Tarik Galijasevic is head of Allstate Strategic Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of US-based insurance provider Allstate, which invests directly in startups that are strategically relevant for the parent organisation.
The unit looks to deliver both strategic and financial returns through minority investments, business partnerships and other strategic relationships. By accessing emerging markets, products, services and talent, it accelerates Allstate’s business strategies to create new business opportunities.
As managing director of Allstate Strategic Ventures after the retirement of senior vice-president Jeff McRae at the end of February, Galijasevic oversees all aspects of the venture investment process, identifying, closing and monitoring deals.
He and his team work internally with leaders of Allstate’s different business units to determine key focus areas and priorities for investments and business development and to liaise between Allstate and its portfolio companies.
The unit also collaborates externally with institutional venture capital firms, incubators, accelerators, academia, entrepreneurs and others to seek technologies and startups that can help Allstate grow and transform its business.
His prior responsibilities at Allstate included helping develop corporate strategy, leading M&A buy-side and sell-side processes, including a $1.4bn acquisition in 2016 of SquareTrade, a US-based extended warranty provider for the consumer electronics industry, structuring and negotiating partnerships and joint ventures.
In addition, Allstate acquired US-based employee identity protection service provider InfoAmor for $525m last year.
Galijasevic has 15 years of experience across business development, venture capital, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, investment banking, private placements, initial public offerings and secondary offerings, dividend recaps, asset-backed securities, high grade and high yield debt and portfolio management.
Having closed more than 40 deals in his career with a total transaction value of more than $27bn in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, Galijasevic has advised multinationals and small and medium-sized companies in different industries including automotive, shipping, aerospace and defence, industrial, consumer and healthcare, pharmaceutical and information technology.
Before joining Allstate, Galijasevic had been an investment banking and business development consultant for five years at private equity startup TG-F, where he helped build the company from scratch, executing deals for small and medium-sized companies in Europe and North America.
Galijasevic started his career at financial services firm JPMorgan Chase where he spent almost five years, holding different roles. He led and executed M&A deals, public and private equity and debt transactions and strategic advisory assignments.
Some of his notable deals included:
- Lead-left bookrunner on debt financing for private equity firm Carlyle and advised its purchase of US-based aircraft maintenance services provider Standard Aero for $1.45bn.
- Exclusive financial adviser to hospitality and travel services provider Carlson on the acquisition of a 25% stake in Sweden-based hotel network operator Rezidor for about $200m.
- Exclusive financial adviser and provider of a fairness opinion to building systems supplier Johnson Controls on its $3.2bn acquisition of refrigeration and heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment maker York International;
- Lead-left bookrunner on $2.2bn debt financing for Johnson Controls on its acquisition of York International.
- Lead-left financial adviser to private equity investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice on its $5.5bn acquisition of residential services provider ServiceMaster.
He holds a bachelor of science degree with a magna cum laude in civil engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and an MBA in finance, international business and entrepreneurship from IIT’s Stuart Graduate School of Business.
