James Bergeron

James Bergeron is Founder and Managing Partner of 108 Partners LLC, a Silicon Valley-based CEO and M&A advisory firm serving middle-market companies that provides leadership, coaching and M&A services to CEOs as well as their Boards of Directors and institutional investors. A proven motivational leader focused on growing and transforming businesses, James is among the nation’s leading CEO specialty advisors.

During the past two decades, James has developed and demonstrated a passion for building mid-market businesses, including start-ups, search fund companies, turnarounds and growth companies. He has raised a cumulative $50 million+ in equity and debt capital, and has counseled firms of all sizes on numerous recent, successful exits. He also has significant experience managing, building and taking businesses to the next level by partnering with institutional investors and/or founders within growth industries.

James advises on recruiting key executives, accelerating product development and building sales teams and channels, using his extensive experience to oversee 108 Partners’ services that include: CEO coaching and mentoring; Business Advisory and Consulting Services for search fund companies, startups and other middle-market businesses; M&A Advisory & Negotiation; preparation for Exits; VC/PE Outsourced Operating Partners services; temporary CEO assignments; Advisory Board Services and Independent Board Director Positions.

This new CEO coaching category led by 108 Partners is heavily focused on “First-Time CEOs” who have yet to experience and learn how to best manage existing, upcoming and potentially unforeseen challenges. James’ consulting portfolio includes First-Time CEOs that range from: CEOs who have been running a company for 5 – 10 years but have never experienced an M&A exit, former large company divisional presidents now running a startup or growth company, and ‘twenty-something’ CEOs who are at the helm of a start-up or search fund business for the very first time.

James also counsels First-Time CEOs on how to better deal with strategic implications of industry competitive dynamics, pivoting their company toward new markets or product offerings, focusing on increased profitability and managing their own emotions as well as board expectations. Boards today want to know that their CEO is looking at peak performance for themselves by relying on an advisor who has himself battled in the trenches and works, counsels and advises CEOs day-in and day-out.

Prior to founding 108 Partners, James was CEO at First To File, Inc. (later acquired by CPA Global, a very large European strategic acquirer owned by Cinven, one of Europe’s leading private equity firms), a software-as-a-service (SaaS) business providing intellectual property workflow and database management to global corporations and law firms. After leading the buyout of First To File, Inc. from Corporation Service Company Corporation, one of the largest registered agents in the world, he raised seed capital and Series A and B venture capital rounds with Foundation Capital, Tekton Ventures and Angel investors. Subsequent to the First To File buyout, James led efforts to re-launch product offerings, develop the business model, build-out the security infrastructure, recruit a world-class sales and marketing team, and scale the business globally with Fortune 500 corporations and prominent law firms.

James also served as CEO at Maverick Enterprises, Inc. where he led a leveraged buyout (LBO) of the largest North American specialty-packaging manufacturer in wine, champagne, spirits and specialty drinks business. He raised $30 million-plus in equity and debt from private equity firm The Riverside Company and MassMutual/Babson Capital, respectively, to buy and build this middle-market business. Maverick’s corporate customers included such well-known brands as Robert Mondavi, Kendall Jackson, Starbucks, Fosters Estates and many others.

James holds an MBA from Harvard Business School (1997) and is actively engaged with his undergraduate alma matter, Bryant University as a member of the Board of Trustees. Previously, he was involved with his local community as a Little League baseball coach, league commissioner, All-Star head coach and board director for more than six years.