Denver-based Bow River Capital is diving into the private credit business with the addition of a veteran team led by Eli Muraidekh, who was investment director with BlueBay Asset Management, where he led financial restructurings and operational turnarounds on behalf of BlueBay’s multi-billion-dollar distressed debt fund.
Muraidekh has been charged with the strategic direction and initiatives of the Private Credit Team, including originating, structuring, and leading private credit investments across the capital structure, portfolio management, as well as team development.
A serial entrepreneur, Muraidekh is the executive board director and chief financial officer of Golden Falcon Acquisition Corp. He was the founder, CEO and CIO of Telamon Capital, a credit opportunities fund focused on financing small- to medium-sized businesses. He was also an early seed investor in Wayflyer, a fintech company, that has provided $2 billion of revenue-based financing to over 1,500+ e-commerce businesses. Prior to Telamon, Muraidekh managed the assets of the philanthropic foundation associated with Lord Jacob Rothschild’s Family, which included an endowment valued at more than $2.5 billion. In this role, he invested across multiple asset classes globally, including public equities, private equity, credit, absolute return and real assets.
In addition to 30-year industry veteran Muraidekh, Aaron Arnett joins as managing director bringing his experience as principal at $1.8 billion junior capital investment firm Yukon Partners. Prior to Yukon, he was vice president of Pohlad Companies, a multi-billion-dollar family office where he served on the investment team.
Bow River Capital President Richard Thackray said, “It’s a testament to Bow River’s stellar reputation that we’ve attracted executives of this caliber to join the firm’s ranks, including veteran global investor Eli Muraidekh, who is leading the Private Credit Investment Team. This experienced team advances our ability to offer a differentiated approach to private credit investing that we believe will be beneficial to Bow River’s investors, as well as businesses and sponsors in the Rodeo Region’s middle market, requiring financing solutions.”
The $3 billion Bow River Capital’s existing platforms include private equity, software growth equity, real estate and a registered fund that invests in private markets, the Bow River Capital Evergreen Fund (EVERX), which is just passing its three-year anniversary.
In addition to Thackray, Muraidekh and Arnett, a new private credit investment committee also includes Bow River’s Managing Director and Head of Evergreen Strategies Jeremy Held and non-voting Adviser Jonathan DeSimone.
DeSimone brings more than 30 years of capital markets, fund strategy and investing experience. Most recently, DeSimone served as CEO of Alcentra, a global asset management firm, specializing in corporate credit and private debt. While at Alcentra, he oversaw all aspects of the firm’s business and investment activities, leading a team of 200 people stewarding $40 billion in investor capital across all segments of credit, including private credit, special situations, structured credit, liquid credit and CLOs. He also chaired Alcentra’s Executive Management Committee, sat on various Alcentra operational and investment committees, and served as the firm’s interim CIO, Private Credit, managing $10 billion in European direct lending funds and chairing Alcentra’s Private Credit Investment Committee.
From 2009 to 2019, DeSimone worked at Bain Capital Credit, most recently serving as managing director, head of Liquid Credit and Portfolio Manager, Liquid Credit, where he played a leading role in asset allocation and credit decisions for Bain Capital Credit’s Liquid Credit Platform. Previously, DeSimone was with Bain & Company from 1992 to 2002, most recently as a manager in the Private Equity Practice, where he supported private equity and corporate clients on mergers & acquisition and post-acquisition support.
Filling out the new private credit team at Bow River is Joshua Apfel, who is a vice president of the private credit team and is responsible for fund formation, fundraising, originating and managing all stages of the credit investment process from transaction through portfolio management and exit. Prior to joining Bow River, he was a vice president at Strategic Value Partners, LLC on the Business Development and Investor Relations Team. During his time at Strategic Value Partners, he acted as the firm’s portfolio expert and product specialist, oversaw key portions of fundraising efforts and marketing logistics, including running high net worth platform raises, and developed and managed relationships with institutional investors.
“We believe there is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide private credit across the capital structure to middle market companies, particularly those in the Rodeo Region where Bow River has developed deep relationships over the past 20 years,” Muraidekh said. “I’m thrilled to be working with my Bow River colleagues to offer an attractive investment opportunity in private credit for the firm’s investors.”
