First dedicated portfolio operations hire to expand firm's capabilities in value creation across the GI Portfolio

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, March 1, 2016 – GI Partners (“GI”), a leading alternative investment firm, announced today the appointment of Achi Yaffe as its first Operating Principal. Mr. Yaffe will lead the firm’s value creation capabilities with the strategic objective of significantly increasing the firm’s support of portfolio companies. Achi joins GI’s team of 23 private equity investment professionals and will be based in San Francisco.

Rick Magnuson, Founder and Executive Managing Director of GI Partners, said, “Achi is a strategy and operations leader with private equity, line operating, and consulting experience. His expertise is vast and includes M&A execution, merger integration, 100-day planning, sales growth, and talent development. We continue to build our team to meet the needs of our firm moving forward, and the next step we needed to take was hiring our first Operating Principal. GI Partners is committed to building long-term value at our portfolio companies, and Achi will help us do that. He is a great addition to our partnership, and we welcome him to our team.”

“I am thrilled to join the GI Partners team,” Mr. Yaffe said. “It is an exciting time for the firm. I look forward to contributing to its momentum by helping strengthen our operational capabilities and partnering closely with our management teams to execute key initiatives that will build long-term value.”

Prior to joining GI Partners, he served as Principal for Lee Equity Partners helping portfolio companies develop business plans and execute strategic initiatives. Prior to Lee Equity, he worked for McKinsey & Company advising management teams of Fortune 500 and private equity-backed companies. Prior to McKinsey, he led the Financial Services Business Unit at eTelecare (now part of Convegys). Mr. Yaffe received his B.S. from University of Southern California and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar.