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Senior Management

James Philip Coppola III
Managing Partner & CIO

James Philip Coppola III

Spending over three-and-a-half decades in investment banking, alternative investments and structured finance, he has led several landmark structuring and credit assignments. He led as the exclusive provider of derivatives linked strategies for global banks structuring in Indochina, and according to Morningstar, his track record ranked him in the top 25% of fund managers for over a decade. Morningstar and Barron’s ranked Mr. Coppola, the #1 Global Macro Fund Manager, separately, in four different years.

Mr. Coppola III has spent over three-and-a-half decades in the securities industry, with deep experience in alternative investments, investment banking, M&A, securitizations and on assignment with global credit ratings agencies. A man of rapid-fire thought processing, he is a top ranked money manager, skillful deal-maker, a student of the financial markets, and a citizen of the world. He has resided in the major business centers of New York City, San Francisco, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City during his professional career, resulting in high-level and deep connections, all over the world. As a person who has led from the front, he has been tested through both very successful and also trying senior management and capital markets experiences.

Forming as Baron Point Financial Group in 2007, he has ever since headed all aspects of the enterprise, for almost two decades, focusing on Indochina structuring several alternative investment funds, mergers and acquisitions, as well as debt capital markets and credit rated securitizations across varied industries. These assignments include securitizations and deal making with leading government owned enterprises, major publicly listed companies, and while working with a major world family.

According to Morningstar his track record as a fund manager ranked in the top 25% for over a decade (1998-2010) and Morningstar and Barron’s ranked Mr. Coppola III the #1 Global Macro Fund Manager, separately, for the years of 1994, 1995, 2000, and 2001 for superb, annualized performance. In his past, he also focused on applying alternative investment and quantitative management strategies and structuring at a New York City-based US$ 19.2 billion institutional fixed-income boutique.

An expert risk manager, he is credited with United States Patent No. US 7,464,052 B1 (risk-based system), and during his early trading career he mentored with commodity trading legend, Ed Seykota. Later in his professional career, he performed institutional mandates with Wall Street legend Victor Sperandeo (“Trader Vic”), a relationship which has continued for almost two decades on varying institutional assignments. He also worked alongside leading pension asset and liability-driven investment personality, Dr. Douglas Love, on a major government pension assignment for the country of Belgium.

Mr. Coppola III spent his formative years as an institutional hedging specialist at a former Drexel Burnham Lambert office, where the entire operation was fully acquired by Prudential-Bache.  After he moved to Merrill Lynch, as an awarded producing middle markets sales-trader.

External Chief Risk Officer

Andrew A. Alberti

A seasoned insurance and securities professional he has over five decades on Wall Street. A member of the New York State Bar Association and the Insurance Federation of New York, he served as Deputy Superintendent of the State of New York Insurance Department’s Liquidation Bureau. Prior to this, he served as the Bureau’s General Counsel and Attorney of Record and served as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the New York State Senate Insurance Committee.

Mr. Alberti, has over five decades of achievement in the insurance industry.  He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Insurance Federation of New York.  He has known senior principals at Baron Point for almost two-decades, where together they have worked on structured notes and insurance assignments. Mr. Alberti received an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, Ohio, and earned his JD from New York Law School.

He began his career in 1969 as a staff auditor and tax associate in the New York City offices of Seidman and Seidman, a certified public accounting firm (now BDO Seidman, LLP).  Later, he served as Deputy Superintendent in charge of the State of New York Insurance Department’s Liquidation Bureau. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Superintendent, he served as the Bureau’s General Counsel and Attorney of Record. From 1992 to 1994 he served as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the New York State Senate Insurance Committee. Further, following his departure from the New York Liquidation Bureau, from 1990 thru 2009, Mr. Alberti served as a contract receiver in 6 insurance company receivership proceedings for the Commissioners of Banking and Insurance of the State of New Jersey, the Georgia Department of Insurance, and the Superintendent of the Insurance Department of the State of New York. He has also been engaged and testified as an expert witness in multiple receivership proceedings in the insurance industry in America.

Currently, Mr. Alberti focuses his work at Baron Point in the Institutional Insurance & Fixed Income Group and acts as the enterprise’s External Chief Risk Officer.

Additionally, he serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Alesia Global Holdings, Ltd and Alesia Re SPC a Cayman Island domiciled Class D life reinsurance company. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, and in his past he was a member of the Board of Directors of the following companies: TREK, an insurance holding company and its subsidiary, American Medical and Life Insurance Company of New York, Western United Life Assurance Company of Spokane Washington, Stronghold Group LTD and Stronghold Insurance Company LTD, respectively a Bermuda Domiciled Holding Company and a Bermuda licensed Class 3 Reinsurance Company, Millbrook Inc., an information and technology architecture firm, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center and the Merchants Group, Inc., an insurance holding company and its subsidiary, Merchants Insurance Company of New Hampshire.

Partner, Global Head of Business Development

Todd R. Hollander

With nearly four-decades on Wall Street, he began his career at Susquehanna Investment Group as an index options trader on the floor of the American Stock Exchange. After, he was one of the first employees and investors at Jane Street. In almost two decades at the firm his multiple roles included building and expanding both the ETF trading and customer businesses, globally, and opening the London office.

Mr. Hollander joined Baron Point in 2025 as a Partner, and he heads up the ETF business and works closely with the Multi-Asset Structuring team. Mr. Hollander has nearly four decades on Wall Street starting his career at Susquehanna Investment Group on the floor of the American Stock Exchange, as an index options trader. During his time on the exchange, he was also the first market maker to trade SPY in 1993. This is the first ETF listing in the US, and it tracks the S&P 500. After, he spent almost two decades at Jane Street, where he was one of the first employees and investors. He held multiple roles at Jane Street, including building and expanding both the ETF trading and customer businesses. Additionally, Mr. Hollander was Global Head of ETFs at Old Mission Capital.

Mark McCarthy, Baron Bonds
Partner, Portfolio Company CEO

Martin John McCarthy

As a country CEO, and authorized signatory for Portfolio Companies at the firm, he has held the top position at subsidiaries of NYSE listed companies with stints at the corporate headquarters in Paris, France, and in several emerging markets. Prior to Baron Point, he was CEO of TotalEnergies businesses in 10 countries.

Mr. McCarthy is an entrepreneur with nearly four decades of experience in senior executive posts at multinational integrated energy and petroleum companies focused on emerging markets.  This includes Managing Director roles over a 17+ year career at TotalEnergies, one of the seven supermajor oil companies in the world.

Expertise

• CEO of TotalEnergies businesses in 10 countries, to develop downstream Retail, Commercial and Energy activities (United Kingdom, France, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Pakistan/Afghanistan, Cambodia, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea)

• Downstream expert from Oil Refinery through Oil Terminals and Shipping to Retail Network, Commercial, Aviation, LPG bottling and Lubricants business lines

• Implementation of Purchasing Standards and systems for Total Worldwide, but with a particular focus on Africa and Asia. Participated in the construction of many CEN standards in Europe for Retail fuel stations and Depots

• Feasibility studies and implementation plans for many mergers and acquisitions for TotalEnergies in Africa and the South Pacific

• Global and regional refining and marketing strategies in a project that led to splitting Refining from Marketing in TotalEnergies and combining it with Petrochemicals

• Trends in fuel oil activity and margins looking at Global and regional supply and demand patterns to help develop regional markets and competitive opportunities

• Company performance management, specifically in the use of SAP

• Architect and Engineer by profession. Studied in the UK to Doctorate level. Improved over time by many internal and external courses organised by both Total and Elf Aquitaine

Partner & CFO

Kenneth R. Marks

He has held numerous senior executive and board assignments, in a successful career spanning over four decades. This experience includes senior positions at NYSE listed companies, serving as Head of M&A as well as holding the title of Head of Merger Integration. For many of the companies acquired, he then became the CEO or CFO of the targeted company, creating synergy and value well into the billions of dollars.

Joining Baron Point Group in 2010, he initially focused on business and brand development, after, focusing on the financial aspects of the company, however, Mr. Marks still manages key relationship and develops new business for the company.

Prior to Baron Point Group, he was a Senior Advisor to Fulcrum Funds and LKM Venture, responsible for capital sourcing, directing due diligence and evaluating opportunities.

In his past, he secured a US$ 50 million seed capital commitment from Verizon Communications for an early-stage alternative investment fund and played a vital role in the US$ 1.5 billion FLAG project, the world’s first and longest privately funded undersea fibre-optic system. This landmark achievement is considered the alpha technology infrastructure achievement in Thailand.

Mr. Marks has consistently accomplished distinguished services in senior management roles. He was the Vice President, Merger Integration, Verizon Communications; CEO, Global Directory Services (the world’s largest publisher of the Yellow Pages); President, NYNEX Computer Services; and Director of Mergers and Acquisitions for NYNEX Corporation. Mr. Marks has completed numerous institutional transactions and company turnarounds aggregating into the multiple billions of US dollars in transactions and synergies created.

A graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program, Mr. Marks has an MBA from Long Island University and a BA in Economics, C.W. Post College.

In-house Attorney

Dr. Denis Diop, CFA

A seasoned 20+ legal and compliance executive, he is a CFA and holds a PhD in law. Dr. Diop brings a global perspective to his legal and project management work at Baron Point, due to his past work in Singapore, Bangkok, Indonesia, Luxembourg, and the UK. In his past, he served in leading tech firms, guiding them through the complexities of digital transformation in wealth management.

Dr. Diop, CFA is a seasoned legal and compliance executive with over two-decades of experience with business and the law.

Holding a PhD in law from Humboldt University in Berlin, a Master’s in international business law from Queen Mary University in London, and an MBA from Kellogg-HKUST, he brings a global perspective to his work due to his past work in Singapore, Bangkok, Indonesia, Luxembourg and the UK.

Dr. Diop is a distinguished legal and compliance professional who is dually qualified and admitted to the Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales and the German Bar.

He has served in leading technology firms, guiding them through the complexities of digital transformation in wealth management. His expertise reflects a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the intersection between law, finance, and technology.

He is recognized for his leadership in navigating complex legal landscapes and driving organizational success in rapidly evolving global markets.

Research & Analysis

Serhat Ozvaris

He has nearly a decade in financial analysis in varying and increasingly senior roles, working as an analyst, risk manager, and in audit and fund operations. Mr. Ozvaris earned several advanced certifications including Advanced Level Capital Market, Activities License (Level III) (CMB 3 License), Credit Rating License (CMB Credit Rating License), and a Derivative Instruments License (CMB Derivatives License).

Spending nearly a decade in financial analysis in varying and increasingly senior roles he has worked as an analyst, risk manager, in audit and fund operations. Earning a bachelor’s degree in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics from Marmara University (Istanbul, Turkey), he has earned several advanced certifications such as Advanced Level Capital Market, Activities License (Level III) (CMB 3 License), Credit Rating License (CMB Credit Rating License), and a Derivative Instruments License (CMB Derivatives License).

Chief Technology Officer

John D. Pickard

He has over three-decades of experience in technology, including a period of over two decades with Lloyds Bank where he became a Regional Manager and was later assigned by Lloyds Bank’s CEO to head a special IT task force. Shortly after leaving Lloyds Bank, he founded a strategic consultancy outsourcing to multinational institutions designing large multi-regional corporate systems and also serving several regulated asset managers.

Joining with the Baron Point team in 2007, he spent over two decades with Lloyds Bank where he became a Regional Manager and was later assigned by the company CEO to head a special IT task force. Shortly after, he founded an independent consulting firm acting as a strategic outsourcing partner to multinational institutions where he designed large multi-regional corporate systems serving several regulated asset managers in Asia, while providing expert guidance to small and medium sized businesses experiencing rapid growth in their development cycle.

Executive VP, Project Management

Phillip John Evans

He has over three-decades of project management experience associated with technology and technology infrastructure projects in East Asia. Appointments in his career include senior management and/or senior advisory level positions. Prior to Baron Point, he held a senior management post on a private equity financed greenfield assignment in Southeast Asia financed by some of the largest private equity firms in the world.

Associated with principals of Baron Point since 2007 and joining the executive team in 2023, Phillip has over three decades of experience associated with technology and technology infrastructure projects in East Asia. Appointments in his career include senior management and/or senior advisory level positions. Most recently, pre-covid, he held a senior management post on a private equity financed greenfield assignment in Southeast Asia, which evolved into a major operating company, along with a successful secondary offering, in which some of the largest private equity firms participated.

Highlights include:

  • 35+ years professional experience, over 25 years in Southeast Asia
  • Expertise in large Infrastructure and Technology projects
  • Multiple Senior Appointments related to Start-Ups, Engineering and Operations
  • Expertise & Experience with Infrastructure Projects funded by major Private Equity
  • Expertise & Experience with Infrastructure Company Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Extensive experience in RF and Telecommunications Technologies
  • Results driven with business in mind
  • Proven ability to work internationally in foreign environments and conditions