New CFO tasked with managing growth as public and private sectors seek solutions to vexing challenges
WASHINGTON, DC - RL Leaders announced today that Eric Islinger has joined their senior leadership team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The announcement comes on the heels of RL Leaders’ announcement that Darren West would lead Business Development efforts. Known for connecting the brightest, most creative minds from the entertainment industry with national security professionals seeking to apply innovative solutions to our nation’s most vexing security challenges, RL Leaders’ need for an in-house CFO is a result of the growing demand for their services in the private and non-profit sectors.
“The tectonic shifts underway in society are coming to a fore in ways that are straining all manner of organizations – from big business to startups and government,” said RL Leaders Chief Executive Officer John Rogers. “That has made the need for Deep Applied Creativity, change management, and innovation for impact are more vital than ever. Adding Eric to our leadership team is central to our expansion of offerings and ability to meet the growing needs of our clients.
Islinger joins RL Leaders from the Corporate Development and Investment world, bringing more than 15 years of Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, and Private Equity/Venture Capital experience to the team. Most recently, he was a Senior Director and head of the M&A program for the Americas with SAP’s Private Equity Group, focused on alignment and coordination across a variety of SAP’s investment vehicles.
He began his career in the United States Government’s Department of Defense and later worked with a variety of stakeholders in the public and private sector during the US economic crisis of 2007-2010 where his primary responsibility was negotiating the capital allocation of the Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) fund. After 5+ years in government and technology-related investment banking in the DC area market, he transitioned to the investment side in variety of roles across Private Equity and Venture Capital focused on technology transactions.
“RL Leaders’ unique platform offers some of the most innovative and transformative solutions available in the market,” remarked Islinger. “The focus and dedication of this team to providing groundbreaking alternatives to its’ clients most critical problems has us poised for an exceptional growth trajectory and I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to provide direction, guidance and support along that journey.”
A graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Islinger also holds an MBA from George Washington University's School of Business, sits on the board of Friends of Lombardi (the charitable arm of Georgetown’s Lombardi Cancer research center) and is actively involved in the technology and government contracting community in DC. He is a frequent speaker on Private Equity / Venture Capital and mergers and acquisitions best practices. Eric resides in Washington, DC, with his wife, Nicole, and 3 children.
In addition to the recent additions of West and Islinger to their senior leadership team, RL Leaders also recently elevated Erik Oksala to the position of President. During his more than a decade with RL Leaders Oksala previously led business development efforts and engaged directly with clients on a wide range of technical and sensitive projects.
RL Leaders has connected national security officials with entertainment technologies and creative artists for more than a decade. Leveraging the entertainment industry’s most creative and innovative minds has brought disruptive, energetic solutions, training, and operational enhancements to the national security community that transform the world into a safer place.
