Ej Antonio

E.J. Antonio III is a Co-Founding Partner of AFI Partners LLC, a New York–based private equity firm (formed circa 2006–2007) that makes control and non-control investments in small and middle-market companies going through change. He brings more than 30 years of experience operating, advising, and investing in US and European businesses undergoing transformation, and has served on the board of directors of 15 private and public companies.

Prior to founding AFI, Antonio served as Head of Private Equity at Garrison Investment Group and Co-Head of Private Equity at Perry Capital. Earlier in his finance career he worked in Deutsche Bank's Corporate Finance and Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Advisory Group. Before entering finance, he spent roughly 13 years at General Motors and Delphi Corp. in various senior operating management and business development roles across the US and Europe — an operating background that underpins AFI's hands-on, operationally-focused investing style.

Antonio graduated Cum Laude from Syracuse University with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, holds an M.S. in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is a member of the Dean's Leadership Council at Syracuse University's College of Engineering & Computer Science and a co-founder of the nonprofit Promise for Puerto Rico, Inc.

• Invests through AFI Partners in control and non-control positions in small-to-middle-market companies experiencing transformative change, rather than early-stage/seed startups.
• Targets situations "in which our deep operational, financial and legal experience provides a valuable resource to company management and employees" (AFI's stated approach).
• Specializes in special situations — transactions that "require speed and certainty," including opportunities arising from bankruptcies and corporate divestitures.
• Sector emphasis on manufacturing, basic industry, transportation, service, and distribution, with a track record spanning more than 20 industries and experience working with unions.
• Value-creation playbook centers on add-on acquisitions to platform investments to drive scale and returns.