Daversa Partners Names Managing Director
July 22, 2022 – Daversa Partners, which helps build leadership teams for growth and venture-backed companies, has appointed Samantha Pernice as its newest managing director, bringing eight years of search experience to the firm’s leadership team. “I am thrilled to announce Samantha as Daversa Partners’ newest managing director,” said Laura Kinder, president of Daversa Partners. “She has been instrumental in scaling our engineering and product practice over the past eight years and has paved the way for a robust climate tech book of business. She recognized an area for growth and the opportunity to amplify our firm’s mission-driven work as it pertains to climate solution technology. Congratulations to Samantha on a well-deserved promotion and thank you for your leadership and incredible work for our clients.”
Ms. Pernice’s rise to managing director at Daversa Partners recognizes her relentless drive, search work expertise, and dedication to continued learning and development, according to the firm. Her book of business includes building mission-oriented companies within artificial intelligence and climate tech, with an affinity for engineering, data, and product functions. She has played an integral role building out the firm’s sustainability and technology practices and is responsible for building the leadership teams for companies including Dataminr, Arcadia Power, Compass, Petal, SKIMS, and the New York Times as well as partnering with venture capital firms including Thrive Capital and Energy Impact Partners, among others.
Daversa Partners, founded in 1993, builds executive teams for growth stage and venture backed companies. Its global footprint spans two continents and eight offices, giving its teams visibility into the entirety of the market. Daversa is dedicated to developing meaningful relationships with entrepreneurs, executives, and investors across consumer and enterprise businesses. In addition to its primary location in Westport, Conn., the firm has offices in New York; San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, FL; London; and Waterford, Conn. where the firm maintains a data and people analytics facility.
Recent Promotions
In June, Daversa Partners named Will Brewster as managing director, bringing nearly a decade of search experience to the firm’s leadership team. Mr. Brewster joined Daversa Partners in 2013 and has built the executive teams for some of the most disruptive technology companies in the world. His principal focus is leading searches for Daversa’s fintech practice having made placements at fintech and Web3 companies such as Stash, Alloy, ConsenSys, and Chainalysis. Mr. Brewster’s breadth of work includes clients that span from digital banking to payments, to blockchain and lending, to financial infrastructure and security. He has completed more than 100 searches throughout his career across sales, product, marketing, finance, and operations at the VP and C-level for businesses ranging from the ideation phase to those with multi-billion-dollar valuations on the public markets from San Francisco to London.
Related: Daversa Partners Appoints CPO and CFO
Daversa Partners also recently appointed Charlotte Clark, Valerie Jabbonsky, Joanna Sisto, and Taylor Guthrie as managing directors, bringing more than 40 years of combined search experience to the firm’s leadership team. “With expertise ranging from consumer to enterprise, across seed to post-IPO companies, Clark, Jabbonsky, Sisto, and Guthrie’s ascension to managing directors at Daversa Partners recognizes their exceptional drive, search expertise, and dedication to continuous learning and development,” the search firm said.
This group is responsible for building the leadership teams for companies including Dropbox, Zuora, Calm, Nextdoor, and Databricks, while partnering with venture capital firms including Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock, Benchmark Capital, and Lightspeed.
“It has been an absolute pleasure to watch Charlotte, Valerie, Joanna, and Taylor grow into the leaders they are today, as their impact on the firm has been felt from day one,” said Ms. Kinder. “They have created deep rooted relationships with clients and candidates and continuously deliver industry defining talent. The effect they will have as managing directors is immense. I am excited to welcome them to this new chapter of their careers at Daversa.”
In March, Daversa appointed Ms. Kinder as its first president. “Laura’s promotion comes at a time of expansive global growth for the company and the clients we serve,” said Paul Daversa, founder and chief executive officer. “She has acted as a key member on our oversight committee and is an invaluable strategic advisor. Laura is that rare breed of leader that brings market insights, operational discipline, and focus that will expand our footprint. I am thrilled to welcome such an exceptional proven operating executive and industry veteran to help shape our firm’s strategy,” he said. In her new position, Ms. Kinder will continue to serve her client base. She will take on the added responsibilities of operational oversight, business expansion, and strategic partnerships.
Related: Daversa Partners Names Managing Director
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
