Executive Officers

Ophir Sternberg, 53
Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer

He has over 30 years of experience acquiring, developing, repositioning and investing in all segments of the real estate industry, including office, industrial, retail, hospitality, ultra-luxury residential condominiums and land acquisitions. Mr. Sternberg is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Miami-based Lionheart Capital LLC (“Lionheart Capital”), founded in 2010, a Miami-based diversified investment firm focused on building shareholder value in high-growth companies. Mr. Sternberg began his career assembling, acquiring and developing properties in emerging neighborhoods in New York City, which established his reputation for identifying assets with unrealized potential and combining innovative partnerships with efficient financing structures to realize above average returns. Mr. Sternberg came to the United States in 1993 after completing three years of military service within an elite combat unit for the Israeli Defense Forces. Under Mr. Sternberg’s leadership, Lionheart Capital executed numerous prominent real estate transactions and repositions, including The Ritz-Carlton Residences in Miami Beach, which resulted in a total sell-out value in excess of $550 million, as well as the purchase of the development’s site, the former Miami Heart Institute. Additionally, Mr. Sternberg led the $120 million sale of The Seagull Hotel, making it the highest grossing hotel sale of 2020 in Miami Beach. Mr. Sternberg and Lionheart Capital are currently in development on a number of other projects, including retail properties in Miami’s fashion and culture epicenter, The Design District. In addition to The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami Beach, Lionheart Capital also developed The Ritz-Carlton Residences Singer Island, Palm Beach, cementing a reputation for developing high-end luxury branded properties. In 2017, Mr. Sternberg founded Out of the Box Ventures, LLC, a Lionheart Capital subsidiary, to acquire and reposition distressed retail properties throughout the United States. With properties in 10 states, Out of the Box Ventures currently controls over 5 million square feet of big box stores, shopping centers and enclosed regional mall properties, with plans to improve and expand upon these acquisitions. Mr. Sternberg and Lionheart Capital are dedicated to working with best-in-class operators and partners such as Marriott International. Lionheart Capital has been able to execute numerous, marquee transactions due largely in part to Mr. Sternberg’s extensive industry relationships particularly with key institutional investors. In March 2020, Mr. Sternberg became Chairman of Nasdaq-listed OPES Acquisition Corp. (OPES), a SPAC, which on June 30, 2020, announced a definitive agreement to merge with BurgerFi International LLC. The OPES-BurgerFi merger closed on December 16, 2020 to form BurgerFi International Inc. (“BurgerFi”), a fast-casual “better burger” concept that consists of approximately 108 restaurants nationally and internationally. Mr. Sternberg is the Executive Chairman of the post-combination Nasdaq-listed company, BurgerFi (Nasdaq: BFI). The OPES team, led by Mr. Sternberg, evaluated over 50 potential targets and negotiated business combination terms with multiple candidates in a span of a few months and acquired BurgerFi at what it believed was an attractive multiple relative to its peers. On October 11, 2021, BurgerFi, led by Mr. Sternberg as Executive Chairman, announced the acquisition of Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings (“Anthony’s”) for $156.6 million, creating a multi-brand platform of premium casual restaurant concepts. With this acquisition, BurgerFi has 168 systemwide restaurant locations across the country through its two premium casual dining brands, with 60 Anthony’s locations and 108 BurgerFi locations as of January 1, 2024. On August 21, 2020, Lionheart Acquisition Corporation II (Nasdaq: LCAP), raised $230 million in its initial public offering, led once again by Mr. Sternberg as Chairman, President and CEO. On May 23, 2022, LCAP closed its $32.6 billion business combination with MSP Recovery, a data-driven solutions provider, recovering improperly paid benefits on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payers. Mr. Sternberg remains as a director of the combined company. In January 2023, MSP Recovery announced a rebranding to LifeWallet (NASDAQ: LIFW); its underlying business model remains the same. On November 8, 2021, Lionheart III Corp (Nasdaq: LION) closed on its initial public offering at an upsized $125 million, led once again by Mr. Sternberg as Chairman, President and CEO. On July 26, 2022, Lionheart III Corp announced its business combination agreement with Security Matters Limited (“SMX”) (ASX:SMX), a publicly traded company on the Australian Securities Exchange, with an expected combined entity value of $360 million. Its technology gives materials in all states of matter, solid, liquid, and gas, the ability to maintain a virtual memory of their origination, processing and supply chain journey, including the ability to authenticate provenance. The transaction, which closed in March 2023, resulted in the simultaneous de-listing of SMX in Australia and its re-listing on the Nasdaq. Mr. Sternberg remains as a director of the combined company. In May 2021, Mr. Sternberg led Lionheart Capital through the acquisition of the American speed boat racing brand, Cigarette Racing Team, a builder of powerboats for performance boaters.

Paul Rapisarda, 70
Chief Financial Officer

He also serves as Chief Financial Officer at Lionheart Capital LLC and also served as Chief Financial Officer at Lionheart II and Lionheart III. Mr. Rapisarda is an experienced public company C-suite executive and investment banking professional with more than 30 years working in and for a variety of public and private companies. Prior to joining Lionheart Capital in June, 2019, he served as Chief Financial Officer at Etrion Corp. (TSX:ETX), a dual-listed (Canada/Sweden) solar energy development company. The company is part of The Lundin Group, a portfolio of 12 public companies in the energy and mining sectors with a combined market capitalization in excess of $20 billion, started or sponsored by the Lundin family. Mr. Rapisarda was responsible for managing all finance functions, including financial reporting, treasury & cash management, corporate finance, regulatory/SEC compliance matters and investor relations. He also had direct responsibility for managing the sale of a core portfolio of Italian solar assets (17 wholly-owned operating assets). Prior to this, he acted as Executive Vice President- Commercial Development for another dual-listed company (Canada/US), Atlantic Power Corporation (NYSE:AT). The company was operating in the independent power and infrastructure sectors and had over 2500 MW of power generating assets under management. He was a member of the executive team that engineered the $1.8 billion merger with Capital Power Income LP and had primary responsibility for the investment of over $1.2 billion in equity capital between 2008 and 2012. Mr. Rapisarda also chaired the Investment Committee. Prior to Atlantic Power, he worked for over 20 years in investment banking and private equity for several firms, including Compass Advisers LLP, Schroders, Merrill Lynch and BT Securities. He has also acted as a board member at several emerging growth companies, primarily in the energy, technology and infrastructure sectors.. Mr. Rapisarda has a B.A. from Amherst College and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.

Faquiry Diaz Cala, 49
Chief Operating Officer

He is the Chief Operating Officer for Lionheart Capital and its affiliated entities. In this role, he leads Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Strategy. From 2021 to 2023, Mr. Diaz Cala served as Chief Operating Officer at Lionheart III, and from 2021 to 2022, Mr. Diaz Cala served as Chief Operating Officer at Lionheart II. Since 2013, Mr. Diaz Cala has served as President and Director of The Ivy Companies Inc., a holding company for investment. Since 2022, Mr. Diaz Cala served as Director at PataFoods, Inc., a leading company specializing in plant-based baby food. From 2009 to 2019 Mr. Diaz Cala was an early investor and member of the executive committee of Yellowpepper Holding Corporation, a l fintech company, where he and Lionheart Capital were instrumental in its fundraising, operations and successful exit to Visa in 2020. From 2004 until its strategic sale to Van Drunen Farms, in 2019, Mr. Diaz Cala was also an investor and operator of Southam Freeze Dry SPA, a leading freeze dry and Consumer Package Company located in Santiago Chile with sales worldwide.  Mr. Diaz Cala began his professional career at First Union National Bank and then worked for Mr. Edmond Safra at Republic National Bank of New York in various senior executive positions until the sale of the bank to HSBC. Mr. Diaz Cala has held additional roles as an investor, executive, and board member at various other public and private companies in the US and internationally during the past 30 years. He has also served on the boards of several non-profit organizations and educational institutions, including The Wharton School, Florida International University, and others. He received his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Board of Directors

Thomas Hawkins, 62
Director

He will serve as one of the directors as of the commencement of the trading of our units on Nasdaq, previously served as a Management Consultant for MEDNAX, Inc. from February 2014 to December 2017, after serving as General Counsel and Board Secretary from April 2003 to August 2012. Prior to that, Mr. Hawkins worked for New River Capital Partners as a Partner from January 2000 to March 2003; AutoNation, Inc. as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development from May 1996 to December 1999; Viacom, Inc. as Executive Vice President from September 1994 to May 1996; and Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary from October 1989 to September 1994. Mr. Hawkins currently serves on the board of directors of the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan. Mr. Hawkins also served on the board of directors of Lionheart III until March 2023, and following its combination with SMX in March 2023, he continued on as a director of the combined company. Since May 2022, he has also served as a director and chairman of the audit committee of MSP Recovery, since rebranded to LifeWallet (NASDAQ: LIFW), a leader in data-driven solutions that recovers improperly paid benefits on behalf of Medicare, Medicaid and other commercial payers. Mr. Hawkins received his Juris Doctor from Northwestern University in 1986 and his A.B. in Political Science from the University of Michigan in 1983. Mr. Hawkins is qualified to serve as a director due to his experience as a senior executive and chief legal officer at several public companies (including his experience acquiring companies) and with counseling and serving on boards of directors.

Roger Meltzer, Esq., 73
Director 

Mr. Meltzer practiced law at DLA Piper LLP from 2007 and held various roles: Global Co-Chairman (2015 through 2020), and currently as Chairman Emeritus; Americas Co-Chairman (2013 through 2020); Member, Office of the Chair (2011 through 2020); Member, Global Board (2008 through 2020); Co-Chairman, U.S. Executive Committee (2013 through 2020); Member, U.S. Executive Committee (2007 through 2020); and Global Co-Chairman, Corporate Finance Practice (2007 through 2015). Prior to joining DLA Piper LLP, Mr. Meltzer practiced law at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP from 1977 to 2007 where he was a member of the Executive Committee from 1987 through 2007, Co-Administrative Partner and Hiring Partner from 1987 through 1999, and Partner from 1984 through 2007. Mr. Meltzer currently serves on the Advisory Board of Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession (May 2015 — Present); and the Board of Trustees, New York University Law School (September 2011 — Present); and previously served on the Corporate Advisory Board, John Hopkins, Carey Business School (January 2009 — December 2012). He has previously served on the board of directors of: Lionheart II Corp (March 2021 to May 2022), Lionheart III Corp (March 2021 to August 2022), Haymaker Acquisition Corp. III (February 2021 to July 2022), certain subsidiaries of Nordic Aviation Capital (December 2021 to April 2022), The Legal Aid Society (November 2013 to January 2020), Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (December 2000 to February 2020), American Lawyer Media (January 2010 to July 2014) and The Coinmach Service Corporation (December 2009 to June 2013). Mr. Meltzer has also received several awards and honors and has been actively involved in philanthropic activity throughout his career. Mr. Meltzer received Juris Doctor degree in law from New York University School of Law and an A.B. from Harvard College. In February 2021, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Haymaker Acquisition Corp. 4, a special purpose acquisition company focused on identifying and implementing value creation initiatives within the consumer and consumer-related products and services industries. In February 2021, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Ubicquia LLC, a smart solutions infrastructure company. In May 2022, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of MSP Recovery, Inc. following its business combination with Lionheart Acquisition Corp. II. In June 2022, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Aearo Holding LLC and affiliated entities. In August 2022, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Empatan Public Limited Company (“SMX”) following its business combination with Lionheart III Corp, Security Matters Limited and Aryeh Merger Sub Inc. In January 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of AID Holdings II (“Enlivant”), a senior living facility provider and portfolio company of TPG Capital L.P. In February 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Klein Hersh, an executive recruitment firm that spans the life sciences continuum and healthcare industry. In April 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Cyxtera Technologies, Inc., a company specializing in colocation and interconnection services, with a footprint of more than 60 data centers in over 30 markets. In May 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of John C. Heath, Attorney at Law PC d/b/a/ Lexington Law, an industry leader specializing in credit repair services. In August 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Elixir, a subsidiary of Rite Aid, a leading pharmacy chain offering products for health and wellness. In November 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of SK Neptune Husky Intermediate I S.a.r.l. and related affiliates (“Heubach Group”), a leading producer of organic, inorganic and anti-corrosive pigments. In November 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Careismatic Brands Inc., an innovative supplier of medical apparel and footwear. In November 2023, Mr. Meltzer joined the board of directors of Audacy Inc., a leading multi-platform audit content and entertainment company. Mr. Meltzer was named as a defendant in three consolidated derivative lawsuits in connection with his service as a director of Hain Celestial Group. The consolidated action is pending before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case No. 17-cv-02351, where the plaintiffs allege, among other things, breach of fiduciary duty and violations of Sections 14(a) and 29(b) of the Exchange Act based on allegedly materially false or misleading statements and omissions in public statements, press releases and SEC filings. The derivative action is stayed pending an appeal in a related consolidated securities class action case to which Mr. Meltzer is not party, and thus remains pending. He received a Juris Doctor degree in law from New York University School of Law and an A.B. from Harvard College.

Antony Sheriff, 60
Director 

Mr. Sheriff previously served as Chairman and CEO at Princess Yachts Ltd in Plymouth, England, a producer of luxury yachts, from January 2016 until December 2023. Prior to that, Mr Sheriff started McLaren Automotive in Woking, England, the road car sister company to McLaren Racing (which operates the Formula One team) and served as CEO from January 2003 until July 2013. Prior to that, Mr. Sheriff worked at Fiat Auto in Turin, Italy from March 1995-December 2002 where he covered several roles, most notably as Director of Product Development for all products and brands. Mr Sheriff’s career began as a consultant for McKinsey & Company in New York where he served numerous automotive and other clients from October 1988 until January 1994. In addition to these executive roles, Mr. Sheriff has served as a Board Director or Advisor for a number of private and public companies in the US and Europe. He currently serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bugatti-Rimac in Croatia since 2021 and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Rimac Group since 2023 (he was previously a board advisor there since 2016), Independent Director at Pininfarina S.p.A. (PINF.MI) where he serves as Chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration committee), and Board Advisor to Automobili Pininfarina since 2016. Previously, Mr Sheriff has served as Senior Independent Director at Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (AML.L) where he was a member of the Nomination, Remuneration, Audit and Risk, Sustainability and Product Strategy committees from 2021-2023 and at Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: RIVN) from 2016 until its IPO in 2021. Mr. Sheriff received his M.S. in Management from M.I.T Sloan School of Management, and his B.S. in Engineering and B.S. in Economics from Swarthmore College.

Gila Cohen, 54
Director 

She is involved in all functions of the firm, including developing, implementing, and overseeing the equity and credit investing platforms. Prior to joining the Vanbarton Group in March 2024, Ms. Cohen was Managing Director and Head of Global Institutional Partnerships at Monroe Capital from May 2022 to March 2024. In addition, Ms. Cohen was the Chief Investment Strategy Officer of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (USA) (“MUFG”) from January 2019 to May 2022 and was responsible for advising, directing, and governing the strategic alternatives investment portfolio, as well as playing a strategic role in the Firm’s ESG and DEI initiatives. Over the course of her career, she has been involved in building multiple businesses and executed a broad range of transactions throughout real estate, private credit, and private equity. Ms. Cohen has held senior investment banking and trusted advisor roles at J.P. Morgan, UBS Investment Bank, and Credit Suisse First Boston. She earned her B.A. in Art History with a concentration in Mathematics from Columbia University.