SVNA

Failed

7 Acquisition Corp

Underwriter: Goldman Sachs
Raised
$200M
CIK
1850699
SPAC Ticker
SVNAU
Focus
Sustainability
External link: SEC Filings

SPAC Team

Leadership

Mr. Craig Cogut is Chairman of the Board of Directors . He founded Pegasus Capital Advisors in 1996 and serves as its Chairman and CEO. Pegasus is a private alternative asset management firm that places ESG principles at the core of its investment thesis. Under Mr. Cogut’s leadership, Pegasus has been committed to producing solutions for society’s greatest challenges, such as global climate change and resource scarcity, by providing strategic growth capital to companies focused on sustainability and human health and wellness. Pegasus was the first U.S. private equity fund manager to be accredited by the Green Climate Fund, and Mr. Cogut has been a leader in Pegasus’s partnership with GCF and others to launch the Sub-National Climate Fund, a blended finance climate initiative aimed at making investments into low-emission, climate resilient solutions in under-served markets. Mr. Cogut is a thought leader within the ESG investing industry, and a frequent keynote speaker at industry conferences and events. In 1990, Mr. Cogut co-founded and was one of the original partners at Apollo Advisors L.P., a position he held for six years prior to founding Pegasus. At Apollo, Mr. Cogut was the principal transaction architect of the investments in and management of Vail Resorts, as well as the acquisition of Executive Life Insurance Company’s bond portfolio. Mr. Cogut has been active in philanthropy for many years, with a focus on organizations committed to improving education, building civil society and championing environmental and health issues. Mr. Cogut is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of HealthE, Inc. and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of PanTheryx. He is an alumnus of Brown University and Harvard Law School. Mr. Cogut is a valuable member of our board due to his extensive experience with ESG initiatives and private equity.

Mr. Aren LeeKong is Chief Executive Officer and serves on the Board of Directors . He will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Sponsor. Mr. LeeKong was most recently the Executive Chairman of Organix Recycling, the largest pre-consumer food waste hauling company in the United States. Organix’s mission is to explore and establish innovative food waste recycling methods, and the company is responsible for diverting over 550,000 tons of food waste each year away from landfills to more sustainable uses. As Executive Chairman of Organix, Mr. LeeKong led the company’s financial, operational, and cultural transformation, increasing revenue and EBITDA to secure the company’s long-term success while simultaneously improving benefits and quality of life for employees. Mr. LeeKong is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Carlyle Secured Lending III, TCG BDC II and TCG BDC, Inc. (NASDAQ listed), externally managed specialty finance companies focused on providing flexible financing solutions to middle market companies. He is also a member of the external investment advisory committee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund, a public pension fund with an estimated $247.7 billion in assets as of December 31, 2020. The committee provides general investment advice on the Fund’s portfolio. Prior to joining Organix, Mr. LeeKong worked closely with companies to formulate and manage operational changes, refinancings, and business strategy development. As part of these engagements, he served in operational roles at TFO USA Ltd. Mr. LeeKong was formerly a Managing Director of Highbridge Principal Strategies (HPS) and a co-Portfolio Manager of HPS’s Strategic Capital Partners strategy, a special situations-focused strategy with the ability to invest in liquid and illiquid financing opportunities across the capital structure. Prior to joining HPS in 2011, Mr. LeeKong was a Director at KKR & Co. Inc, where he was a founding member of their Capital Markets team. Mr. LeeKong is keenly aware that an institution’s impact is felt far beyond the products it produces or services it provides. His career began with an internship at Smith Barney & Company, secured through Seizing Every Opportunity (SEO), an organization whose mission is to match young people from under-represented populations with educational and professional opportunities. Following his internship and subsequent graduation from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Mr. LeeKong joined Salomon Smith Barney (later Citigroup Global Markets) as an analyst, and on that platform of opportunity has built a long and successful career. Aren has previously served on the board of directors of SEO, the organization that helped him launch his career in finance. Mr. LeeKong is a valuable member of our board due to his extensive leadership and investment experience.

Mr. Joel Haney is Chief Financial Officer and serves on the Board of Directors . Mr. Haney is a Partner at Pegasus Capital Advisors, where he is focused on investments in environmental services, building solutions, energy efficiency and clean energy. He is also a member of the firm’s investment committee. Mr. Haney served as Pegasus’s lead board member at Organix Recycling, the largest pre-consumer food waste collector and recycler in the United States, throughout its successful business transformation and eventual sale. He has been a key contributor in numerous ESG investments at Pegasus exited to large strategic acquirors, including Pure Biofuels (acquired by Valero Energy), Six Senses (acquired by IHG) and Climatec (acquired by Bosch). Mr. Haney currently serves on the Board of Directors of HealthE, a market leader in Far-UV and UVC solutions that sanitize indoor spaces, and Global Value Lighting, an industry leader in private label LED lighting solutions. He is on the investment committee of the Sub-National Climate Fund, a blended finance climate initiative aimed at making investments into low-emission, climate resilient solutions in under-served markets. Mr. Haney is also a co-founder and former board member of Impala Energy, a power development company focused on small-to-medium sized green power projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to joining Pegasus, Mr. Haney was an investment banker at Moelis & Company, where he focused on mergers & acquisitions, corporate restructurings and financing transactions across the telecommunications, industrials and consumer retail sectors. Outside of the office, he is a member of the Advisory Board of the Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City. Mr. Haney graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University with dual majors in Economics and Political Science. Mr. Haney is a valuable member of our board due to his extensive experience with ESG initiatives and private equity.

Mr. Brian Friedman is the General Counsel . Mr. Friedman is the General Counsel and the Chief Compliance Officer of Pegasus Capital Advisors. Mr. Friedman is integrally involved in Pegasus’s ESG initiatives including its accreditation by the GCF and the Sub-National Climate Fund. He currently serves on the board of Lighting Science Group, Global Value Lighting, and Olympus Insurance. Mr. Friedman also serves on the board of the Mikey’s Way Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to enrich the lives of children with cancer and other life-threatening conditions. Prior to joining Pegasus, Mr. Friedman was an Associate in the Mergers and Acquisitions group at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, where he worked on a broad array of M&A transactions across multiple industries, with a focus on middle-market private equity transactions. Mr. Friedman graduated from Cornell University in 2006 with a degree in Chemistry and received his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2009.

Ms. Leslie Cornfeld, a nominee for our board of directors , currently is the CEO of the National Education Equity Lab, a nonprofit that she founded to drive opportunity at scale through innovation, collaboration and action. She has devoted her career to advancing equity and opportunity for our nation’s underserved communities — through their schools, justice systems and unconventional partners, and has a strong track record of designing and leading high-profile, cross-sector efforts to tackle pressing social and community challenges. Ms. Cornfeld was a senior Obama administration official, advising two U.S. Secretaries of Education and the White House for the President’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, and a two-term advisor for former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. A Washington Post editorial praised the effort she led in NYC schools to address truancy and chronic absenteeism as “an example of what’s possible,” and the U.S. Conference of Mayors called it a “model for other cities.” As a federal civil rights prosecutor, Ms. Cornfeld led high-profile public corruption, police abuse, and human trafficking cases and twice received the U.S. Attorney General’s Director’s Award for outstanding performance. Prior to that, she was appointed deputy chief counsel of the Mollen Commission where she helped develop and lead investigations of alleged police corruption, brutality, and system failures — resulting in NYC’s creation of a permanent police oversight commission. She was a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; and clerked for the Honorable Pierre N. Leval, SDNY (now U.S. 2nd Circuit). She has taught at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and started her career as an aide to former U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan in Washington DC. Ms. Cornfeld serves as trustee for numerous non-profit boards, including the Children’s Defense Fund for over a decade (former trustee), the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Alliance for Excellent Education, the Center for Law, Brain and Behavior, and the Hospital for Special Surgery. She founded a public speaking and advocacy program for East Harlem girls and has served for the past decade as an active coach and mentor to a large group of extraordinary young women who recently began college. Her articles and op-ed pieces have appeared in many publications, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, Newsweek, the NY Law Journal, and Huffington Post; she is a frequent speaker on education equity, civic engagement, and policing, and has been featured on numerous national news and media programs on these topics. A proud graduate of Broward County public schools, Ms. Cornfeld graduated from Harvard College, Phi Beta Kappa, and Harvard Law School. Ms. Cornfeld will be a valuable member of our board due to her extensive experience with ESG initiatives.

Ms. Sherrie Deans, a nominee for our board of directors , is the Executive Director for the NBPA Foundation, and was appointed Acting Chief Operating Officer of the NBPA. In her role at the NBPA Foundation, she leads the philanthropic efforts of the union and supports the individual efforts of the 450 NBA players that make up its membership. Under her leadership, the foundation has built a grant portfolio that stretches across the United States and 20 countries overseas. She launched a philanthropic certificate program specifically for NBA players at UCLA and serves on the Board of Governors at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Ms. Deans was appointed acting COO of the NBPA in 2020 to help navigate the union through the COVID-19 pandemic and coordinate its efforts to resume the season while addressing the social justice issues of the time. What resulted was one of the most dynamic and socially integrated seasons in the history of sports. From “Black Lives Matter” on the court and social justice messages on player jerseys to “Get out the vote” efforts that led to 51 voting spots during primetime televised games and a 96% voter registration rate among the players, the response was unprecedented. Ms. Deans began her career in the financial services sector, where she spent over a decade working at several of the world’s largest financial institutions. She held senior positions at AIG Consumer Finance, American Express and MBNA America. Ms. Deans is a strategic change agent whose strong communication and interpersonal skills have solidified her reputation as an expert organization builder and connector of productive relationships. She holds a B.A. in economics and political science from Columbia University. Ms. Deans will be a valuable member of our board due to her extensive experience with ESG initiatives and organization building.

Ms. Thelma B. Ferguson, a nominee for our board of directors , is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and serves as the Northeast Segment Head for MMBSI within CB. She is a member of both CB Senior Leaders and the MMBSI Executive Committee. Ms. Ferguson also sits on the CIB team comprised of senior leaders across the JPM commercial bank. In this capacity, she oversees and coordinates all women and minority-owned initiatives for CIB. Ms. Ferguson is also a senior member of the firm’s Black Executive Forum, Advancing Black Leaders Executive Committee and Women on the Move Executive Committee. She is a frequent guest panelist for both internal and external forums that discuss diversity and inclusion. In addition, Ms. Ferguson serves as Vice Chair of the New York Bankers Association and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, a national organization comprised of senior African-American executives in Fortune 500 companies. Ms. Ferguson’s career has spanned a wide range of positions within Commercial Banking, including the management of hedge funds, financial institutions, government and not-for-profit entities and commercial industrial companies. Prior to her current role, she began her banking career at SunTrust Banks (Truist) and subsequently served as a Senior Vice President in Large Corporate Banking at First Union National Bank in Nashville (Wells Fargo), as a Senior Vice President in Mid Corporate Banking at Bank One in Louisville and then as President of Chase’s Kentucky Tri State Region after the Bank One/JPMorgan Chase merger. Ms. Ferguson received her Master of Science in Planning degree and Bachelor of Arts in Botany and Biology degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. She currently holds Series 79, 63 and 24 Investment Banking licenses. Ms. Ferguson will be a valuable member of our board due to her extensive experience in the financial sector and active involvement in the community.

Mr. Neil Jacobs, a nominee for our board of directors , has been the Chief Executive Officer of Six Senses, a luxury hotel, resort and spa operator, since 2012. Under his leadership, the Six Senses brand has become synonymous with sustainability and has been globally recognized as a leader in ESG initiatives within the hospitality sector. Six Senses resorts maintain sustainability funds that support education, public infrastructure, and healthcare programs for local communities. They also strive to fund revitalization and protection of local wildlife habitats, while reducing the resorts’ reliance on plastic products. Six Senses hotels often source from local vendors and employ local architects, artisans and building practices. Organizationally, Mr. Jacobs has enabled Six Senses to develop into a growing, global service group of over 4,400 hosts located throughout the world, through his support of polices geared toward employee retention, education and development. Mr. Jacob’s leadership in ESG has catalyzed growth for Six Senses, as the Company’s resort footprint has grown 167% during his tenure as CEO. The Company was also named the Number 1 Hotel Brand in the World by the readers of Travel & Leisure for three consecutive years (2016-2019). Prior to joining Six Senses, Mr. Jacobs spent five years at Starwood Capital Group as President of Global Hotel Operations where he was responsible for the development of two innovative new brands, Baccarat Hotels and 1 Hotels, both debuting in 2014. Mr. Jacobs spent 14 years with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Asia, 5 of which as Senior Vice President Operations for Asia Pacific beginning in 2003. Mr. Jacobs attended Westminster Hotel School in London, studied French Civilization at La Sorbonne in Paris and Italian language and culture in Florence. He speaks 5 languages. Mr. Jacobs will be a valuable member of our board due to his extensive experience leading ESG initiatives.

Ms. Chandra J. Mitchell, a nominee for our board of directors , is the chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Pactiv Evergreen Inc., the leading manufacturer of fresh food and beverage packaging in North America. In this role she is responsible for all the company’s legal and compliance matters. Prior to Pactiv Evergreen, Chandra was the chief operating officer, general counsel and corporate secretary of Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley, Inc. where she was responsible for the company’s business operations and legal matters for the Yamaha’s flagship $100 million fund, which invests in start-up companies creating technologies to solve major social issues in the food and agriculture, mobility, and health and wellness sectors. She has also served as managing counsel at Toyota Motor North America, and vice president and corporate counsel of Leonardo DRS Technologies, a U.S. defense contractor. Prior to moving in-house, Chandra was an attorney at the law firm, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, where she focused on advising companies and private equity firms on a broad range of transactional matters, including, domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures. She earned her bachelor’s degree in economics and political science, with honors, from Williams College. She received her law degree from Columbia University. Ms. Mitchell will be a valuable member of our board due to her extensive experience with ESG investments and related initiatives.

Mr. Michael Posner, a nominee for our board of directors , is the Jerome Kohlberg Professor of Ethics and Finance at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He is the Director of the Center for Business and Human Rights at the School, the first-ever human rights center at a business school. Prior to joining NYU Stern, Posner served in the Obama Administration from 2009-2013 as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. In 2010 he chaired the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. From 1978 to 2009, he led Human Rights First, a New York-based human rights advocacy organization. Posner is recognized as a leader and expert in advancing a rights-based approach to national security, challenging the practice of torture, combating discrimination, and refugee protection. He is a frequent public commentator on these issues, and has testified dozens of times before the U.S. Congress. As Assistant Secretary, Posner traveled extensively, representing the U.S. Government to foreign officials and representatives of civil society in countries of strategic importance to the United States, including China, Russia, Egypt, Burma, Bahrain, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, among many others. Throughout his career, Posner has been a prominent voice in support of human rights protections in global business operations in the manufacturing supply chain, the extractives industry, and the information and communications technology sector. As a member of the White House Apparel Industry Partnership Task Force in the mid-’90s, he helped found the Fair Labor Association, an organization that brings together corporations, local leaders, universities, and NGOs to promote corporate accountability for working conditions in the apparel industry. He was a founding member of the Global Network Initiative, a multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at promoting free expression and privacy rights on the Internet, and has spoken widely on the issue of Internet freedom. Posner spearheaded the U.S. Government’s efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, which works to improve human rights around oil, gas, and mining operations. Posner played a key role in proposing and campaigning for the first U.S. law providing for political asylum, which became part of the Refugee Act of 1980, as well as the Torture Victim Protection Act, which was adopted in 1992. In 1998, he led the Human Rights First delegation to the Rome conference at which the statute of the International Criminal Court was adopted. Before joining Human Rights First, Posner was a lawyer with Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal in Chicago. He lectured at Yale Law School from 1981 to 1984, and again in 2009, when he taught with former Dean Harold Koh. He was a visiting lecturer at Columbia University Law School from 1984 to 2008. A member of the California Bar and the Illinois Bar, he received his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley Law School (Boalt Hall) in 1975, and a B.A. with distinction and honors in History from the University of Michigan in 1972. Posner resides with his family in New York City. Mr. Posner will be a valuable member of our board due to his extensive experience with ESG initiatives as well as his global, government background.