Colonnade Securities Appoints Gina Cocking Chief Executive Officer

CHICAGO, Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Colonnade Securities today announced that Gina Cocking, Managing Director, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Christopher Gillock, who will assume the role of Executive Chairman.

Cocking leads the Firm's efforts in advising business services and financial services companies on mergers and acquisitions and raising capital. Since rejoining the Firm in 2014, Cocking has advised on dozens of transactions, most notably for companies in the F&I products industry, a sector for which she is a renowned advisor and a frequent speaker at industry conferences. Cocking serves on the board of directors of CIB Marine Bancshares and was recently named one of the 2020 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A by Mergers & Acquisitions. Cocking is one of a select few women to be named CEO of a leading financial advisory firm.

Cocking addressed her team, "I am excited to accelerate our Firm's expansion and continue to deliver outstanding advisory service to our clients. I am proud of the incredible team of talented professionals we have assembled and look forward to the next chapter of Colonnade's success."

Cocking succeeds Christopher Gillock as Colonnade's Chief Executive. Under Gillock's leadership, the Firm has grown to a dozen professionals. Since its founding more than 20 years ago, Colonnade has advised on more than 50 transactions with an aggregate value in excess of $8 billion.

"We are delighted to have Gina assume this leadership position," Gillock noted. "Gina's relentless client focus, outstanding industry knowledge, and technical transaction execution skills deliver outstanding results for our clients. Her leadership at Colonnade has enabled our expansion in recent years."

Jeff Guylay, one of Colonnade's partners added, "Gina is the perfect choice to assume the role of CEO. We are lucky that Gina rejoined us six years ago and are excited that she will now lead the Firm. We thank Chris, who will continue to head the Firm's business development activities as Executive Chairman."

About Gina Cocking

Cocking's career has included investment banking and executive leadership roles in business and financial services companies. She began her career in investment banking at Kidder Peabody, was an analyst at Madison Dearborn Partners, a private equity firm, and an associate at J.P. Morgan & Co. She was a vice president at Colonnade from 1999 to 2003 and left to gain operating experience as the Chief Financial Officer of Cobalt Finance, a specialty finance company, and Healthcare Laundry Systems, a private-equity backed industrial laundry company for which she oversaw the successful sale to a strategic acquirer. Cocking served as the Director of Finance for Consumer Banking and Lending at Discover Financial Services. Cocking rejoined Colonnade in 2014 as Managing Director. She received her BA in Economics with Honors and MBA from the University of Chicago.

About Colonnade Securities

Colonnade Securities LLC is an independent investment bank focused on the financial services and business services sectors. Colonnade provides expert, objective advice on mergers and acquisitions and capital raising for privately held businesses, publicly traded companies and financial sponsors. Our senior bankers bring extensive transaction experience, industry expertise, a process orientation and a sense of urgency to each engagement. Visit us at https://coladv.com/.

For more information, please contact:

Tiffany HuDirector of Business Development312.870.6204[email protected]

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SOURCE Colonnade Securities LLC