Our Team

Bharat is the CEO and Founder of Bravia Capital. He serves on the Investment Committee and has leadership responsibility for Bravia’s investment and portfolio management strategies. He is an experienced global investor in transportation and logistics, having built the world’s 3rd largest aircraft leasing business and the world’s 2nd largest container leasing business.

Prior to Bravia, Bharat served as the lead in a number of aviation companies advising on aircraft financing and freighter conversions. As President of C-S Aviation Services (“CS”), a Quantum fund investee company, he built the world’s first system integration business and developed Aviation Investments Group for Soros-Chatterjee companies. In 1995, Bharat led CS’s investment into Hainan Airlines. After leaving CS in 2000, Bharat continued to work with numerous airlines and OEMs to grow their fleets/routes and product lines. From 2008 onwards, Bharat through Bravia has led an outbound investments program focused on transportation finance and logistics.

For the entire period of Bharat’s career in transportation and logistics the primary focus has been in cargo aircraft, containers, inland freight and carriers, etc. Bharat holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honors), from Delhi University, India, an M.B.A. in Corporate Finance from Adelphi University, New York and an Advanced Professional Certificate in International Finance from New York University.

Prior to joining Bravia Capital in 2018, Ms. DeFronze was the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of The Archstone Partnerships, a multi-strategy, fund of hedge funds investment advisory firm. Before that, Ms. DeFronze worked at Alden Global Capital, LLC, a distressed and global opportunities hedge fund and was also previously a Partner and Managing Director of HedgeOp Compliance, LLC (nka, Cordium), a boutique firm that specializes in compliance, operational and due diligence support services for the alternative investments industry. Ms. DeFronze began her career as a Corporate Associate in the investment management department of Schulte, Roth & Zabel, LLP where she worked with institutional and entrepreneurial investment managers to facilitate the formation and operation of domestic and offshore hedge funds. Ms. DeFronze graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in Finance and received a J.D. from Hofstra University.

Prior to re-joining Bravia Capital in 2019, Mr. Bhise was the Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships at Scratch Music Group, a venture-backed, high growth music and technology company with almost 100,000 executed events. Before that, Mr. Bhise was the Aviation Services Manager at Bravia Capital in addition to being a Commercial Manager at Bravia’s investee aircraft leasing company, Hong Kong Aviation Capital. Mr. Bhise graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Classics and a minor in Mathematics and received his M.B.A. from Columbia University. He is conversationally fluent in Marathi and Hindi.

Ms. Lu joined Bravia Capital in 2018.  Prior to Bravia, Ms. Lu worked as a Corporate Associate from Reed Smith LLP New York, a global law firm, where she focused on a variety of corporate and securities matters, including M&A, joint-ventures, and venture financing. Ms. Lu also worked in Reed Smith’s Hong Kong office mainly on IPOs of Asian companies. Prior to Reed Smith, Angela spent 2 years with Baker McKenzie in Hong Kong where she specialized in cross-border M&As and foreign direct investments into China. While in law school, Angela trained with the U.K. firm of Allen & Overy in its Beijing and Paris offices. Before practicing law, Angela was a software engineer in the aviation industry. Angela earned her J.D. and Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from McGill University and LL.M. from University of Pennsylvania.  She is fluent in Chinese and French.

Ms. Dastoor has been with Bravia since 2014, assisting in all aspects of deal making and portfolio management in the Asia subcontinent and serving as Bravia representative on the boards of its investee companies.  Prior to joining Bravia, Ms. Dastoor worked with the Bennet Coleman Group in their private equity team where is was responsible for business development, analysis, structing and negotiations and portfolio management of several investment opportunities across multiple sectors.  She received her undergraduate degree from H.R. College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai and her M.B.A. in Finance and Strategy from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.

Mr. Tolat has been with Bravia since 2015 and currently works with the investment team in New York on new deal originations. Prior to Bravia, he worked with Brand Capital, (a Bennett Coleman Group company) in Mumbai where he was responsible for Deal Origination, Structuring and execution of private equity transactions. Mr. Tolat earned his M.B.A. from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai and is a qualified C.F.A. Charter holder. He is fluent in Hindi and Gujarati.

Mr. Onat joined Bravia Capital in 2017 and is currently responsible for sourcing and analyzing investment opportunities. He has spent the past two years working in Bravia’s New York office focusing on managing Bravia’s investments in the container leasing, aircraft leasing, distribution and logistics sectors. In addition, he has overseen the management of Bravia’s private aircraft portfolio. Mr. Onat has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Ozyegin University, Turkey and he pursued coursework at the European Business School (EBS) and the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business, in connection with his studies.

A former attorney and banker, Gian brings more than twenty-five years experience in the fields of philanthropy, law, fundraising and banking to his role as Adviser to Bravia Capital Partners NV, Inc.. He spent four years with The Rhode Island Foundation as a development officer and gift planning advisor before joining U.S. Trust Bank of America, where he served as Vice President for the Philanthropic Management Group. While at U.S. Trust, Gian counseled individuals, families and private foundations on their philanthropy and advised institutional clients around governance and nonprofit management issues. He also served as an expert for the bank’s clients on the subjects of philanthropy and planned giving, leadership and governance, and fiduciary and tax matters.  Prior to that, he practiced law as a litigator and estate planning attorney on the east coast and served as General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer to a family office in Houston, Texas.

In his career, Gian has advised more than 1,000 public charities, private foundations, individuals and families on all aspects of charitable giving and philanthropy and is one of fewer than 175 BoardSource © Certified Governance Trainers, globally.

During his tenure at Nevada Community Foundation (2008- present), the organization has experienced exponential growth during a period of extraordinary economic upheaval, growing from $14.9mm to more than $160mm, today. Equally, the Foundation has reached unprecedented influence as a thought leader and catalyst for change in the community. Gian advises nonprofit organizations on board governance, change management and fundraising.  He also counsels for profit corporations (as well as Southern Nevada’s leading families) on philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR)  and serves on the board of The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE Advisory Committee.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Georgetown University and completed his Juris Doctor from New England School of Law in 1990.  A Greenspun Distinguished Professor of Practice at UNLV’s School of Public Policy and Leadership, Gian taught courses in 21st Century Leadership and Public Policy. He is licensed to practice law (inactive status) in Rhode Island and Texas and is a sought after speaker on philanthropy, leadership and governance, fundraising and change management.