Global Team of International Experts

Patrick Gilchrist focuses on international business development and client services initiatives for Battea. He has over a decade of experience in financial services IT and systems in both sales and account management capacities. At NYFIX, Inc., a technology and transaction services company serving financial clients, including banks, brokerage firms, and institutional investors, he managed a team responsible for relationships within the brokerage community. Key achievements included developing and executing the buildout and rapid growth of a network infrastructure between financial counterparties and establishing key partnerships to create additional sales channels for the firm. Patrick began his career in sales and marketing, specializing in major accounts and project management. He holds a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta.

Sam Wankel is Senior Vice President Research for Battea Global Litigation Research, Inc. where he is responsible for identifying, analyzing and monitoring all new securities class actions. Mr. Wankel has over 25 years of experience providing research relating to business valuation and complex securities litigation including calculating damage estimates to preparation of settlement allocations to class members.  Prior to joining Battea, Mr. Wankel worked for some of the nation’s leading securities class action law firms as well as private economic consulting firms specializing in business valuation and complex shareholder disputes. From 1994 – 1995, Mr. Wankel researched and prepared statistical information presented to the United States Congress and the Senate Banking and Finance Committee regarding public offerings, stock trading, securities class actions and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Mr. Wankel holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University. Mr. Wankel is also a two time Ironman USA Triathlon finisher.

Jon Steward is Managing Director of Class Action Support Services Europe S.L. Based in London, he has over 25 years of business experience in management, sales, and business development in the financial technology sector. Most recently, he served as Managing Director, EMEA for Charles River Development, a privately held software company providing portfolio management, compliance, trading, and risk monitoring to buy-side firms.

Previously, he was Deputy CEO and Managing Director for GL Trade, a leading trading technology and software provider headquartered in Paris. In 2006, GL Trade acquired NYFIX Overseas, where he had served as President and Managing Director since 1993. Jon played a lead role in the transaction and headed the integration and new business development efforts for the merged business. During his tenure at NYFIX Overseas, he was instrumental in building the company’s international operations in Europe and Asia/Pacific. Prior to NYFIX, he held senior executive positions with a number of major public companies within the financial markets. He holds a degree in Business Management and Marketing from Middlesex University in London.

Kristian Engsig is Managing Director of Class Action Support Services, S.L., Battea's exclusive support agent in Europe and the Middle East. Based in Copenhagen, he has more than 25 years’ experience in international business. A life-long entrepreneur, Kristian has founded several companies in Scandinavia, mainly within the sectors of retail and wholesale consumer products. Under his control, most of those companies grew to become market leaders within their respective fields of business. As part of his partnership with Battea, he focuses on expanding our Scandinavian presence while based in Copenhagen.

Humberto Toro is Managing Director, Class Action Support Services Europe, S.L. Based in Madrid, he has over twenty years’ experience in international business in the sectors of energy, technology, real estate and finance. His experience varies from founding and managing startups to advising and participating in active investments in the US, Europe, Latin America and Asia. During his career, Humberto has advised and been involved in negotiations for deals for private individuals and government institutions in a variety of industries, including food and beverage, oil exploration, agriculture, and financial institutions, among others.

While living in Colombia during the 1990s, he partnered with and advised such Spanish companies as Empresarios Agrupados, Esmena, Duro Felguera, Cepsa and others in developing business in Latin American markets, including the awarding of seven exploration and incremental production deals from Ecopetrol, the Colombian state-owned oil company. In Panama, he advised the Panamanian government in its first privatization through the sale of the state-owned Citricos de Chiriqui to private investors. Most recently, in Asia, he has developed a technology project for Softbank in Japan and brokered a deal between the Shanghai Stock Exchange and a leading European telecom leader. He currently serves as advisor to New York M&A investment bank, Violy and Company. Some of his past and present involvements include serving as the CEO and Founder of Eurolink Network, Inc. and Eurolink Securities, US; Director of Century Pacific Limited, Hong Kong; and VP and Board member of Texas Oil and Gas, Ltd., Panama. He holds a B.S. in Economics from Northeastern University.