MIAMI, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mako Capital Group (“Mako”), a Miami-based private equity firm, is pleased to announce that Vanessa Gabela has joined the firm as Partner and Head of Investor Relations. Mako is a thesis-driven firm that specializes in acquiring lower-middle market companies in financial, healthcare and other essential services. Vanessa will lead Mako’s capital formation efforts and oversee relationships with current and prospective investors. She will be actively engaged in supporting the continued growth and institutional development of the firm and serve on Mako’s Investment Committee. Vanessa joins Angel Morales, Pete Amaro and Oscar Munoz, co-Founders of Mako and seasoned executives with decades of institutional investing experience in private equity and hands-on operating experience in both Fortune 500 companies and emerging businesses.
Founded in 2025, Mako aims to partner with founder-owned businesses and experienced management teams across healthcare, financial services and other essential services sectors where the team has extensive operational and investment expertise. Vanessa will help build Mako into a leading private equity firm with her 25 years of finance experience primarily in private equity capital raising and relationship management across institutional and private investors in U.S. and international markets.
Most recently, she served as Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations at WM Partners, a private equity firm focused on the health and wellness industry where she helped build an institutional firm from inception – shaping strategy and growth plans, developing the infrastructure, assembling the team, and leading investor relations and fundraising – raising more than $1 billion across WM’s three institutional funds. Prior to WM Partners, Vanessa was Director of Investor Relations at Palladium Equity Partners, a middle-market private equity firm, where she also helped raise a fund with more than $1.1 billion in commitments. She began her career at Monument Group, an independent placement agent and advisory firm.
“We are thrilled to welcome Vanessa to Mako as a Partner of the firm. Her experience and know-how in investor relations specifically, but institutional investment firm building more broadly, is invaluable to us,” said Angel Morales, co-Founder of Mako. “Our goal is to build a world class firm, and we are now one critical step closer to getting there.”
“I thrive in entrepreneurial environments and enjoy building lasting institutions that center on long-term growth and impact. What stood out to me about Mako was the people behind it – Angel, Pete and Oscar are seasoned and experienced professionals that bring to the firm a rare combination of investment, operational and leadership expertise developed across decades working in emerging and Fortune 500 companies. We share the same values and vision, and I’m excited to join them as we continue to build a differentiated private equity platform,” said Vanessa Gabela.
“Bringing Vanessa on as a Partner is one of the most meaningful decisions we’ve made since founding Mako. Her track record speaks for itself—over $2 billion raised across multiple funds—but what truly drew us to her is how she builds relationships: with care, consistency, and a long-term mindset that mirrors how we think about investing and partnership,” said Pete Amaro, co-Founder of Mako. “We couldn’t be more excited to have her alongside us, and our LPs, current and future, will feel the difference from day one.”
Vanessa earned a B.A. in International Relations from Wellesley College and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management. She is committed to advancing women in the investment industry through collaboration, networking and mentoring. Vanessa serves on the Steering Committee of the Miami Chapter of Women’s Association of Venture and Equity (WAVE) and is a member of the of the Private Equity Women’s Investor Network (PEWIN).
About Mako Capital Group
Mako Capital Group is a private equity firm focused on partnering with founders and management teams of lower-middle market companies to build durable, market-leading businesses. Mako specializes in thesis-driven investments within healthcare services, financial services, and other essential services. Mako seeks to acquire capital-light, recession-resistant businesses in fragmented and growing markets and aims to create value and long-term growth through its operator-led value creation playbook. Mako is headquartered in Miami.
Media Contact: Paula Gomez, Pgomez@chemistryagency.com
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SOURCE Mako Capital Group
