OpenGate Capital CEO and leadership

Experienced leader in financial services with successful track record in M&A; debt capital markets; valuations; business and product strategy; deal execution, origination, and management; product innovation and management; tax structuring; strategic transaction integration; and driving profitable growth. Product and market breadth includes control buyouts, project finance for energy and infrastructure, senior, junior and mezzanine debt, structured finance, mortgage and asset backed debt, CDOs, CLOs, and a broad range of derivatives.

Mr. Haghighi is based in OpenGate Capital’s Los Angeles office and oversees legal matters for the firm and its portfolio of companies. He supports global M&A efforts during the negotiations and diligence processes and he oversees legal matters for the firm’s portfolio. Additionally, Mr. Haghighi leads all corporate compliance and legal affairs for OpenGate Capital’s global investment activities and serves as Chief Compliance Officer for the firm and its institutional funds. Mr. Haghighi joined OpenGate in 2018.

Prior to joining OpenGate, Haghighi was Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Platinum Equity. During his four-year tenure at Platinum, Haghighi was instrumental in managing that firm’s compliance and regulatory programs, fund formation and co-investment offerings, and numerous other legal and regulatory matters relating to the firm and its portfolio companies. Prior to Platinum, Haghighi worked at Oaktree Capital Management as a Vice President - Legal where he was responsible for various compliance and regulatory matters and fund formation matters across multiple investment strategies, as well as a wide range of general, in-house counsel matters. He began his legal career in the New York offices of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher.

Mr. Bridwell is based in OpenGate Capital’s Los Angeles office as Chief Operating Officer responsible for the management and oversight of the firm’s global investment platform in North America as well as OpenGate’s finance, human resources, and IT functions. Mr. Bridwell joined OpenGate in 2018 and is a member of the Investment and Portfolio Committee. He also spearheads the firm’s expanding digital operational capabilities via OGx®, OpenGate’s proprietary technology platform.

Mr. Bridwell is a tenured professional with 15 years of private equity experience and has a proven track record of delivering operating results.

Prior to joining OpenGate, Mr. Bridwell was Partner and Managing Director - Head of Operations at Kelso & Company in New York City where he established the firm’s first operations-focused group and developed a comprehensive operations approach compatible with that firm’s investment strategy. Prior to Kelso, Mr. Bridwell was with Platinum Equity for 12 years where he held several key roles first as an interim CEO for platform investments, then as Chief Restructuring Officer for the San Diego Tribune and American Commercial Lines. In his later years at Platinum, Mr. Bridwell became an Operations Principal and Chief of Staff where he was integral in raising $3.75 billion for that firm’s third institutional fund.

Experienced leader in financial services with successful track record in M&A; debt capital markets; valuations; business and product strategy; deal execution, origination, and management; product innovation and management; tax structuring; strategic transaction integration; and driving profitable growth. Product and market breadth includes control buyouts, project finance for energy and infrastructure, senior, junior and mezzanine debt, structured finance, mortgage and asset backed debt, CDOs, CLOs, and a broad range of derivatives.

Mr. Haghighi is based in OpenGate Capital’s Los Angeles office and oversees legal matters for the firm and its portfolio of companies. He supports global M&A efforts during the negotiations and diligence processes and he oversees legal matters for the firm’s portfolio. Additionally, Mr. Haghighi leads all corporate compliance and legal affairs for OpenGate Capital’s global investment activities and serves as Chief Compliance Officer for the firm and its institutional funds. Mr. Haghighi joined OpenGate in 2018.

Prior to joining OpenGate, Haghighi was Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary at Platinum Equity. During his four-year tenure at Platinum, Haghighi was instrumental in managing that firm’s compliance and regulatory programs, fund formation and co-investment offerings, and numerous other legal and regulatory matters relating to the firm and its portfolio companies. Prior to Platinum, Haghighi worked at Oaktree Capital Management as a Vice President - Legal where he was responsible for various compliance and regulatory matters and fund formation matters across multiple investment strategies, as well as a wide range of general, in-house counsel matters. He began his legal career in the New York offices of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher.

Mr. Bridwell is based in OpenGate Capital’s Los Angeles office as Chief Operating Officer responsible for the management and oversight of the firm’s global investment platform in North America as well as OpenGate’s finance, human resources, and IT functions. Mr. Bridwell joined OpenGate in 2018 and is a member of the Investment and Portfolio Committee. He also spearheads the firm’s expanding digital operational capabilities via OGx®, OpenGate’s proprietary technology platform.

Mr. Bridwell is a tenured professional with 15 years of private equity experience and has a proven track record of delivering operating results.

Prior to joining OpenGate, Mr. Bridwell was Partner and Managing Director - Head of Operations at Kelso & Company in New York City where he established the firm’s first operations-focused group and developed a comprehensive operations approach compatible with that firm’s investment strategy. Prior to Kelso, Mr. Bridwell was with Platinum Equity for 12 years where he held several key roles first as an interim CEO for platform investments, then as Chief Restructuring Officer for the San Diego Tribune and American Commercial Lines. In his later years at Platinum, Mr. Bridwell became an Operations Principal and Chief of Staff where he was integral in raising $3.75 billion for that firm’s third institutional fund.