J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives Builds Out Private Credit Team, Doubles Commercial Mortgage Loan Assets

NEW YORK, Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives today announced the appointment of Raphael Gonzalez as a Managing Director and Senior Investment Specialist across commercial mortgage loans, infrastructure debt and direct lending. Mr. Gonzalez brings over two decades of experience in lending, structuring, trading and portfolio management. He joins from Exos Financial where he worked in structured credit, focused on lending and structuring in commercial finance. Kelly von Schmid joins from BBVA USA as an originator in the commercial mortgage loan group, focused on sourcing new lending opportunities on behalf of commingled funds and separate managed accounts. (See full bios below)

The new hires follow significant growth in J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives' Commercial Mortgage Loan business, doubling assets under management to $7.6 billion in the past 12 months and executing a broad range of deals across transitional and stabilized opportunities with significant activity in the sunbelt region. The group is on track to hit $10 billion in AUM in 2022. The CML group leverages J.P. Morgan's information and sourcing advantages gained from over 60 years in the U.S. real estate markets.

"We have witnessed significant growth across our private credit platform over the last 18 months, and the addition of Raphael's expertise in mortgage and asset-backed lending will help us build on this momentum as we continue to provide clients with unique opportunities to drive alpha within portfolios," said Meg McClellan, Head of Private Credit, J.P. Morgan Private Capital. "The significant growth in assets in our commercial mortgage loan business the past 12 months is testament to our team's ability to source and execute on debt opportunities."

"Our Commercial Mortgage Loan business has grown significantly over the past year, with strong investor demand for these strategies driven by the attractive yield premiums and diversification potential offered relative to investment grade corporate bonds," said Jay DeWaltoff, Head of Commercial Mortgage Lending at J.P. Global Morgan Alternatives. "J.P. Morgan's CML team has a unique ability to deliver end-to-end lending solutions to borrowers, allowing us to be nimble in executing deals. The addition of Kelly to the team will further build on our deep origination capabilities, which has delivered strong performance through the COVID pandemic."

Biographies – Raphael Gonzalez and Kelly von Schmid

Raphael Gonzalez, Senior Investment Specialist, J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives - Raphael joins from Exos Financial where he worked in structured credit, focused on lending and structuring in the commercial finance space. He previously worked for Monticello Asset Management as a Managing Director, heading their capital markets and security structuring effort. The platform focused on skilled nursing facility acquisition finance - predominantly in bridge to HUD loans. Prior to Monticello, Mr. Gonzalez spent his 25 year career as a mortgage/ABS trader and portfolio manager within Structured Products. He recently worked at Performance Trust Capital Partners, Cantor Fitzgerald, Passport Capital Management, and spent the majority of his career at JPMorgan, as a Managing Director, co-running their non-agency mortgage and ABS secondary desks, while serving as the primary ABX trader during the volatile mortgage crisis. Earlier in his career, Mr. Gonzalez served as a senior non-agency mortgage trader at Banc of America Securities, and held a similar role at Barclays Capital, where he traded both non-agency mortgages and ABS securities. Mr. Gonzalez holds a B.A. from Vassar College.

Kelly von Schmid, Vice President, J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives - Kelly joins the Commercial Mortgage Loan team as an originator, responsible for sourcing new lending opportunities on behalf of commingled funds and separate accounts managed by J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Throughout her career Mrs. von Schmid has been directly involved with originating and underwriting over 50 loans totaling more than $1.5 billion. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Vice President with BBVA USA in New York, where she spent 10 years originating and closing complex transactions for borrowers along the East Coast.  Mrs. von Schmid holds a Master's of Science in Real Estate from New York University as well as a Bachelor's of Science in Accounting from the University of Alabama. 

About J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives & J.P. Morgan Private Capital

J.P. Morgan Private Capital provides customized financing solutions for private companies across the capital structure and is comprised of a growth equity arm and a private debt business that spans corporate lending, distressed lending, special situations, and asset-based lending strategies. J.P. Morgan Private Capital is part of J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives, the alternative investment arm of J.P. Morgan Asset Management. With more than 50 years as an alternatives investment manager, $168 billion in assets under management and more than 600 professionals (as of March 31, 2021), J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives offers strategies across the alternative investment spectrum including real estate, private equity and credit, hedge funds, infrastructure, transportation and liquid alternatives. Operating from offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, our 15 independent alternative investment engines combine specialist knowledge and singular focus with the global reach, vast resources and powerful infrastructure of J.P. Morgan to help meet each client's specific objectives. For more information: jpmorgan.com/am.

SOURCE J.P. Morgan Asset Management