Leadership

Mike Bartelstone is the Founder & CEO of Oakengates LLC.  He brings over 15 years of experience as a trusted advisor across investment banking, private equity, and law, serving founders, owners, boards, and management teams on complex transactions and strategic matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital transactions, and restructuring situations. 

Prior to founding Oakengates, Mike worked in the investment banking divisions of Deutsche Bank, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Paddock Capital Markets, advising on M&A and financing transactions across a range of industries, including business services, healthcare, technology, consumer, oil & gas, and real estate. 

Mike also spent several years as Managing Director and Chief of Staff at a merchant bank and single-family office focused on private equity investments, while co-managing its affiliated broker-dealer.  In this role, he worked closely with leading global private equity firms, including Blackstone, Carlyle, Apollo, and Mubadala, on the evaluation and execution of complex investments and transactions.  This buy-side experience brings a capital partner perspective to his advisory work, with an emphasis on alignment with owners and long-term value creation. 

Earlier in his career, Mike practiced financial restructuring law as an attorney with King & Spalding and Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft.  He holds a B.A. from Cornell University, a J.D. from the Boston University School of Law, and an MBA from the Yale School of Management.