Keningford Partners Expands Senior Advisory Team

NEW YORK, December 3, 2025. Keningford Partners today announced the expansion of its senior advisory team with three Managing Director appointments effective January 2026. The hires deepen the firm's sector coverage and extend its ability to serve concurrent mandates across mergers & acquisitions, capital raising, and liability management advisory.

Sarah Chen, Managing Director, M&A

Sarah Chen joins as Managing Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, based in New York. Ms. Chen brings over 18 years of investment banking experience, most recently as a Director at a global bulge-bracket firm where she led sell-side and buy-side mandates for software and technology-enabled services companies. She has advised on more than $12 billion of aggregate transaction value across M&A, divestitures, and strategic alternatives assignments.

At Keningford Partners, Ms. Chen will lead technology sector coverage and support cross-border processes involving U.S., European, and Asian acquirers.

James Okonkwo, Managing Director, Capital Raising

James Okonkwo joins as Managing Director, Capital Raising, based in London. Mr. Okonkwo previously spent 14 years in private equity and growth equity investing before transitioning to advisory, including senior roles at two leading European funds. He has deep relationships with institutional investors across pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices, and has structured equity and hybrid capital solutions for mid-market companies in healthcare services and industrials.

He will focus on growth equity, minority recapitalizations, and co-investment syndication from the firm's London office.

Elena Vasquez, Managing Director, Restructuring

Elena Vasquez joins as Managing Director, Restructuring & Liability Management, based in New York. Ms. Vasquez has advised boards and creditors on out-of-court restructurings, exchange offers, and distressed M&A for over 16 years, including leadership roles at a specialist restructuring advisory firm. Her experience spans sponsor-backed companies facing covenant pressure, cyclical industrials navigating demand softness, and growth companies recalibrating capital structures after rapid expansion.

She will work closely with the firm's M&A and capital raising teams on integrated liability management and strategic alternative mandates.

Managing Partner Commentary

"Each of these professionals has operated at the most senior levels of their prior organizations and shares our conviction that clients deserve direct partner attention, not handoffs to junior teams after the pitch," said A. Morgan, Founding Partner. "Their appointments allow us to serve more concurrent mandates without compromising the bespoke, process-disciplined approach that defines Keningford Partners."

Firm Coverage

The firm now maintains senior coverage across New York, London, and Dubai, supporting clients in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Existing team members continue to lead engagements in strategic advisory, fairness opinions, and board advisory services.

Keningford Partners does not seek to be the largest advisory firm. It seeks to be the most trusted partner on complex, time-sensitive mandates where capital is strategic and outcomes depend on judgment, relationships, and execution precision.

For career and business inquiries, please visit the contact page or reach the firm directly through institutional relationship channels.