Several prominent leaders and advisors in the consumer goods sector continue to shape the industry through extensive expertise in finance, law, investment banking, and regulatory affairs across the Los Angeles region and beyond.

Nick Antonian, managing director at CBIZ’s Los Angeles office, leverages 25 years with the firm to support California’s consumer products, retail, manufacturing, logistics, and aviation sectors. As a shareholder and co-leader of Consumer and Industrial Products for CBIZ’s West Region, Antonian advises closely held and private equity-backed companies on matters ranging from startup funding to mergers and acquisitions. He also oversees the office’s real estate practice, utilizing his California real estate license to manage clients’ retail and commercial property portfolios. Over the past two years, Antonian has guided clients through capital raising, cross-border growth strategies, and audit readiness initiatives. He also serves on the board of The Groundlings Theatre and School. His co-leadership of the CBIZ Consumer Products and Retail Symposium has significantly increased executive participation at the Los Angeles event.

At Venable LLP, Caitlin Blanche heads the Orange County office, which she established in 2024, and co-leads the Consumer Products industry practice. With nearly two decades of litigation experience, Blanche specializes in defending cosmetics, personal care, aesthetics, and medical device companies against claims related to false advertising, product liability, and Proposition 65. Notably, she recently secured the dismissal of a class action lawsuit in the Southern District of New York concerning a feminine hygiene product. Blanche is currently defending a global beauty brand in hair dye product liability cases in both Los Angeles and New York. She has also contributed to winning a full defense verdict for a major global aesthetic pharmaceutical company in a high-profile trial.

Shahriar “Shar” Attaie, founder and managing director of Full Send Partners in Los Angeles, brings 25 years of investment banking experience to middle-market firms. Since launching the firm in 2023 after senior roles at prominent investment banks, Attaie has advised on five transactions valued between $20 million and $100 million. Recent engagements include serving as exclusive financial adviser to Daring Foods on its acquisition by Australia-based v2food, in partnership with Ajinomoto Co., and advising on the sale of Wild Tribute, a lifestyle and apparel brand supporting national parks, to L2 Brands.

Sedina L. Banks, a partner in the Environmental Law Group at Greenberg Glusker LLP, offers 23 years of legal expertise to over 100 consumer-facing companies. Her practice covers a broad range of regulatory and litigation matters, including compliance with California’s Proposition 65, FDA and FTC labeling standards, and environmental marketing. Banks has guided clients through emerging state restrictions on PFAS chemicals in textiles and cosmetics, as well as pioneering extended producer responsibility regulations for packaging and textiles. She holds advisory roles with the Roberts Environmental Center and the State Bar of Nevada’s Environmental and Natural Resources Section. Since 2023, Banks has been recognized annually on the Southern California Super Lawyers list.

Wade Ackerman, partner and co-lead of the Digital Health Industry Group at Covington & Burling LLP, combines 20 years of legal and regulatory experience, including senior roles at the FDA and Capitol Hill. He has provided counsel to life sciences, technology, and consumer products companies and worked as an external adviser to Johnson & Johnson Consumer and later Kenvue. Ackerman played a key role in congressional negotiations leading to over-the-counter drug reforms under the CARES Act and has led efforts in modernizing FDA cosmetics regulation through the Personal Care Products Council.

Entrepreneur and investor Dulari Amin co-founded Sidelines VC to assist high-growth consumer brands with fundraising and strategy. With more than 20 years in brand development and scaling, Amin’s recent investments include celebrity-founded companies such as De Soi (Katy Perry), Giadzy (Giada De Laurentiis), and Stripes Beauty (Naomi Watts), alongside multiple consumer-focused ventures. She also serves as a judge for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program in Greater Los Angeles.

Ashleigh Barker, managing director at Stout’s Investment Banking group and a recognized leader in finance, advises founders, family businesses, and investors on M&A and capital raises within the beauty and personal care sectors. Drawing on over 15 years of experience, including leadership roles at Lincoln International and industry positions at The Estée Lauder Companies and Deutsche Bank, Barker is frequently sought by trade publications for insights on deal activity and market trends. She also plays an active role in mentoring women through Stout’s Women’s Alliance.

Together, these professionals exemplify the multi-disciplinary expertise driving innovation and growth in the consumer goods industry across legal, financial, regulatory, and strategic domains.