Graham Whaling Joins Avista Capital Partners as an Energy Industry Executive

NEW YORK, July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Avista Capital Partners, a leading private equity firm, today announced that Graham Whaling has joined the firm as an Industry Executive focused on energy investments. Mr. Whaling is a highly respected energy executive with more than 35 years of experience in a wide range of roles throughout the industry. Most recently, he was Chief Executive Officer of Parkman Whaling LLC, an oil and gas investment banking advisory firm that he co-founded in 2007.

Steven Webster, Co-Managing Partner of Avista, said, "Having known and often worked with Graham over the past 15 years, I am delighted to welcome him to the Avista team. As someone who has built energy businesses from the ground up and structured major industry transactions, Graham will play a key strategic role at Avista, including helping to source deals and advising current management teams. His presence will enable us to continue building on the success of our energy franchise."   

Mr. Whaling said, "I am very excited to join the Avista team, which has a well-earned reputation in the energy industry and for whom I have enormous respect. This is a great time to be in the energy business, and I am eager to begin working with the team at Avista to identify attractive new investments, build value within the existing portfolio and, ultimately, help deliver outstanding risk-adjusted returns for the firm's investors."

Before forming Parkman Whaling, Mr. Whaling was chairman and CEO of Laredo Energy, which he co-founded in 2001 (and in which Avista Capital Partners invested in 2008). Prior to Laredo, he was a Managing Director at DLJ Merchant Banking, where he worked together with Mr. Webster to build Global Energy Partners, an upstream energy practice which sourced and managed private equity investments in the energy space.

Prior to DLJMB, Mr. Whaling was chairman and CEO of Monterey Resources, which was acquired by Texaco in 1997. Previously, he had been CFO of Santa Fe Energy, from which Monterey was spun off. Mr. Whaling spent seven years as an energy-focused investment banker at Lazard Freres & Co. and CS First Boston. He began his career as a petroleum engineer with Ryder Scott Company.

Mr. Whaling holds an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Texas.

About Avista Capital Partners
Avista Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm with approximately $6 billion under management and offices in New York, Houston and London.  Founded in 2005, Avista makes controlling or influential minority investments in growth-oriented energy, healthcare, communications & media, industrials, and consumer businesses.  Through its team of seasoned investment professionals and industry experts, Avista seeks to partner with exceptional management teams to invest in and add value to well-positioned businesses.

Contact 
James David
Kekst and Company
212-521-4825 
[email protected]

SOURCE Avista Capital Partners