About

About Charles Leisure

Charles Leisure of New York, NY, is a financial industry executive with decades of experience with global financial services firms where he led corporations through the equity capital raising process. Leisure is highly skilled at guiding public and private corporations who desire to sell a portion of their ownership shares or corporate equity to investors to secure funds for business expansion or acquisitions.  Born and raised in Irvine, CA, he graduated from Georgetown University in 2010 with honors in history and political economics. Charles has used his bicoastal familiarity to his advantage, gaining clients in New York and Los Angeles.

Leisure’s success can be attributed to his ability to maintain beneficial relationships with investors and financial industry professionals. He is known for his exceptional ability to track economic indicators and identify industry trends to manage investor benefits and risks within capital markets. Leisure accomplishes this by creating a capital-raising strategy for his clients, detailing the process, which can often take months or years, to raise the funds companies require to fuel their growth.

Leisure has successfully pivoted into several entrepreneurial ventures. He is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Gravity Strategic Partners, a business consultancy firm. He is responsible for daily operations and manages his client list, providing critical business strategies and wealth-building advice, including public relations communications and capital market investing. Furthermore, Leisure is currently the President and CEO of his family’s real estate business, Leisure Properties, and is a business and financial advisor to many startups.

EARLY LIFE and EDUCATION

Born and raised in Irvine, CA, Charles Leisure spent much of his youth along the shores of Newport Beach. He enjoyed many hours walking amongst the boat-filled harbor of Newport Beach, observing the pristine waters and looking out to get a glimpse of surfers battling the powerful beach breaks. Charles attended University High School in Irvine, a top-rated public school, in which he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He was a prominent high school athlete and excelled on the football field. A dedicated Boy Scouts of America member, Charles achieved Eagle Scout status, earning at least 21 merit badges and holding leadership roles within his troop.

After graduation, Leisure attended Georgetown University (2010), graduating with honors in history and political economics. This path of study likely gave him the keen insight needed to be a Wall Street executive. He would have researched major economic systems such as the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA ) and the European Union (EU) and how public policy and political situations impact a country’s economy. This panoramic view of global economic systems provided critical knowledge that Charles would later use in service to his clients in major international cities, including Hong Kong and New York.

FINANCIAL CONSULTING CAREER

Charles Leisure is currently using his considerable experience as Executive Director for the equity capital division of one of the most significant wealth management and investment banking firms to good use. He started an investment consulting firm, Gravity Strategic Partners, where he is the Managing Partner. The business serves public and private companies, large institutional investors, and family offices by delivering strategic advice across PR, capital markets, and business strategy. 

Leisure is an expert in financial risk management for business owners and professionals. He is skilled at helping SMBs and large corporations optimize their earnings, and his services also have positive secondary benefits, such as avoiding reputational damage and promoting smooth day-to-day operations. In his decades-long career, Leisure has closed on over 1,000 transactions, raising over $1 trillion in capital for his clients, including over 500 IPOs. 

He has had executive roles in both New York and Hong Kong offices on the Equity Capital Markets product. As an Executive Director, Leisure managed a large team in the Global Capital Markets Division and also worked on IPOs for some of the largest companies in the world, including Facebook, Alibaba, General Motors, LinkedIn, Moderna, Hubspot, and more.

Leisure worked at Morgan Stanley for more than a decade, enjoying success in various roles from 2010 to 2022. During his tenure, Leisure served as an Analyst (2010-2013), an Associate (2013-2016), a Vice President (2016-2018), and an Executive Director (2018-2022).

Charles Leisure is also an Advisory Board member for Tagup. This AI startup serves the military and large industries, and he is a Senior Advisor to a public company, Surf Air, a Los Angeles-based aviation marketplace with a strong focus on developing electric aircraft solutions. He is also the President and CEO of his family’s real estate business, Leisure Properties.

PERSONAL LIFE

Leisure has always believed in giving back to the community. He is involved in raising funds for a number of charities, such as Walk for Water. This organization raises money to create wells in Third World countries. He is also an investor in a number of successful restaurant ventures and finds enjoyment in backing entrepreneurs looking to start new businesses. He not only donates his financial support but his extensive knowledge of business finances and world economies.

An avid wine collector and wine enthusiast, Charles is very involved in the global wine community, often forging critical partnerships between producers, collectors, and restaurants.