Francisco Partners' Megan Austin Karlen Named to The Wall Street Journal's Pro PE 2021 Women to Watch List

Megan Austin Karlen, Partner, Francisco Partners

Megan Austin Karlen is a partner at technology-focused firm Francisco Partners, where she leads the capital-markets functions. Since joining Francisco in 2016, she has helped to grow the firm’s capital-markets practice, was promoted to partner and recently joined its investment committee. She is Francisco’s first-ever head of capital markets, where she oversees the firm’s activities including new investments and capital-markets activities for portfolio companies. This includes structuring debt solutions, finding financing partners and negotiating term sheets and credit agreements. Dipanjan Deb, a co-founder and the chief executive at Francisco, said Ms. Karlen stepped into an “amorphous role with confidence and persistence.” He added that she is a “hugely valued member of the team” for her accomplishments in the capital-markets practice, as well as for her “contributions to the firm and our culture.” Before joining Francisco, Ms. Karlen was the vice president of business development at predictive marketing software provider Radius Intelligence Inc. and vice president of business development at payments infrastructure company CardSpring. Previous to these roles, she was a vice president at private-equity firm Castle Harlan Inc., with a focus on investments in the telecommunications, distribution and consumer industries.

About The Wall Street Journal's Pro PE Women to Watch Awards

Each year since 2015, Private Equity Analyst has honored a different group of women who have risen through the professional ranks of their respective firms, or even launched firms themselves. This year’s honorees have proven their deal-making chops across various industries, including technology, business services, consumer, media, entertainment and healthcare. Many have also stood out as leaders in mentoring and cultivating talent not only at their respective firms but across the industry itself.

Read the 2021 honoree list here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/15-women-shaping-private-equitys-present-and-future-11633697861.