initiatives and cost savings programs for their companies in his position with Eastman Consultants, a company he founded. Prior to that, Mr. Mizrahi worked at Trinad Capital Management, a $250 million hedge fund focused on the technology and entertainment industries.

He graduated with a B.S. from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business, with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. He has a certificate in Interactive Entertainment Production and Design. He is a General Security Representative licensed with FINRA/SIPC (formerly NASD).

Ms. VanderZanden steers the marketing strategy for Siemer & Associates. She refines all marketing materials, garners media attention and builds the firm’s reputation as an instrumental player in the technology investment banking community.

Previously, Ms. VanderZanden marketed an international litigation and business law firm, a natural beverage company, and several local non-profit agencies through pro bono work with The Taproot Foundation. As a former business journalist, she served as a reporter and editor for a number of trade publications covering the financial, toy, entertainment and trade show and conference industries.

She holds an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University, Graziadio School of Business and Management, and a B.A. in English from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Ms. Jenkins has been a part of the Siemer & Associates team since June of 2010. Along with managing the office, she heads S&A’s human resources department, assists senior management with compliance and coordinates all firm events. She was previously a director’s assistant and office manager with Nydrle Productions in West Hollywood.

Ms. Jenkins obtained a B.S. in Marketing with a concentration in Advertising from Ferris State University. She minored in E-Commerce and obtained certificates in Direct Marketing and Business-to-Business Marketing.