Meet the Team

About Richard

Richard’s vertical market software career began over 25 years ago. He has progressed to Group CEO of Vesta Software Group, where he manages and builds multiple brands within the Jonas Operating Group. Under his leadership, Vesta has grown considerably over the last five years, now spanning four continents with staff in over 20 countries. His extensive knowledge of vertical market software solutions, gained through various positions within Jonas, gives him a meticulous understanding of the industry, the group, and the services they provide.

Richard joined Jonas through the Gladstone MRM acquisition, where he was the Professional Services Manager, working within their leisure management software. Since then, his experience has allowed him to gain knowledge across many different brands and sectors within Jonas.

Before joining Jonas, Richard worked in sales and marketing within the leisure, attractions, and telecommunications sectors. Richard’s philosophy focuses on developing his employees and providing them with new opportunities, allowing them to grow and flourish. His supportive attitude and team spirit have contributed to the incredible growth of many Jonas UK businesses.

In his spare time, Richard enjoys spending time with his young family and playing the occasional round of golf.

About Tom

Tom has been working for Vesta Software Group since 2016, following a successful period working within finance for Compass Group (the largest contract foodservice company in Europe). He currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer of Vesta Software Group managing and building the Central Functions (Finance, HR and IT) on a global scale.

A Chartered Accountant (ACCA) who has a vast experience in finance related roles as well as team management, in 2022 Tom was promoted to the Chief Operations Officer role to lead the decentralisation of other central functions, bringing them in house to Vesta and scaling them efficiently as the portfolio grows.

In addition to central functions, he is also heavily involved in M&A activity on a global scale, pre-acquisition but particularly post-acquisition.

Facilitation of growth for an organisation is an area Tom likes to participate (particularly in high growth, ever-changing environments like Vesta), where scalability of functions through system and process automation become particularly key. Strategy to facilitate this and constant forward thinking is a part of his everyday life, as well as maintaining and building our excellent corporate culture.

Tom’s main passion for his role at Vesta is nurturing peoples talent and helping to develop and build careers for the great people across his departments.

In his spare time Tom enjoys playing a multitude of sports, particularly football.

About Ken

Ken joined Vesta in 2021 and leads the group’s global acquisitive strategy. Over the last 20 years, he has transacted numerous deals in the US, Europe and several Emerging Markets, from both a buy and sell side perspective as a direct investor, advisor and through other senior and partner level roles in Private Equity, Corporate Finance and Corporate Development. In his career, Ken has been fortunate to lead and work with operational, business development and integration teams in several industries, including Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals, financial services and SME banking.

Outside of work, Ken enjoys spending time with his family exploring the English countryside.

About Diego

Diego joined Vesta Software Group in 2023, following a successful international career having worked in Chile, New York and Panamá, being admitted to practice law in the first two jurisdictions. He currently serves as Legal Counsel of Vesta Software Group, managing the legal matters of the group on a global scale, being heavily involved in all M&A activity, pre-acquisition and post-acquisition. He is based in Santiago, Chile.

During his international career, Diego has more than 15 years of experience on cross-border M&A, added to a Master in Law in Banking, Finance and Corporate Law and 4 years of in-house experience. He has worked in not only the acquisition of new companies, but also the operation of them once acquired, and easily adapts to the structures of each. As such, he has been a great fit for the team at Vesta.

In his spare time, Diego is a sports enthusiast, with his main focus being football and padel tennis. He also loves spending time his daughter

About Ed

Ed joined Vesta in November 2024, with 30 years’ business development experience in the Payment industry working globally across SWIFT, instant payments, ACH networks, payment card schemes, open banking, cyber security and cross border payments.

He has held Executive roles in strategy, product, M&A, client partnership and general management with PwC, First Data Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, Hightech Payment Systems and Bottomline Technologies leading new market launches, scale ups and growth projects across 30 different countries.  Ed has worked closely with the largest payment networks and trade bodies including SWIFT, Visa, Pay.UK, Fintech Connect and industry associations and regulators to drive innovation into the industry.

Ed studied in Scotland and Canada before gaining his MBA at Cranfield School of Management, graduating from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and most recently The Financial Times Non-Executive Director Diploma. He enjoys travel with his family and is involved with charities in Zambia and Nepal as well as promoting the City of London throughout the year as an active Liveryman with The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers 1664.

About Harsha

Harsha joined Vesta Software Group in July 2022 and has progressed to his current position of Portfolio Leader.

Harsha manages portfolios of Enterprise Point of Sale and Vertical Market Software companies. He is focused on growing Vesta’s investments not just in the UK but also across Central Eastern Europe.

Previously, Harsha has gained experience as an operating partner in a private equity firm, as a management consultant for blue chip companies and as a departmental head in FTSE 250 firms.

On the weekends Harsha is usually either watching cricket, spending time with his family or getting immersed in the latest to hit the bookshelves. He is always keen to discover interesting software companies and lives his life by Buzz Lightyear’s famous motto “TO INFINITY AND BEYOND…”.

About Daniel

Bio coming soon!

About Sorin

Bio coming soon!

About Darren

Darren joined the group in September 2024 as a Group Leader within our payments focused division.

With over 20 years’ experience as an operator and leader of vertical market software businesses, Darren manages a group of Enterprise Point of Sale and Vertical Market Software Companies. He is focused on delivering operational excellence, and value creation plans within the group.

In his spare time, Darren enjoys spending time in the countryside with his Dog, participating in ultra-marathons and supporting his football team Leicester City.

About Thomasina

Bio coming soon!

About Tess

Tess is a people-oriented Senior HR Leader, with strong experience across UK and European markets and a demonstrable track record of accomplishment across multiple industry sectors. She combines high levels of commercial acuity with deep subject matter expertise across the full HR remit to design and deliver HR solutions that enhance business operations. Tess is a confident and proactive HR professional who operates well at both a tactical and strategic level and consistently delivers above and beyond expectation. She is also an instinctive and proactive culture builder who employs empathy, passion and credibility to build best in class HR functions.

Tess holds a BA Degree in Communication Science with a focus on psychology and a BA Honours Degree in Industrial Psychology.

About John

Bio coming soon!

About Adrian

Bio coming soon!

About Francesco

Francesco is a seasoned professional with a strong background in finance and a passion for technology. Born in Naples, Italy, he instilled a dedication to hard work and leadership through his formative years at the prestigious Nunziatella Military School.

Following his finance studies at LUISS Guido Carli in Rome, Francesco honed his expertise in corporate finance at EY, advising on M&A transactions. Seeking a deeper understanding of the M&A process, he transitioned to Foresight Group, UK based investment management company specialized in renewable energy.

Francesco further distinguished himself by leading the M&A team at Grupo Neoelectra in Barcelona as Head of M&A. Driven by a desire to leverage his expertise within the business management, he pursued an Executive MBA at EAE Business School in 2021.

Francesco is a lifelong learner with a captivating enthusiasm for diverse subjects, including science, philosophy, and music. Beyond work, he enjoys a variety of activities connected to his love for the sea, such as sailing and scuba diving. When not exploring new culinary experiences or traveling the world, Francesco can be found listening to or playing music, or attending concerts across various genres.

About Noah

Noah joined the Vesta team in 2023 as an M&A Analyst to help bolster our continued growth in the UK & Europe. He runs the execution side of our investment opportunities from building valuations for an initial offer, through to managing the due diligence process and closure.

Having achieved a First-Class Honours degree in Accounting and Finance, Noah began his career as an audit graduate at EY where he became a Chartered Accountant (CA). With a strong background in finance and a keen interest in technology, Noah is perfectly placed to accelerate our growth in Europe.

In his spare time, Noah enjoys watching combat sports and keeping fit through kickboxing a few times a week.

About Viktor

Viktor joined the Vesta team in 2024 to support the development of the M&A execution field in Europe. He is responsible for preparing valuations and analysing investment opportunities, coordinating due diligence processes, and support closure and integration.

Viktor obtained a BA in Business Administration and Management at the Corvinus University of Budapest, and an MSc in Finance at the University of Edinburgh. Having worked in a leading M&A advisory firm, as well as passing the CFA Level I and II exams, he brings finance and M&A expertise.

He spends his free time with his family, girlfriend and friends mostly going on trips and playing board games. He also loves playing basketball and the piano as a hobby.

About Patrick

Patrick has a keen interest in technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence and Big Data. During his undergraduate studies at the University of Birmingham, he completed a semester at The University of Hong Kong studying Business Management and Digital Transformation Strategy – a data analytics approach. This galvanised his thoughts regarding his career.

After completing a degree in Accounting and Finance, Patrick found himself working as an Investment Manager for 2 years. The combination of advising business owners post-exit as a Wealth Manager, along with his background in accounting, technology and a genuine, passionate interest for technology, makes him a perfect fit to lead Vesta’s Deal Origination activities across the UK and Europe.

About Catalina

Catalina joined Vesta Software Group to support our efforts as we bolster our investment in Central and Eastern Europe.

After studying Sociology and Data Analytics, Catalina begun her career in Business Development and has since worked for well-known companies such as Deloitte and Amazon, where she managed VIP clients and contributed to both operational and strategic aspects.

With further experience in the FinTech industry, Catalina has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and skills that enables her to employ a comprehensive approach to creating growth strategies, as well as establishing and nurturing client relationships.

Outside of work, Catalina enjoys travelling around the world to new destinations with her son.

About Laszlo

Laszlo began his career at EY in Performance Improvement, after which he transitioned into sales, working in the areas of international business events, governmental investment promotion and advertising. Following that, he founded his own company that was mainly focused on corporate training and to a smaller extent show business, web development, commodity trading and intermediary deal making.

From a professional standpoint, Laszlo has been a keen enthusiast of blockchain technology and Bitcoin since 2013. On a personal level, he is interested in all aspects of life that contain beauty, elegance, skill and wisdom.

About Dominik

Dominik joined Vesta to help strengthen and expand our presence in Eastern and Southern Europe. He grew up in the Czech Republic, where a big part of his life was spent playing ice hockey at a high level, which helped shape his personality to become a driven team player in his professional life today.

After receiving an athletic scholarship from the University of Texas at El Paso, Dominik spent four years in the United States pursuing his BBA degree in Marketing. Shortly after that, he began working in the logistics industry with DHL, where he managed client accounts in the Central Los Angeles and Hollywood areas.

Dominik’s background includes account management and sales with a concentration in B2B communications. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his friends, travelling and playing sports.

About Jeronimo

About Carolina

Bio coming soon!

About Luciana

Bio coming soon!

About Leonardo

Bio coming soon!

About Sofia

Sofía joined the Vesta team in 2022 to assist in developing the M&A execution area. Currently, she is responsible for preparing valuations for targets, leading due diligence processes, coordinating efforts across departments, and analyzing various strategies related to targets post-acquisition, alongside Group Leaders.

She brings M&A expertise from her previous role at a leading firm in corporate finance advisory, where she advised companies of different sizes and sectors on investment projects, M&A, strategic consulting, complex financial modeling, project finance, among other areas.

Sofía holds a degree in accounting and resides in Montevideo, Uruguay.

About Cristóbal

Cristobal Muñoz embarked on his journey with Vesta Software Group in 2024, stepping into the role of M&A Senior Analyst based in Santiago, Chile. With a career that spans venture capital, strategic advisement, and business analysis, Cristobal brings a broad perspective and a deep understanding of the M&A and Investment landscape.

Before his current position at Vesta, Cristobal contributed to the technology industry as a Venture Capitalist based in Chile. There, he played a crucial role in investing across Spanish-speaking LatAm companies in various industries, including Fintech, Logistics, SaaS, Consumer, and Proptech.

His experience is distinguished by a history of identifying and executing technology investment opportunities across various sectors, advising a diverse portfolio of companies on strategic and financial planning, and engaging in high-level business case development. Cristobal holds a Master of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics, both with distinction, from Universidad de Chile.

On his free time, he enjoys cooking, playing football, competing on videogames or watching Netflix, preferably with the company of his best friend and son, León

About Verónica

Veronica joined the Vesta M&A team in 2022 to lead our Business Development efforts throughout Latin America as part of our global acquisitive growth strategy.

Veronica brings with her more than 10 years’ experience in Business Development, with a strong background in consultative sales. She began her professional career working with start-ups and entrepreneurs, mostly in the tech sector. Throughout the years, she worked for international and local companies across multiple industry sectors: finance, real state and government. She holds a Business Development degree with a focus on marketing and an MBA certification.

Veronica is a native of Uruguay and resides in Montevideo. She enjoys traveling and spending weekends at her beach house.

About Luis

Luis joined our LATAM M&A team in 2023 as part of our global acquisitive growth strategy, focusing on our deal origination efforts in Chile, Colombia, Panama and Peru.

With more than 15 years’ experience in sales strategy, business development, customer success, eCommerce and marketing, he brings a wealth of knowledge with expertise in pharmaceuticals, technology and international publishing.

Originally born in Venezuela, Luis moved to Dublin in 2014 to study English, before settling in Santiago, Chile, in 2015. He has since obtained an MBA degree from the Universidad San Sebastián and a Diploma in Business Administration from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. In 2023, he began studying towards a Masters in Big Data and Business Intelligence at the Barcelona Business School, via distance learning.

Outside of work, Luis enjoys spending time with family and going on walks with his dog. He is also a fan of bike riding, going to the movies and getting out to different concerts and festivals.

About Rafael

Based in Mexico, Rafael joined Vesta Software Group in 2024, following a successful career in Digital Native Companies over the last 15 years. He has had the opportunity to collaborate with companies in Mexico, Canada, the US, India, Central and South America, as well as some countries in Europe. With a focus on disruptive companies and a developed ability to detect new market opportunities from a commercial approach, Rafael is currently searching for new business opportunities for Vesta in Mexico as M&A Business Development Executive. He holds a Financial Administration degree.

Outside work, Rafael enjoys spending time with his family, friends, and his pets, as well as exercising outdoors, reading books, meditating, and when possible, going to a good concert.

About Juan