PAUL L. (LEW) DAVIES III
Lew Davies founded The Cambria Group in 1996 and is its Managing Principal. He is an experienced private equity investor, having previously been a Principal in the leveraged buyout groups of both Brentwood Associates and The Fremont Group. Mr. Davies brings experience in all stages of the private equity process — identifying and sourcing opportunities, arranging financing for transactions, building management teams at both the functional and executive levels, assisting with portfolio company acquisition and divestiture programs, and exiting investments. He currently serves on seven corporate boards, as well as serving on the Board of Overseers of the Hoover Institution and the Advisory Council of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Formerly, he was a National Trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a Trustee of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Vice Chairman of the Board for Menlo School.
Previously, Mr. Davies worked for Bechtel Group, Inc., a leading international engineering-construction firm, in both operating and financial roles. Mr. Davies’ positions in project management, as well as field roles in procurement, construction and startup capacities, provided broad line management experience. In addition, Mr. Davies had leadership roles in Bechtel Enterprises, the company’s project financing and investment arm, having opened its office in Saudi Arabia, with responsibility for all Middle Eastern activity, and having worked in numerous capacities in its merchant banking activities. He also served on the team established to secure the release of company personnel trapped during Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.
Earlier, Mr. Davies worked in Chevron Corporation’s foreign operation staff and was the primary real estate analyst for the company’s U.S. and Canadian pension plans.
Mr. Davies holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, with distinction, from Stanford University. He also received an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.
RENÉ LAJOUS
René Lajous is a Principal with The Cambria Group, working in the firm’s Dallas office. He participates in all aspects of Cambria’s activities, focusing equally on originating and evaluating investment opportunities, negotiating and arranging financing for transactions, and providing oversight for the firm’s portfolio companies. He has experience both as a member of and observer to the boards of directors of several private companies.
Prior to joining Cambria, Mr. Lajous was a consultant at The Boston Consulting Group, a boutique management consulting firm, working in Dallas, Texas and Buenos Aires, Argentina. At BCG, he advised clients in the transportation, energy and telecommunications industries on a variety of issues ranging from strategy and operations to merger and acquisition activity and due diligence.
Earlier, Mr. Lajous focused on logistics and operations in the consumer packaged goods industries, working for Procter & Gamble in Canada and Mexico, as well as Pillsbury in Canada. He also draws on broad experience developed leading projects in inventory control and supply chain management for these companies.
Mr. Lajous earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto, earning the W.S. Wilson Medal for academic excellence. He subsequently received an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
NATALIE D. CRYER
Natalie Cryer is a Vice President working in the firm’s Dallas, Texas office. She works on all aspects of the firm’s activities, focusing on search funds and the firm’s work with independent sponsors.
Prior to joining Cambria, Ms. Davies worked for Accenture as a Senior Analyst involved with Business & Systems Integration. At Accenture, she managed the finances for a $24M software- as-a- service project, developed sales forecasts and managed a $50M sales pipeline for the firm, and advised clients on Big Data product growth opportunities. While getting her MBA, Ms. Davies also worked for Salt Creek Capital, a private equity firm focused on acquiring smaller operating businesses.
Earlier Ms. Davies worked for three years as a Research Assistant for former Secretary of State, Dr. Condoleezza Rice. She focused her research on the potential for further democratic development in countries in Africa for Dr. Rice’s book Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom and assisted Dr. Rice with her two other books, Extraordinary, Ordinary People and No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington.
Ms. Davies holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University as well as an MBA with a Certificate in Public Management and Social Innovation from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.