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ICON promotes Ben Kolada to Managing Director, Head of US Tech Investment Banking

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“I’m honored to step into the role of Managing Director at ICON and to deepen my impact both within the team and for our clients across the globe."

Ben Kolada

Ben Kolada Copy

27 Jun 2025

We are delighted to announce the promotion of Ben Kolada to Managing Director, US Tech Investment Banking, marking a significant step in expanding the firm’s leadership and cross-border capabilities from its US base.

Based in the Bay Area, Kolada will continue to lead ICON’s US Tech Investment Banking practice, with a specialist focus on advising AI and DataTech companies on international M&A and fundraising transactions.

A seasoned tech investment banker with over a decade of corporate finance experience, Kolada brings a rare depth of insight into the US and West Coast tech markets. Since joining ICON in 2020 as a Director, he has become a trusted adviser to growth-stage and scale-up technology companies across both sides of the Atlantic.

He is widely recognised as a sector expert in AI, DataTech, and enterprise software.

A sampling of Kolada’s recent transactions includes:

  • Octopai, a data observability and data lineage provider, on its acquisition by Cloudera
  • Zeenea, a data governance and metadata management software provider, on its acquisition by HCLSoftware
  • VaultSpeed, a data transformation scaleup, on its fundraising from Octopus Ventures
  • ForePaaS, an AI automation provider, on its strategic acquisition by OVHcloud
  • TimeXtender, a data management automation pioneer, on securing funding from Monterro

Commenting on his appointment, Ben Kolada said:
“I’m honored to step into the role of Managing Director at ICON and to deepen my impact both within the team and for our clients across the globe. We’re in a transformative era for AI and DataTech, and I’m proud to continue supporting the pioneers shaping this space as they pursue opportunities across international markets.”

Alan Bristow, CEO of ICON Corporate Finance, added:
“Ben’s deep sector expertise, global perspective, and consistent track record in high-impact tech transactions make him an invaluable member of our leadership team. His appointment reflects ICON’s ongoing commitment to delivering exceptional results for innovative technology businesses worldwide. We’re thrilled for Ben, our clients, and for ICON.”