Tools & Diagnostics

Puneet Souda is a Senior Research Analyst at Leerink Partners covering Life Science Tools and Diagnostics. His research focuses on companies and technologies within the Life Science Tools subsector, the Diagnostics subsector, and selected areas of Pharmaceutical Services.

Prior to joining the Firm in 2014, Puneet was a Senior Associate at Citigroup covering Medical Devices. Before joining Wall Street, he spent over a decade in core and basic research labs at UCLA and Purdue University. In this work, he was a customer and collaborator of many Life Science Tools and Diagnostic companies. Puneet has direct experience in the acquisition, management, and utilization of many life sciences technologies for molecular analysis and diagnostics. He has co-authored over 45 peer-reviewed scientific papers and has built an extensive network of colleagues and collaborators among academic lab researchers and Life Science Tools suppliers.

He earned an M.B.A. from University of California-San Diego and undertook graduate study in biotechnology and earned a B.A. in Biology from Purdue University.

Barry Blake is the Global Co-Head of Investment Banking, and Global Co-Head of Healthcare Investment Banking at Leerink Partners. In this role, he co-leads the Firm’s healthcare investment banking strategy and initiatives, with a focus on Healthcare Services & Technology. With 25 years of experience, he has built extensive relationships and has proven expertise in healthcare services, medical devices and tools/diagnostics, leveraged finance, and with financial sponsors. Leading the Healthcare Services team at Leerink Partners, he has advised on numerous transactions, including the sale of LHC Group to Optum Health, a UnitedHealth Group Company, for $6B.

Barry joined the Firm in 2021 from Guggenheim Securities where he was a Senior Managing Director focused on advising healthcare services companies. While at Guggenheim he advised on many transactions including, but not limited to, the $10B sale of Envision to KKR; the $4B sale of Kindred Healthcare to a consortium comprised of TPG, Welsh Carson and Humana; the $2.4B sale of American Medical Response to KKR and the $1B sale of Almost Family to LHC Group. Prior to this, he was the Head of Global Healthcare Mergers and Acquisitions for Citigroup. While at Citigroup he worked on many transactions including, but not limited to, the $34B acquisition of Medco by Express Scripts. He also worked in the M&A and Healthcare groups at Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and Lehman Brothers. While at JP Morgan he advised on many transactions including, but not limited to, the $4.8B acquisition of NextRx from Wellpoint by Express Scripts.

Barry earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hendrix College, and his Masters of Business Administration with high distinction from the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for each of The Hopkins School in New Haven, CT and Hendrix College in Conway, AR.

Caroline Cameron is the Chief Operating Officer of Investment Banking at Leerink Partners.

Prior to joining the Firm in 2024, Caroline was the Chief Operating Officer at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods (KBW, A Stifel Company). Prior to her time at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, she worked in investment banking at Edgeview Partners (acquired by Piper Jaffrey), and as a research analyst at Fox-Pitt, Kelton and Macquarie Capital.

She earned a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Hamilton College where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

Christian Clark is a Director and Business Manager of Investment Banking at Leerink Partners. Mr. Clark is responsible for managing the group’s overall operations including strategic planning, financial and business reporting and analytics, people management and recruiting. He supports Healthcare Services & Technology and MD&D investment banking teams.

Mr. Clark joined the Firm in 2018 as the Business Manager for Equity Research. He was responsible for managing the Equity Research side of client strategy and for leading many key strategic initiatives in product, process and business development. He was promoted to Associate Director of Equity Research during his time in Equity Research.

Prior to Leerink Partners, Mr. Clark worked at Credit Suisse and held a variety of business and strategy positions within the Equities division. Prior to this role, he was a Fixed Income client consultant at Bloomberg LP.

Mr. Clark earned his B.S. in Finance (Summa Cum Laude) from Pennsylvania State University.

Jim Kelly is a Senior Managing Director, Director of Research at Leerink Partners. Mr. Kelly is responsible for product management, analyst development and equity strategy.

Prior to joining Leerink Partners in 2015, Mr. Kelly worked at Credit Suisse, where he served in research management as an Associate Director of Equity Research in New York and was responsible for leading key, strategic initiatives in research product and process development. Prior to his ADOR role at Credit Suisse, Mr. Kelly spent 13 years in Equity Research covering the US Pharmaceuticals industry for Lehman Brothers, Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse First Boston.

Mr. Kelly received his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and earned his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University.  Mr. Kelly also serves on the board of the Lehigh Business School Dean’s Advisory Council.

Julia Belladonna is a Managing Director, Associate Director of Research at Leerink Partners.

Julia joined the Firm in 2021 from Credit Suisse where she spent 20+ years in a variety of roles, most recently as the COO of Global Economics for their Institutional client & Private Wealth Management businesses. She brings over two decades of experience in financial markets, business and talent management, international regulatory requirements, and operations. She has excelled in managing complex groups, collaborating across business units, and developing strategies to deliver research to clients. Prior to Credit Suisse, she was an Industry Analyst at Merrill Lynch.

Julia earned a B.A. in Applied Mathematics and History from Williams College and an M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia Business School.