1stWEST M&A Promotes Derek Koecher to Managing Director

Koecher’s Expertise in Mobility, Fiber, Cloud, and SaaS Stems from His Deep Understanding of Media, Technology, and Telecom

1stWEST Mergers and Acquisitions announced today that Derek Koecher has been promoted from his role as Senior Advisor to Managing Director. Koecher’s proven track record in executing high-value transactions makes him a key asset for sellers and private-equity buyers alike. His new role will further enhance 1stWEST M&A’s ability to guide clients through complex carve-outs, buy and sell transactions, growth strategies, and the negotiation of transaction compensation for founders and executive teams.

Koecher’s extensive experience includes leadership roles at Fortune 100 companies such as Verizon and CenturyLink, where he facilitated over $100 billion in deal value across a diverse range of transactions. He has been instrumental in orchestrating multiple multi-billion dollar carve-outs, particularly in selling to private equity and systems integrators. Starting his career as a risk manager for a startup wireless communications company, Koecher quickly ascended to significant roles in international telecom. Notably, he played a pivotal role in the largest VC-backed deal in Latin America and transformative acquisitions, including the sale of CenturyLink data centers and tower carve-outs, along with acquisitions in SaaS providers and cybersecurity. Koecher’s current focus on AI, Language Models (LM), mobility, fiber, Cloud and SaaS is deeply rooted in his profound understanding of the media, technology, and telecom sectors.

“Derek is one of the most sought-after advisors in today's leading M&A sectors, from telecom and SaaS to AI,” said Ted Rieple, Managing Partner at 1stWEST M&A. “His outstanding reputation, built over decades of service to major corporations across the Americas, brings immense value to our firm. We are thrilled to have him take on the role of Managing Director.”

About 1stWEST M&A

1stWEST Mergers & Acquisitions is an international investment banking and advisory firm specializing in the lower middle-market of companies. The firm offers a unique business solutions platform, assisting owners and shareholders in selling their companies, acquiring other businesses, and raising growth capital. With Managing Directors located in the US, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, 1stWEST M&A is uniquely positioned to serve clients globally. More info: https://1stwestmergersandacquisitions.com/

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