Istithmar brings seasoned investment professionals on board as Co-Chief Investment Officers

Herlihy and Amato bring over 35 years of combined investment and advisory experience and an extensive network of relationships across the globe. Prior to joining Istithmar, Herlihy and Amato were Managing Directors of IFIL USA, based in New York where they led the US direct investing activities for IFIL Investments SpA, the investment vehicle of the Agnelli Group with net assets in excess of $5 billion.

Herlihy and Amato first started working together in 1994 at Lehman Brothers. Initially based in London and subsequently in New York, they were responsible for sourcing, executing, monitoring and exiting private equity investments directly for Lehman Brothers and on behalf of Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking Partners II LP, a $2 billion private equity fund raised in 1997.

Announcing their appointment, David Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Istithmar, said, "It is a matter of great privilege to announce the appointment of Felix Herlihy and John Amato. Herlihy and Amato bring international expertise backed by an extensive network across various markets as well as creativity and forward thinking to Istithmar's strong investment portfolio. They have an intimate knowledge and understanding of the investment industry and its competitive landscape and I welcome them on board as we continue our exciting journey."

He added, "With their extensive knowledge of our industry, I am confident that they will play a pivotal role in driving our investment initiatives and help achieve our objectives. Consistent with our strategic plan, we believe that Herlihy and Amato, in close coordination with our strong board and management team, will help build our relationships and opportunities in the region and other key international markets."

In his comments, Herlihy said, "I am honoured to have the confidence and support of the Istithmar management and I look forward to working closely with the team to drive the growth objectives. Our strategy is to leverage Istithmar's dynamic and diversified business model as we seek growth opportunities. With the entire team at Istithmar, we will continue to focus intensely on creating value through innovation."

Commenting on his appointment, Amato said, "It is indeed a great privilege to be part of Istithmar's proactive investment strategy. Across the various industry verticals, Istithmar has been able to combine substantial financial capital with the unique perspective it brings to investments from its institutional, managerial and market expertise to create significant value. I am pleased to join Istithmar and build on its operational excellence."

Prior to IFIL, Herlihy spent 18 years with Lehman Brothers in New York and London where he was a Managing Director and a Principal of Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking (LBMB). Prior to joining LBMB in 1995 focusing exclusively on private equity investing, Herlihy spent 10 years as an investment banker where he worked on a wide variety of corporate finance and M&A transactions. Herlihy began his professional career at Fred Alger Management where he was a Senior Portfolio Analyst. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School where he was a Samuel Bronfman Scholar and an AB magna cum laude in Economics from Harvard College.

Prior to IFIL, Amato was Head of Financial Sponsors M&A for Banc of America Securities. Previously, he spent 10 years with Lehman Brothers in New York and London where he worked in the M&A and Merchant Banking Groups. Amato began his professional career as an auditor and financial consultant with Arthur Andersen & Co. in San Francisco. A Certified Public Accountant, Amato holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College where he was a Tuck Scholar and a BSC cum laude in Finance from Santa Clara University where he was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma.