Michael Watzky
Managing Partner and Co-Founder
Co-Founder
Mr. Watzky is a Managing Partner and Co-Founder of BP Energy Partners (BPEP) and its affiliates. He is based in New Jersey. Mr. Watzky has more than 30 years of global private equity experience across multiple industries and geographies. As a Managing Partner of BPEP, he is responsible for co-managing the investment activities of BPEP and its affiliates.
From 2002 to 2012, Mr. Watzky was a Partner at MatlinPatterson, a private equity firm based in New York City, specializing in distressed-for-control investments. During his tenure with MatlinPatterson, Mr. Watzky focused on energy, power generation, natural gas, industrials, and transportation.
From 1997 to 2002, Mr. Watzky was based in Hong Kong and served as a Director at Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) Special Situations team, a predecessor to MatlinPatterson. At CSFB, Mr. Watzky focused on distressed investments in Southeast Asia, including energy, industrials, and telecom.
From 1993 to 1997, Mr. Watzky was based in Mexico City, where he was a founding partner of the Serfimex Group, a merchant bank focused on private investments and M&A advisory services. In 1993, Serfimex acquired Minera Autlán (Mining and Alloys) from the Mexican Government, and Mr. Watzky joined its management team. Mr. Watzky co-managed an emerging markets debt fund at Lenox Capital from 1991 to 1992.
From 1988 to 1990, Mr. Watzky served as the Chief Financial Officer of Finamex International, the U.S. affiliate of Valores Finamex, where he worked closely with the Chief Executive Officer on Mexican public and private debt restructurings. He began his career in 1984 at Peat Marwick, now known as KPMG, in New York City.
Mr. Watzky has more than 25 years of global public and private board experience across a wide range of industries and geographies. He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Mesa Natural Gas Solutions LLC, a leader in sustainable distributed power and microgrid technologies. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of several BPEP portfolio companies.
Mr. Watzky is fluent in Spanish, and in 1984 he graduated with a BS in Accounting from the State University of New York in Albany, New York.