Our People

Erik Carlson

Director

Erik Carlson

Director

Erik provides strategic counsel and communications support to financial services companies and alternative asset managers across a broad range of situations, with a focus on private equity firms as well as their portfolio companies. His areas of expertise include:

Financial Sponsors

He advises sponsors and portfolio companies on strategic communications related to investment activity, fundraising, corporate developments and investor and media relations. Current and former clients include AEA, Apollo, Bansk Group, Blackstone, CC Capital, Cinven, Cornell Capital, ECP, First Reserve, Fundamental Advisors, Gridiron, Kayne Anderson, Knox Lane, Percheron, Platinum, Pretium, Quantum Energy, Shorenstein and Tailwater.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Assignments include advising Limelight on its combination with Yahoo’s Edgecast; Apollo on its acquisitions of Athene and Verizon Media Group, and its listing of Apollo Strategic Growth Capital I and II; Ports America on its sale to CPPIB; Cinven on its acquisitions of Nitel and Jaggaer; CC Capital on CCNB I’s (SPAC) combination with E2open and CCNB II’s pending combination with Getty Images; ECP on ENNV’s combination with Fast Radius; Pretium on its acquisition of Anchor Loans; Tailwater Capital on its acquisitions of Tall Oak Midstream II and III and NorTex Midstream; Greystar on its acquisition of Thackeray and the property management business of Alliance Residential; and L Catterton on its acquisitions of Kodiak Cakes and Del Frisco’s, and sale of Cholula.

Crisis and Reputation Management

He advises sponsors and financial services companies managing complex crises or special situations, including litigation, management succession and unplanned leadership changes, reputational attacks, regulatory inquiries, misconduct allegations, workforce reductions, cybersecurity incidents and labor issues.

Public and Investor Relations

He counsels clients on strategically elevating their profiles and enhancing their overall corporate communications strategy through profile-raising, corporate positioning, thought leadership and employee and investor communications.

Fundraising

He advises private equity firms throughout the fundraising lifecycle from new strategy and fund launches to ongoing marketing activities, interim capital raises and final fund closes. He also works closely with clients to manage LP communications around unforeseen events at both the GP and portfolio level.

Erik joined Joele Frank in 2018. Prior to Joele Frank, Erik worked in the Corporate Communications practice at Weber Shandwick. He received a BA in English with a minor in Communications from the University of Connecticut.