BORGHEI’S EXIT, BACINO’S ENTRY – Following Bernard Borghei’s sudden departure, Palistar Capital announced that industry veteran David Bacino has been appointed to lead Symphony Towers. Bacino, who previously served as CEO of CTI Towers and has over three decades of experience in the telecom industry, will now oversee Symphony’s growing portfolio of 3,000 wireless assets across all 50 states.
Bernard Borghei, one of the wireless infrastructure industry’s more visible and well-regarded executives, announced last week that he has stepped down from his role as CEO of Symphony Towers Infrastructure, citing “irreconcilable differences” with the company’s financial sponsor. His resignation, which took effect Friday, ends a 15-month tenure marked by rapid consolidation and aggressive growth.
In a candid LinkedIn post, Borghei expressed pride in what the Symphony team had accomplished under his leadership, but made clear that philosophical and strategic disagreements ultimately drove his decision to leave. “It has been a successful 15 months at the helm of Symphony Tower Infra,” he wrote. “Due to ongoing irreconcilable differences with Symphony’s financial sponsor, I decided to leave the company and pursue other opportunities.”
Borghei had joined the newly rebranded company in April 2024, following his role as Chief Revenue Officer at Tower Engineering Professionals. He quickly became the face of Symphony’s ambitious expansion strategy, which included the high-profile January 2025 merger of Symphony Wireless and CTI Towers under the direction of Palistar Capital. The deal brought together over 3,000 tower assets across all 50 states, marking Symphony as a rising private challenger in a landscape dominated by public tower REITs.
In media interviews over the past year, Borghei positioned Symphony as an operator that could move quickly, consolidate middle-market portfolios, and compete through customer-centric flexibility rather than scale alone. That vision appeared to resonate with sellers and carriers alike, as the company snapped up assets and worked to integrate operations under a unified national brand.
But behind the scenes, tensions with investors apparently grew. While Borghei did not name Palistar Capital in his public statements, it is widely understood that they were the financial sponsor he referred to. The nature of the dispute has not been publicly detailed, though industry observers suggest it likely involved differing approaches to capital deployment and growth timelines.
Dozens of LinkedIn posts celebrated Borghei’s achievements at Symphony and his leadership style, such as one from Leticia Latino-van Splunteren, CEO of Neptuno USA, who wrote, “One of the things I’ve always admired the most about you, in the many years now that we’ve known each other Bernard Borghei, is the resolve, purposefulness and authentic warmth with which you lead. All characteristics that are sadly almost extinguished in our beloved wireless industry. It has been inspiring to see your leadership help Symphony Towers Infrastructure rise to a whole different level in just 15 months.”
Borghei’s quiet but steady support of industry philanthropy
While Bernard Borghei’s executive roles at major tower companies have earned him visibility in the wireless infrastructure space, his behind-the-scenes philanthropic work has been equally impactful—if less publicized.
During his time as Executive Vice President and co-founder of Vertical Bridge, Borghei played an integral role in supporting the Tower Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing financial assistance to families of injured or fallen tower workers. His involvement helped elevate the foundation’s profile within the industry and strengthen Vertical Bridge’s commitment to community support beyond just business operations.
That spirit of giving followed him to Symphony Towers Infrastructure, where, even amid the demands of leading a newly consolidated national platform, Borghei continued to advocate for charitable causes. Colleagues note that he actively encouraged corporate participation in fundraising efforts and personally contributed to initiatives supporting safety training, education, and workforce development.
Though Borghei recently stepped down from his CEO role at Symphony, his legacy extends beyond deal-making and mergers. In an industry that often focuses solely on assets and revenue, his continued philanthropic engagement reflects a broader view—one that values the people behind the infrastructure as much as the steel and spectrum.
As he looks ahead to the next chapter in his career, many in the industry hope Borghei will remain a visible advocate for the causes he’s long supported—especially those that serve the climbers, technicians, and families who make wireless connectivity.
David Bacino to take the helm
David Bacino
Palistar Capital announced today that David Bacino, Operating Partner at Palistar, will assume the leadership of Symphony Towers and oversee the pool of assets and its growth. Palistar also confirmed the completion of its previously announced integration of the assets of its portfolio company CTI Towers.
Omar Jaffrey, Founder and Managing Partner of Palistar and Founder and Chairman of Symphony Towers, said, “I’m confident that David Bacino – a trusted member of the Palistar leadership team and a proven expert in the tower industry – is the right person to lead the team at Symphony Towers and to manage these critical infrastructure assets.”
Bacino stated: “Symphony Towers has one of the most talented and hard-working teams in the industry, which we have built over the last six years. I’m excited to lead Symphony Towers as it continues to evolve as one of the fastest-growing businesses in U.S. wireless infrastructure.”
Bacino has over 33 years of operating experience in the telecommunications industry and has been a Palistar Operating Partner since 2019. Prior to serving as CEO of CTI Towers from 2021 to 2025, Bacino was the President of Melody Wireless Infrastructure from 2014 to 2021, when it was sold for $1.625 billion in one of the more successful exits in wireless digital infrastructure in the U.S.