Tony Barnes

Tony Barnes is an experienced private equity professional with a distinguished career spanning over 35 years in the industry.1 As the Founder and Managing Partner of Lydden Partners LLC, he leads a consultancy firm that operates across multiple major cities including Seattle, New York, Boston, London, and Tokyo.2

Professional Background

Tony Barnes has built his expertise as an investor, strategic adviser, and team builder across three continents: Europe, Asia, and North America.1 His extensive experience in the private equity sector encompasses:

• Providing due diligence services
• Offering human resources consulting
• Delivering strategic advice to various entities including private equity funds, financial services organizations, multinational businesses, and non-profits

Education and Early Career

Barnes has a diverse educational background that has contributed to his global perspective:

• BA in political science, international affairs, Asia studies, and Mandarin Chinese from Columbia University
• Studies in economics, accounting, corporate finance, and securities analysis at New York University
• Additional studies in American diplomatic history, with a focus on US, China, and Japan relations from the 19th century forward, at the University of California, Berkeley

Before his career in finance, Barnes had some interesting early work experiences:

• Worked as a soda jerk at The New York Times
• Served as a Special Weapons Technician in the United States Army (Ordnance Corps)

Career Progression

Throughout his career, Tony Barnes has held several significant positions:

• Co-founder and Managing Partner at Quorum Associates LLC
• Partner and Director at Carré, Orban & Partners
• Co-founder and Managing Director at The Barnes Partnership London
• Vice President and Partner at Korn/Ferry International
• Managing Director of Banking Division at ICON Limited Merchant Bankers
• Vice President at JP Morgan

Expertise

Tony Barnes specializes in:

• Global private equity investing
• Strategic advice for early-stage and mature businesses
• Fund design
• International financing advice
• Effective reward mechanisms
• Partner search

His clients have included a wide range of entities in the financial sector, such as banks, fund sponsors, GPs, LPs, secondaries, placement agents, and gatekeepers.