Deerpath Capital Opens Japan Office to Expand Service to APAC Investors

Tai Watanabe joins as Senior Vice President based in Tokyo amid heightened demand for Deerpath's lower middle market private credit strategy

TOKYO and NEW YORK, March 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Deerpath Capital Management, LP ("Deerpath" or "the Firm"), one of the largest providers of customized, cash-flow based senior debt financing to lower middle market companies across North America, today announced the opening of its latest international office in Tokyo, Japan. The Tokyo office will be led by Taichiro "Tai" Watanabe who joins Deerpath as Senior Vice President and the first Japan-based member of Deerpath's Investor Partnerships team.

In this new role, Mr. Watanabe will be responsible for developing and maintaining Deerpath's relationships primarily with investors in Japan and selectively across other areas of the Asia region. The announcement comes less than two years after Deerpath launched offices in London, Australia  and  South Korea.

"Tai's arrival, and Deerpath's physical expansion into Japan, are a response to heightened demand for performing private credit products across our growing network of institutional and private wealth investors in the APAC region," said Antonella Napolitano, Global Head of Investor Relations and Capital Formation at Deerpath. "These LPs are attracted to our core strategy of conservative financing to sponsor-backed businesses within the U.S. lower middle market. This part of the market has substantial lender protections in comparison to other parts of the middle market combined with strong, steady and uncorrelated financial returns."

Mr. Watanabe brings more than 15 years of business development and investment management experience to the firm. Most recently, he was Head of Sales responsible for business development for Japan at Fullerton Fund Management, a company owned by Temasek Holdings. Prior to that, Mr. Watanabe served as Associate Director, Distribution, at Federated Hermes International. He has also held roles on the Japan FX and Derivatives Operations team at JP Morgan Chase as well as the Global Commodities Middle Office of Barclays Investment Bank, both based in Singapore.

Deerpath invests its capital in first-lien senior debt to high-quality, performing companies with enterprise valuations between $50 million and $250 million. These businesses have extensive operating histories, are owned by strong private equity sponsors, have cash generative business models with proven profitability, and have shown their ability to endure through market cycles. Deerpath's investment model is designed to deliver sturdy returns while prioritizing capital preservation in any economic climate.

About Deerpath Capital Management, LP
Deerpath Capital Management, LP is one of the largest providers of customized, cash-flow based senior debt financing to lower-middle market companies across diverse industries. Since being founded in 2007, the firm has deployed $10 billion across 900-plus investments. As of December 2023, Deerpath's AUM is over $7 billion. For more information, please visit www.deerpathcapital.com.

Media:
Aidan O'Connor
Prosek Partners (On behalf of Deerpath Capital)
(646) 818-9283
[email protected]

SOURCE Deerpath Capital Management, LP