Our Team
Meet the Operand Group Partners
Co-Founder & Partner
Michael Miles
Michael Miles is a veteran of search fund investments since 2009. He has served as a board member and trusted advisor for many search fund-backed enterprises, including successful outcomes with Explora Biolabs, Innflux, Workplace Answers and Caravel Autism. In 2016, Michael co-founded The Operand Group to exclusively invest in Search Fund businesses.
Michael also has 35+ years of experience building, growing and operating recruiting businesses. In 1988, Michael founded SeatonCorp, a leading provider of recruiting, vendor-on-premise staffing and end-to-end supplier management solutions for strategic users of contingent labor. In 2014, Michael and his investor group sold SeatonCorp to True Blue (NYSE: TBI). Under Michael's leadership, SeatonCorp grew from a staff of two to one Crain's "Largest Privately Held Companies" in Chicago, with more than 2,500 employees. SeatonCorp achieved consistent, organic growth resulting in a 20%+ compounded annual growth rate over a 25-year period, earning more than $700 million in revenue during 2014. Michael has been recognized with several award including: the Staffing Industry Analysts' Peter Yessne Workforce Innovator Award, a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year program, and is listed on The Staffing 100 (the 100 most influential people in staffing industry).
From 2020-2022, Michael was CEO of EmployBridge, the largest light industrial staffing company in the United States. Michael successfully steered the Company through the pandemic and created meaningful value for shareholders in a sale to Apollo in 2021.
In 2012, Michael founded INCubatorEdu (non-profit), a national program teaching high school students how to start a business.
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Carlos Saez
Carlos is Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Operand Group. He is responsible for overall management and administration of the Firm's investing activities in Search Funds. Carlos has supported entrepreneurs through extensive Board participation, with notable involvement in high achieving companies such as eCard Systems, Hose Monster and Hometurf Lawn Services.
Prior to co-founding Operand in 2016, Carlos had 16 years of proprietary investment and operations experience in the equity derivatives industry. Carlos was Chief Investment Officer for Spot Trading in Chicago from 2009-2015 managing all Trading, Equity Research, Financial Engineering and front-office software development activities. Prior to this experience, Carlos executed various trading roles successfully, and in doing so gained valuable process, technology and management skills that he is eager to share with young entrepreneurs.
Carlos received his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from The Georgia Institute of Technology and his MBA and from the University of Chicago Booth.
Carlos is a contributing member of the Booth Polsky ETA Advisory Committee and is also a Founding Board Member of INCubatorEdu, a national program teaching high school students how to start a business.
Partner
Matthew Hooper
Matthew Hooper is a Partner at The Operand Group. A former search fund operator, Matt's most recent experience was CEO of Hometurf Lawn Care, a residential lawn care services company with offices across Canada. Matt acquired Hometurf from its original founders in 2020 following a two-year period operating Hemlock Capital partners, a traditional search fund he founded in 2018. During his four years as CEO, Hometurf realized strong top-line growth and margin expansion, which led to a successful sale to a US-based private equity fund in 2023. The investment in Hometurf delivered exceptional outcomes to Hemlock LPs.
Prior to founding Hemlock Capital Partners, Matt was the Vice President of Operations for a management consulting firm that specialized in operations consulting. Matt holds an MBA from Queen's University's Smith School of Business, graduating with distinction for academic excellence and a BSC from the University of Victoria. He lives with his wife and two sons in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
