Justin Bakes

Co-founder & Executive Chairman

Justin Bakes is the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Forward Financing. Prior to founding Forward Financing in 2012 and leading the company as CEO for 12 years, Justin served as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions for Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO), the largest independent distributor of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration equipment in the US. From 2008 to 2011, Justin led acquisitions that were instrumental in Watsco doubling its revenue. Before Watsco, Justin was an investment banker with UBS Investment Bank where he advised US and European financial institutions, private equity firms, and multinational corporations on mergers, acquisitions and financings in Europe and Latin America.

Originally from South Florida, Justin graduated from Boston College in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.  He is an active member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts.