Session Details
Date:
11:30 AM
Where:
VentureSource Stage
More Information
This panel brings together private equity investors and operators to discuss how buy‑and‑build strategies turn fragmented tech markets into scalable, cash‑generating platforms. The conversation will focus on high‑level value‑creation playbooks, deal selection, integration sequencing, GTM scaling, talent alignment, and exit readiness, offering practical insights into the decisions that drive durable returns without diving into technical minutiae. Designed for investors and operators seeking repeatable frameworks to de‑risk execution and accelerate value creation.
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Speaker Bios:
Farrukh Ashfaq, Managing Director, Transactional Advisory Services @ CohnReznick (moderator)
Farrukh is a Managing Director in CohnReznick’s Transactional Advisory Services practice, based in Silicon Valley. With over a decade of M&A and public accounting experience, he has led more than 300 buy‑ and sell‑side due diligence engagements across technology verticals, with emphasis on SaaS businesses, IT services, and consulting. His deal experience spans transactions from $25 million to over $5 billion.
He advises public and private companies, private equity firms, and mid‑market strategic and financial buyers, helping them make informed decisions throughout the transaction lifecycle. Farrukh has deep expertise in Quality of Earnings and Working Capital analysis, guiding clients on how these factors influence operations, valuation, and deal structure. His insights help clients mitigate financial risks and navigate complex sale and asset purchase agreements.
His collaborative approach ensures alignment across finance, legal, and operational teams, driving clarity and confidence throughout the process.
Prior to joining CohnReznick, Farrukh was a senior member of the Silicon Valley Transaction Advisory team at a leading mid‑market firm. He began his career in the APAC and MENA regions, gaining extensive cross‑border experience that informs his global perspective. He is known for combining financial rigor with strategic insight to help clients unlock value and execute with precision.
James Woods, Managing Director @ BayLink Capital
James is a Partner of BayLink Capital. His investment experience is wide ranging, spanning private equity and public markets roles in both US and emerging markets.
Most recently, James was pursuing control investments of niche industrial and business services companies in the US. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Equity Research Analyst and Assistant Portfolio Manager at Driehaus Capital Management covering Materials, Energy, Industrials and Utilities equities globally. In that role, he was one of a team of seven investment professionals managing over $4 billion in client assets and sustaining top quartile returns during his tenure.
Prior to Driehaus, James was a private equity investment professional at the IFC Asset Management Company, a leading emerging markets private equity firm and affiliate organization of the World Bank Group, where he was involved with several of the firm’s investments and initiatives across Latin America and Asia.
James holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Florida as well as an MS in Finance from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Business.
James, his wife, and daughter have recently settled in the Bay Area and have enjoyed ensconcing themselves in the natural beauty of Northern California and exploring its varied attractions.
