Medalist Partners is an alternative investment manager with approximately $1 billion in AUM across strategies in structured credit and asset finance. The platform includes liquid alternatives, hedge funds and private debt vehicles. Based in New York, the 17 person team is led by partners Greg Richter, Brian Herr and Michael Ardisson. Medalist’s clients include pensions, endowments, foundations, banks, fund of funds, family offices and HNW individuals. The business and track record were started within Credit Suisse and Candlewood Investment Group prior to being spun-out as an independent, partner-owned firm in 2018. The Medalist team has extensive experience in specialty finance, structured products, investment banking, securitization, and credit underwriting. For more information, visit www.medalistpartners.com.
Hildene Capital Management
Hildene Capital Management (“Hildene”) is an SEC-registered, employee-owned and multiple award-winning asset management firm. The firm is based in Stamford, CT and manages approximately $9.3 billion in niche structured finance investments. Brett Jefferson, President and CIO, founded Hildene in 2008 to capitalize on opportunities in structured credit following a number of successful years at Marathon and has been involved in structured credit since the mid-1990s.
Hildene’s investment process is founded on a disciplined, systematic approach to structured credit investments. Hildene’s focus is on identifying inefficiencies within the underlying assets or the structure itself, evaluating the embedded option values of structured securities, and capitalizing on its findings. Hildene seeks to “buy inefficiency” in making calculated investments where returns will be realized from acquiring deep fundamental value in inefficient markets.
Hildene’s senior investment team has a long and established track record of investing across a number of credit and distressed cycles, leveraging their experience and expertise in managing complex assets. Our investment philosophy is underpinned by 3 guiding principles: (i) focus on niche parts of the structured finance market which exhibit inefficiencies, (ii) appropriately manage the scale of opportunities, and (iii) align its interests with investors through its fees: we are not only sizeable investors in our funds, but we further defer a substantial portion of our incentive fee until redemption.
Grayscale
Digital currencies are poised to radically transform our financial system, but it won’t happen overnight. At Grayscale Investments, we believe investors deserve an established, trusted, and accountable partner that can help them navigate the gray areas of digital currency investing. That’s why we are building transparent, familiar investment products that facilitate access to this emerging asset class, and provide the springboard to invest in the new digital currency-powered “internet of money.”
GoldenTree
GoldenTree is an employee owned asset management firm that specializes in opportunities across the credit universe in sectors such as high yield bonds, leveraged loans, distressed debt, structured products, credit-themed equities and emerging markets. GoldenTree is one of the largest independent asset managers focused on credit with approximately $28 billion in assets under management. The firm has been managing assets on behalf of our investors for over 18 years and has managed an asset base of more than $5 billion since 2003. GoldenTree was founded by Steven Tananbaum in March 2000.
GoldenTree’s investments are designed with the intent to preserve and grow our investors’ capital utilizing a fundamental value-based approach. This approach is executed by one of the more experienced teams of investment professionals in the market place. The firm’s partnership structure is designed to ensure that we are disciplined in managing our capital base and focused on delivering differentiated top tier performance relative to our peer group. The firm has over 240 employees, 27 of whom are partners, with offices in New York, London, Singapore and Sydney.
Fidelity Digital Assets
Fidelity Digital Assets, a Fidelity Investments Company, offers a full-service enterprise-grade platform for securing, trading and supporting digital assets, such as bitcoin and ether. Fidelity Digital Assets combines the operational and technical expertise of the broader Fidelity organization with the unique capabilities of dedicated Blockchain expertise to deliver a completely new offering for institutional investors. Fidelity Investments is one of the world’s largest and most diversified financial services providers with more than $7.1 trillion in client assets under administration. Learn more at http://fidelitydigitalassets.com.
ETF Managers Group
ETFMG (ETF Managers Group) was founded by Sam Masucci in 2014 with a vision of developing innovative thematic Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) that provide investors unique exposure to new markets. Today, ETFMG has over $3.8 billion assets under management and 12 funds in market that provide access to a diverse collection of global themes. To date, 75% of our ETFs are first to market products that include unique exposure to industries such as cannabis, cybersecurity and mobile payments. We turn portfolio management strategies into successful ETFs by partnering with market segment experts bringing long-term growth opportunities to investors. ETFMG is impacting the ETF Industry with products that innovate: www.etfmg.com
EJF Capital
EJF Capital LLC (“EJF”) is an SEC-registered¹, employee-owned alternative asset management firm headquartered outside of Washington, DC. EJF manages approximately $7.7 billion² of hedge, separately managed accounts, and private equity assets, as well as $2.7 billion of CDO assets through its affiliates. EJF was founded in 2005 by Manny Friedman and Neal Wilson along with a small team of professionals from Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group, Inc. (“FBR”). EJF currently employs approximately 85 professionals across three offices globally (Arlington, VA, London, England and Shanghai, China).
Prior to launching EJF, Mr. Friedman was the co-founder and Co-CEO of FBR for more than fifteen years. Mr. Friedman possesses more than 40 years of experience in the U.S. securities industry with a particular expertise in banks and financials. Mr. Wilson previously managed both the Alternative Asset Investments and the Private Wealth Management groups at FBR, and served as a Branch Chief with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC.
¹Registering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not imply any level of skill or training.
²Firm AUM includes $291.4 million of uncalled capital
Context Capital Management
Context Capital Management is focused on finding opportunities where equity and credit markets have divergent views of a single company. We strive to exploit these inefficiencies through hedged positions in the capital structure. A typical position consists of a long position in a company’s convertible or high yield bonds and a short position in the common stock. Context focuses on generating uncorrelated absolute returns with an emphasis on capital preservation. Context manages money for U.S. onshore and offshore investors through the Context Partners Master Fund, LP and a number of separate accounts. Context was founded in 2001 and the investment team has an average of more than 25 years investing in convertible and corporate bonds. Firm assets are currently more than $200 million, and include family offices, qualified high net worth investors, corporate pensions, and institutional clients. Context is registered with the U.S. Securities Exchange commission as an investment advisor.
CohnReznick
CohnReznick LLP is one of the top accounting, tax, and advisory firms in the United States, combining the deep resources of a national firm with the hands-on, agile approach that today's dynamic business environment demands. Serving a broad group of financial sponsors and financial services firms, CohnReznick offers comprehensive compliance, financial, and strategic services designed to accelerate growth, create value and manage risk. With diverse industry expertise, the Firm provides companies with the insight and experience to help them break through and seize growth opportunities. The Firm, with origins dating back to 1919, is headquartered in New York, NY with 2,700 employees in offices nationwide. CohnReznick is a member of Nexia International, a global network of independent accountancy, tax, and business advisors. For more information, visit www.cohnreznick.com.
CIBC
CIBC (CM: NYSE, TSX) is a leading Canadian-based global financial institution with a market capitalization of 50 billion, a Basel III Common Equity Tier 1 capital ratio of 11.4%, and is rated A+ by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Aa2 by Moody’s Investor Service and AA- by Fitch Ratings. Through our major business units – Canadian Personal & Small Business Banking, Canadian Commercial Banking & Wealth Management, U.S. Commercial Banking & Wealth Management and Capital Markets – our more than 45,000 employees provide a full range of financial products and services to 11 million individual, small business, commercial, corporate and institutional clients in Canada, the U.S. and around the world.
CIBC Capital Markets has been recognized as the Top Prime Broker in Canada by Alternative IQ for three consecutive years, and our newly-established multi-asset class prime brokerage platform in the U.S. delivers customized solutions across execution, financing, clearing and custody products in order to meet the growing needs of clients in the alternatives market globally.
BTIG
BTIG is a global financial services firm with 600 employees located in 18 cities throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia. In addition to prime brokerage, outsource trading and capital introduction, the firm’s capabilities include global execution, portfolio trading, electronic trading, transition management, investment banking, corporate access, research and strategy, commission management and more. BTIG also offers execution, expertise and insights for equities, equity derivatives, ETFs and fixed income, currency and commodities (futures, commodities, foreign exchange, interest rates, credit, and convertible and preferred securities). To learn more about BTIG, visit www.btig.com.
Brevet
Headquartered in New York, Brevet is a registered investment advisor employing a specialty finance strategy that emphasizes downside protection. Focusing on opportunities related to the government sector, Brevet originates and structures customized financing solutions that facilitate borrower growth initiatives. With its first affiliate established in 1998, Brevet has developed extensive relationships with U.S. state, federal, and international government agencies over the past 20 years.
Bayview Asset Management
Bayview Asset Management, LLC ("Bayview"), initially founded in 1993, is a mortgage investment firm focused on investments in mortgage credit, including residential and commercial whole loans, mortgage-backed securities, mortgage servicing rights, and other mortgage-related assets. Bayview is headquartered in Coral Gables, FL with approximately 1,800 employees across asset management, loan servicing, and originations. As of January 31, 2019, Bayview manages approximately $14.2 billion in AUM. Bayview believes its ability to integrate knowledge across the firm’s operating businesses provides a significant edge.
Axonic Capital
Axonic Capital LLC is a New York based trading and investment firm founded by Clayton DeGiacinto in 2010. The firm's primary business is to manage client capital through structured credit, systematic fixed income, and commercial real estate lending strategies. Axonic and its affiliates manage over $2.6 billion in assets and employ a staff of over 40 professionals including traders, analysts and administrative personnel.
The fund is a Registered Investment Advisor.
Angelo Gordon
Angelo Gordon has been matching money with opportunity since 1988.
We are a leading, privately-held alternative investment firm, managing approximately $43 billion across a broad range of credit and real estate strategies. For over 30 years, we have been investing on behalf of pension funds, corporations, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds and individuals. Over our entire history, Angelo Gordon’s investment approach has consistently relied on disciplined portfolio construction backed by rigorous research and a strong focus on capital preservation.
We are entrepreneurial and opportunistic. We have grown by pursuing strategies that complement and build on our core capabilities. We now have over 550 employees in offices across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Combining deep industry sector and market expertise with a collaborative, knowledge-sharing culture, we creatively seek out investment opportunities that allow us to exploit inefficiencies in global credit and real estate markets.
400CM
400 Capital Management (“400CM” or the “Firm”) was founded in 2008. The management team has been investing and trading in structured credit markets for over 26 years on average. The Firm offers investors access to securitized and structured credit strategies across its fund and separately managed account platform, including multi-sector and single-sector investment strategies, enabling investors to take advantage of the wide range of risk and return profiles available within the credit markets. The Firm’s funds and separate accounts are managed for a global investor base, which includes without limitation, U.S. and non U.S. public and private pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, insurance groups, family offices, qualified high net worth individuals and consultants. 400CM and its affiliates employ 42 people, with offices located in New York City and London, and currently manage over $2.2 billion. The Firm is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser.
14th Round
14th Round is a design and technology company, building the best brands in cannabis.
Whispering Angel
Born in Bordeaux and educated in the U.S, Sacha Lichine began working at his family’s property, Chateau Prieuré Lichine, during the summers of his youth. At age 23, Sacha began his career by engaging in a variety of endevors including organizing luxury wine tours in France and establishing a negociant Sacha Lichine Estate Selections for wines from Burgundy and the Rhone.
Other endevors included working as a Sommelier at Anthony Pier 4 restaurant in Boston and for a major U.S. based distributor, Southern Wine & Spirit, as well as establishing a distributorship in the Caribbean.
A defining moment in Sacha’s career came about when he started running Château Prieure Lichine at age 27.
In 1990 Sacha started a negociant business, Borvin, which he still operates focusing on selecting the best wines from Bordeaux. Recognizing the importance of innovation in an increasingly varied wine industry around the world, Sacha developed a line of new world wines from France, Sacha Lichine – Vins Sans Frontieres which today consists of a selection of growers and wines crafted through out the regions of France.
His 2006 acquisition of Chateau d’Esclans in Provence has resulted in building a world class brand while providing a strong contribution to unprecedented growth within the Rose category.
Forge
Forge is a premier trading and settlement partner for a wide range of investors in the private markets. Established in 2014 as Equidate Inc, the company empowers investors and shareholders by enabling liquidity in the private markets. Forge, Inc. was founded by Y Combinator alumni and backed by top investors including Tim Draper, FT Partners and Munich Re. Forge's platform allows shareholders and investors in privately held innovation firms to liquidate a portion of their shares and provides private and institutional investors access to top companies like Spotify, Lyft and 23 and Me before their IPO.
First Data
First Data (NYSE: FDC) is a global leader in commerce-enabling technology and solutions, serving approximately six million business locations and more than 3,700 financial institutions in more than 100 countries around the world. The Company’s 19,000 owner-associates are dedicated to helping companies, from start-ups to the world’s largest corporations, conduct commerce every day by securing and processing more than 3,000 transactions per second and $2.6 trillion per year.