Accelerating Its Team-Building Momentum, Global Digital Solutions, Inc. Adds Thomas W. Janes, Leading Private Equity and Investment Banking Expert, to the Company's Advisory Board

PALM BEACH, Fla., May 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Digital Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: GDSI), a company that is positioning itself as a leader in providing cyber arms manufacturing, complementary security and technology solutions and knowledge-based, cyber-related, culturally attuned social consulting in unsettled areas, today announced the addition of Thomas W. Janes, a leading private equity and investment banking expert, to the company's Advisory Board. In this capacity, Mr. Janes will provide strategic counsel to GDSI's leadership team with regard to various financing options in support of the company's global growth strategy. 

Founder of Boston-based Kerry Capital Advisors, Mr. Janes has been principally involved as a fiduciary with nearly $500 million of private equity investments that have generated over $1 billion of returns for investors. During his private equity career, Mr. Janes has been involved in seven institutional fund raising efforts that have totaled over $3 billion.

"We're very pleased to welcome Tom Janes to GDSI's Advisory Board," said GDSI's President and CEO Richard J. Sullivan. "Tom's 25-year career in the private equity and investment banking arenas make him ideally suited to provide GDSI with strategic counsel regarding financing options as we pursue our global growth strategy. As previously stated, our strategy includes several strategic acquisitions, and I'm convinced Tom's advice and guidance will prove invaluable as we consider various transactions in the months ahead."

Before founding Kerry Capital Advisors, Mr. Janes was a Managing Director of Lincolnshire and head of Lincolnshire's Boston Office. Prior to Lincolnshire, Mr. Janes was a co-founder and Managing Director of Triumph Capital Group, where he served as a senior member of a private equity team that successfully sourced and managed approximately $900 million in private equity capital. During his tenure at Triumph Capital, he led numerous investments in middle market companies in a variety of recapitalization, growth financing, leveraged buyout, and consolidation transactions, and served as a Board member of several Triumph portfolio companies.

"I'm extremely pleased to be joining GDSI's Advisory Board," said Thomas Janes. "I'm very familiar with GDSI management's impressive record of building fast-growing companies through acquisitions and internal growth. I look forward to working with Dick Sullivan and the GDSI leadership team as they consider various financing and acquisition options in the months ahead." 

As previously announced, the GDSI Advisory Board includes former Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll, former U.S. Senator Scott Brown, firearms industry expert Richard Feldman, international financing expert Edwin Wang, and strategic financial advisor Matthew Kelley. In a sign of confidence in GDSI's significant growth opportunity, and to ensure that they are aligned with the interests of shareholders, all members of the Advisory Board will receive equity instead of cash compensation. 

More About Thomas W. Janes
Kerry Capital Advisors was founded by Thomas W. Janes. Mr. Janes has a significant track record of successfully working with management teams in the North American and European middle markets. Earlier in his career, Mr. Janes was an investment banker at Drexel Burnham, First Boston, and Lazard Freres & Co., where he led numerous corporate finance and merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. Janes also worked as a consultant in Bain and Co.'s Boston and London offices. Mr. Janes has served on the Boards of numerous private companies and the following public companies: Alarmguard Holdings, Inc., Ascent Pediatrics, Inc., CAPE Systems Group, Inc., DairyMart Convenience Stores, Inc., Plymouth Opportunity REIT, and Providence Health Care, Inc.

A frequent speaker at industry events, including commenting on private equity issues at the annual Chicago Federal Reserve Forum, Mr. Janes has written more than 100 articles for such publications as The New York Times, The New York Times Annual Economic Review, The Boston Globe and The World Paper. He has an AB degree with honors from Harvard College and MBA from Harvard Business School. For more information, visit www.kerrycapital.com.

About Global Digital Solutions, Inc.
Global Digital Solutions is positioning itself as a leader in providing cyber arms manufacturing, complementary security and technology solutions and knowledge-based, cyber-related, culturally attuned social consulting in unsettled areas. For more information please visit http://www.gdsi.co.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give the Company's current expectations or forecasts of future events. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict and beyond the Company's control, and could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those described.  In some cases forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "should," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar expressions. These statements include statements regarding moving forward with executing the Company's global growth strategy. The statements are based upon current beliefs, expectations and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict. The Company is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.  We have based these forward looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business.  Forward looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved.  Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to the Risk Factors and other information set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on March 28, 2014, and in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

Richard J. Sullivan
561-515-6163
[email protected] 

SOURCE Global Digital Solutions, Inc.