Bio

Phillip Cooper has nearly three decades of experience in investment banking, commercial banking, and corporate leadership. As an investment banker specializing in acquisitions, Mr. Cooper has completed transactions that include debt financings, bankruptcies, and restructurings that range from $10 million to nearly $300 million. He has worked with clients in the industrial, manufacturing, business services, oil and gas, restaurants, communications, transportation/airline, consumer/retail, and aerospace and defense sectors. Notable brands he has worked with include AirTran Airways, Golfsmith International, Uno Restaurant Holdings, Telex Communications, and Apex Linen Service. Prior to joining Palm Tree, Mr. Cooper spent nine years as an investment banker at Jefferies & Company and eight years as a boutique investment banker focused on lower middle-market companies. In 2019, he was awarded the Private Equity Deal of the Year ($50MM-$75MM) by The M&A Advisor. Mr. Cooper’s background and skillset enable him to identify with the challenges faced by business owners and senior management. He has raised capital for clients, advised on M&A transactions, served as a principal on both buy- and sell-side M&A deals, and co-founded and operated a telecom firm. Mr. Cooper brings this unique range of perspectives to Palm Tree, where he helps clients achieve strategic objectives such as raising growth capital, acquisition financing, and debt restructuring. He values his client management skills and ability to develop long-term partnerships by helping clients become knowledgeable about capital-related processes. Mr. Cooper was raised in Austin, Texas, and holds an MBA from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin. He currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. Neither he nor his wife, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, understand the other’s work. They are raising five furry children.