Angeles Equity Partners Appoints Michael Knapp as Managing Director and Head of Business Development
Angeles Equity Partners, LLC, a Los Angeles-based private investment firm focused on niche manufacturing, critical industrial services, and specialty distribution businesses, has announced the appointment of Michael Knapp as Managing Director and Head of Business Development. In his new role, Knapp will lead the firm’s investment origination activities and work to expand its sourcing capabilities, relationships, and systems as Angeles continues to pursue its sector-focused, thesis-driven investment strategy.
The appointment comes as Angeles Equity Partners looks to increase its investment activity across the industrial sector and identify businesses with opportunities for operational improvement, strategic repositioning, and long-term growth. Knapp will play a central role in developing relationships with business owners, management teams, investment intermediaries, and other industry participants to identify potential investment opportunities.
Knapp will work closely with Angeles Equity Partners’ integrated team of investment professionals and operating executives. Together, they will leverage the firm’s expertise across multiple industrial subsectors to source new platform investments as well as strategic add-on acquisitions for companies already within the firm’s portfolio.
With approximately a decade of private equity experience, Knapp brings extensive knowledge of middle-market transactions and investment origination. His background includes sourcing and executing both control investments and add-on acquisitions, giving him experience across the complete investment process. His appointment is expected to strengthen Angeles’ relationship-driven approach to identifying businesses that align with its investment strategy.
“Michael brings significant sourcing and transaction experience to support our firm’s increasing investment activity,” said Tim Meyer and Jordan Katz, co-founders and managing partners of Angeles Equity Partners. They added that Knapp is expected to strengthen the firm’s relationship-oriented origination model and expand its ability to identify and partner with industrial businesses.
The firm believes that Knapp’s experience will be particularly valuable as it continues to pursue opportunities among specialized industrial companies. Angeles focuses on businesses operating in areas where operational expertise, strategic repositioning, and disciplined investment can help unlock additional value.
Before joining Angeles Equity Partners, Knapp served as Managing Director on the Investment Originations team at Levine Leichtman Capital Partners. During his tenure, he was responsible for identifying and executing platform and add-on investments across the business services and industrial sectors. His responsibilities also included developing relationships with investment intermediaries and business owners to uncover proprietary investment opportunities.
Knapp’s previous experience provided him with exposure to both relationship development and transaction execution. His work with middle-market companies required him to evaluate potential investment opportunities, establish connections with business leaders and intermediaries, and help advance transactions that fit his firm’s investment objectives.
Prior to his private equity career, Knapp began his professional journey in investment banking with Macquarie Capital’s Financial Institutions Group. His investment banking background provided a foundation in financial analysis, transaction execution, and corporate finance before he moved into private equity and investment origination.
Knapp holds an MBA, with honors, from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He also earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business, with honors and distinction, from Indiana University Bloomington’s Kelley School of Business.
Commenting on his appointment, Knapp said he believes Angeles Equity Partners has developed a differentiated approach to building high-quality industrial businesses. He expressed his enthusiasm about helping scale the firm’s origination activities and developing relationships that can support the company’s next stage of growth.
Knapp’s arrival reflects the growing importance of investment origination for private equity firms seeking attractive opportunities in competitive middle-market markets. Establishing direct relationships with business owners and management teams can provide investors with access to proprietary opportunities and allow them to develop a deeper understanding of companies before transactions are pursued.
For Angeles Equity Partners, the focus remains on identifying businesses where its operational capabilities and investment expertise can create meaningful value. Rather than taking a broad approach across numerous industries, the firm concentrates on niche manufacturing, critical industrial services, and specialty distribution companies. This specialization enables its investment and operating teams to develop sector-specific knowledge and apply targeted strategies to portfolio businesses.
Niche manufacturing represents an important area of focus for the firm. Specialized manufacturers can often possess strong customer relationships, differentiated products, technical capabilities, and established market positions. However, they may also have opportunities to improve operations, expand into new markets, strengthen supply chains, pursue acquisitions, or enhance commercial strategies.
Similarly, companies providing critical industrial services can offer attractive opportunities when they serve essential functions for customers and operate within specialized markets. Angeles’ approach is designed to combine financial investment with operational expertise to help these companies achieve their potential.
The firm also targets specialty distribution businesses, where opportunities may exist to improve organizational efficiency, expand product offerings, strengthen customer relationships, or pursue strategic acquisitions. By combining investment capital with operational capabilities, Angeles seeks to support sustainable growth across its portfolio.
Knapp’s responsibilities will therefore extend beyond simply identifying potential transactions. His role will involve developing a strong network of relationships that can help Angeles understand emerging opportunities within its target markets. Business owners, executives, intermediaries, and industry professionals can all play an important role in identifying companies that may benefit from Angeles’ investment and operational expertise.
The addition of an experienced origination executive also positions the firm to broaden its reach while maintaining its sector-focused investment discipline. As Angeles evaluates potential platform companies and add-on acquisitions, Knapp will collaborate with the firm’s investment and operating teams to determine which opportunities align with its strategy.
The appointment is particularly significant as private equity competition for high-quality middle-market businesses continues to make sourcing a critical component of investment success. Firms with established networks and specialized industry knowledge can be better positioned to identify opportunities and build relationships before formal sale processes begin.
Angeles Equity Partners’ investment philosophy centers on operational transformation and strategic repositioning. The firm partners with management teams and business owners with the objective of developing premium industrial assets and creating long-term value.
With Knapp leading business development and investment origination, Angeles expects to further strengthen this model. His combination of private equity sourcing experience, transaction expertise, and knowledge of industrial and business services markets is intended to help the firm identify additional investment opportunities while expanding its relationships across the middle market.
The appointment also underscores Angeles’ commitment to building an integrated investment platform that combines financial expertise with operating capabilities. By connecting sourcing, investment execution, and operational transformation, the firm aims to support businesses through their next stages of development.
As Managing Director and Head of Business Development, Knapp will now focus on expanding the firm’s pipeline of potential investments and strategic add-on opportunities. His efforts will support Angeles Equity Partners’ broader objective of partnering with businesses that have strong underlying capabilities and opportunities for further growth.
Angeles Equity Partners, LLC is headquartered in Los Angeles and specializes in investments in niche manufacturing, critical industrial services, and specialty distribution companies. The firm’s investment philosophy is built around operational transformation and strategic repositioning, with the goal of helping businesses realize their full potential. Through its sector expertise and integrated team of investors and operators, Angeles seeks to build and strengthen differentiated industrial businesses.
The appointment of Michael Knapp represents another step in the firm’s efforts to expand its investment origination capabilities and deepen its presence across the industrial landscape. With his experience in private equity sourcing, middle-market transactions, and relationship development, Knapp is expected to play an important role in identifying the next generation of platform companies and add-on acquisitions for Angeles Equity Partners.
