Team
Our senior team brings a fusion of experience across National Security, Defence and Government services sectors in industry, consulting, legal and investment banking roles. This team is supported by an experienced Advisory Board.
Meet the LightHorse Team
Christian Nicks
Managing Director – Corporate Advisory
Christian Nicks is a career investment banker with nearly 30 years’ experience working in Australia, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. Christian spent over ten years at Goldman Sachs working in the general industrials, private equity, telecommunications, and healthcare sectors. In 2010, Christian left Goldman Sachs to head Investment Banking at Investec Australia, before founding VCA Partners in 2014 and its Government and Defence brand, LightHorse Group, in 2020.
Christian advised Toll on their acquisition of Pel-Air from Rex, Pacific Aerospace Consulting on the sale to Aurizn and Athena AI on their sale to Sightline. Prior to his focus on National Security, Defence and Government services he advised on a series of high-profile transactions in Australia including the A$2.6 billion private equity takeover battle for Healthscope, the A$2.7 billion leveraged take private of DCA by CVC Capital Partners and the $1.1 billion acquisition of Spotless Limited by Pacific Equity Partners. Christian leads LightHorse’s Corporate Advisory practice and supports its Commercial Consulting business.
Christian graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. He holds dual US/AU citizenship.
Ben St Claire
Director
Ben St Claire is an investment banker with over 11 years experience across M&A, capital markets and corporate finance. Ben has advised on a broad range of M&A transactions, including Toll Group's sale of Toll Global Express to Allegro, 7-Eleven International's acquisition of 7-Eleven Australia and the sale of George Clinical to Hillhouse.
Prior to LightHorse Group, Ben worked at Bank of America as a vice-president in the Consumer, Retail and Healthcare investment banking team. Ben has also worked in investment banking at Nomura and Blackpeak Capital after commencing his career at Ernst & Young.
Ben has a Bachelor of Business (Management) and Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) from the University of Newcastle, Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Noah Rooney
Associate
Noah has over five years of experience spanning investment banking, consulting and law with a specific focus on National Security, Defence and Government Services sectors in Australia.
Noah’s experience includes domestic and cross-border buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions, undertaking strategic reviews for prime contractors to identify M&A and divestment opportunities, designing market entry strategies, and advising businesses across the entire Defence contract cycle, from negotiation to compliance and dispute resolution.
Noah uses his deep industry knowledge and strategic insight to enable clients to navigate complex transactions and achieve successful outcomes. Ultimately, Noah strives to support Australian Defence industry to deliver the sovereign capabilities essential to our national security.
Noah has a Bachelor of Business (Finance Major, Economics Minor) and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Lachlan Holman
Analyst
Lachlan Holman is an investment banker with over three years’ experience in financial services, spanning M&A, capital markets, and global equities investing.
Lachlan has advised on Toll Group’s acquisition of Pel-Air’s aeromedical operations from Rex Group, and Athena AI’s cross-border sale to SightLine Applications, a portfolio company of Artemis.
Prior to joining VCA Partners, Lachlan worked at long/short hedge fund, Antipodes, as an investment analyst in the global healthcare team. Prior to Antipodes, Lachlan worked in equity capital markets covering healthcare, emerging technology, and industrials.
Lachlan has a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Advanced Studies in Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology from the University of Sydney.
Srisatwik Bhogadi
Analyst
Srisatwik Bhogadi has experience across corporate advisory and investment banking including capital raisings and sell-side and buy-side M&A across various sectors including government services, healthcare and industrials.
Prior to joining LHG, Srisatwik's corporate advisory experience allowed him to gain expertise across strategy consulting and debt capital markets. He has also tutored economics at the University of New South Wales.
Srisatwik is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Actuarial Studies and a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of New South Wales.
Kim Gillis AM
Kim Gillis AM served as Deputy Secretary Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group where he was responsible for CASG’s portfolio of acquisition projects and sustainment products that procure and sustain materiel capability for the Australian Defence Force. Prior to joining the Department of Defence, Kim was vice president and managing director of Boeing Defence Australia. Kim is the Chairman of the UK defence company, Ultra Group and was previously Chairman of Cobham (owned by Advent International).
Mark Donaldson VC
Mark joined the elite Special Air Service Regiment in 2004, serving in East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan. On September 2, 2008, during a mission in Afghanistan, he displayed extraordinary bravery under enemy fire, saving wounded comrades and an interpreter. This act earned him the Victoria Cross, Australia's highest military honor. Mark continues to serve, authored a memoir, and actively supports veteran causes.
Mark Stanbridge
Mark has over 30 years’ experience as a M&A lawyer and was a partner at Ashurst for over 25 years. He is a specialist in cross-border and international M&A and private equity. He was twice a finalist in the Australian Dealmaker of the Year (2016 and 2018) and is recognized in numerous legal directories. As part of his role he has advised boards of many major companies. Mark is a director of The Australian Rhino Project and Impossible Foods Pty Ltd, and was formerly on the advisory board of Idea Spies.
Matthew C. Freedman,
Matthew is senior advisor to the current U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander, Admiral Sam Paparo. Over the past 43 years Matthew has worked in or advised 15 federal government in the national security arena including but not limited to: Departments of State, Defence, Army, Navy, Air Force, Executive Office of the President (NSC and OMB), US Special Operations Command, Defence and Central Intelligence Agency. In the recent past, he was the Senior Counsellor to the Secretary of the Army. He has also worked as an operating partner for a PE fund.
Joe Felter III
Joe is the William J. Perry Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at the Hoover Institution. From 2017 to 2019, Joe served as US deputy assistant SecDef for South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. A former US Army Special Forces officer, Joe served in special operations and diplomatic assignments across East and Southeast Asia. His combat deployments include Panama with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Iraq with a Joint Special Operations Task Force, and Afghanistan, where he commanded the COMISAF Counterinsurgency Advisory and Assistance Team, reporting directly to Generals McChrystal and Petraeus.