Stax Promotes Three Exceptional Leaders to Managing Director

NEW YORK, January 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stax LLC, a global strategy consulting firm specializing in commercial due diligence, value creation, and exit planning for private equity firms, PE-backed companies, hedge funds, and investment banks, is pleased to announce the promotion of three outstanding professionals to the role of Managing Director: Will Barden, Darren Buskirk, and Athul Ravunniarath. These promotions highlight Stax’s unwavering commitment to fostering top talent and recognizing individuals who consistently deliver exceptional results for clients while driving the firm’s success. 

"Will, Darren, and Athul are not only highly respected leaders and mentors within Stax but also trusted advisors to our private equity and investment banking clients,” said Paul Edwards, Global Practice Leader. “Their deep sector expertise and steadfast dedication enable clients to leverage Stax's actionable insights to make strategic, informed investment decisions. These promotions recognize their significant contributions as leaders in their fields and their invaluable impact on our clients and the unique culture of our firm." 

Will Barden, Managing Director, Boston 

Will Barden brings nearly 20 years of experience advising private equity and corporate clients on commercial due diligence, growth strategies, and exit planning. His career spans strategy consulting, private equity advisory, and investment banking. 

As co-leader of Stax’s exit planning and sell-side practice, Will oversees the firm’s investment banking relationships, actively managing and fostering senior-level connections with investment banks worldwide. In addition to cultivating partnerships with investment bankers, private equity sponsors, and management teams, Will leads a diverse range of client engagements, including commercial due diligence, sell-side projects, and strategy development. His expertise spans commercial engagements within software, education, business services, and industrial services, enabling him to deliver impactful insights across diverse industries. 

Darren Buskirk, Managing Director, Chicago 

Darren Buskirk has over a decade of consulting experience focused on supporting private equity investors in the healthcare ecosystem. He specializes in buy-side and sell-side commercial due diligence, as well as advising private and public organizations on business unit and corporate strategy. 

Darren has led more than 100 diligence engagements within the healthcare sector, with expertise in provider and HCIT assets. His provider experience includes PPM investments across specialties including emergency medicine, pediatrics, cardiology, and orthopedics, as well as retail health assets like physical therapy and urgent care. Additional areas of focus include behavioral health (e.g., SUD, ABA therapy) and non-physician providers including dental and optometry.   

Within HCIT, Darren’s expertise spans across providers and payer-focused solutions. Provider HCIT includes tech-enabled RCM, specialty PM/EMR, and provider operations (e.g., governance, risk, and compliance). Payer IT expertise ranges from core administrative processing systems (CAPS) to software utilized to optimize Medicare Advantage risk adjustment scores. 

Athul Ravunniarath, Managing Director, Boston 

Athul brings nearly a decade of experience in software and technology, partnering with mega-cap and mid-market software and IT services private equity sponsors on due diligence and strategic initiatives. He works closely with portfolio companies to drive value creation, with a strong focus on go-to-market strategies.  

During his tenure, Athul has played a pivotal role in over 200 engagements for private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies. His software expertise spans infrastructure, horizontal, and vertical software domains, including Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), Cybersecurity, Networking & Cloud Management, Supply Chain, Hospitality, and GovTech. Athul also leads Stax’s work in the IT services ecosystem, encompassing Managed Services Providers (MSPs), Value-Added Resellers (VARs), and Systems Integrators (SIs). Athul’s insights have consistently helped clients navigate complex challenges and seize opportunities in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.  

"I am incredibly proud of Will, Darren, and Athul for their well-deserved promotions," said Jayson Traxler, CEO of Stax. “Each has demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovation, driving impactful results for our clients and the firm. Their success exemplifies the dedication and talent that define our global team. At Stax, we foster a culture of growth where hard work and exceptional performance are recognized and rewarded, empowering our people to reach their full potential." 

Media contact: Joe Brownell, Global Head of Marketing, jbrownell@stax.com

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