BKM Capital Partners names Valdes chief financial officer and chief operating officer
Newport Beach, CA BKM Capital Partners (BKM), a vertically integrated real estate investment manager focused on small- and mid-bay light industrial properties, has said that Bill Galipeau will retire as chief operating officer and chief financial officer. Mike Valdes, who has spent the past eight years helping to build out BKM’s finance and operations platform, will succeed him following a planned transition period.
Galipeau joined BKM during a transformative period for the company and played a critical role in helping scale the organization into one of the nation’s leading owners and operators of multi-tenant light industrial real estate. Throughout his tenure, he provided strategic leadership across finance, operations, and corporate growth initiatives, helping guide the firm through several major milestones and periods of expansion.
“Bill has been an invaluable partner to our organization and a highly respected leader across the industry,” said Brian Malliet, BKM’s founder, CEO and chief investment officer. “His experience, leadership, and commitment to excellence have left a lasting mark on BKM, and we are deeply grateful for everything he has contributed to the firm.”
As part of a planned leadership transition, Galipeau will support a handoff to Valdes to help ensure continuity across the platform. Following the transition, Galipeau will remain a valued friend of the firm, and BKM looks forward to continuing its relationship with him in the years ahead.
Valdes brings extensive experience in real estate finance, operations, and organizational leadership and will work closely with BKM’s executive team to continue advancing the firm’s long-term strategic initiatives, operational platform, and nationwide growth strategy.
“Mike is a highly accomplished executive whose leadership, financial expertise, and operational perspective make him exceptionally well suited for this role,” said Malliet. “We are confident in his ability to help lead BKM forward as we continue to scale the platform and capitalize on future opportunities.”
Valdes previously served as senior managing director of finance and accounting at BKM, overseeing the firm’s accounting, tax, audit, and financial reporting functions and leading its financial planning and analysis work, including financial modeling, cash-flow forecasting, budgeting, and performance analytics. Before joining BKM, he spent nearly eight years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, advising alternative and traditional asset managers on fund operations, valuation, financial reporting, and internal controls. Valdes is a licensed CPA and earned a dual-degree MBA, with Honors, from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management.