As independent consultants, Tim and Kate will provide guidance to the Board on the overall approach to risk management across the Company's portfolio. Part of their focus will be evaluating and supporting the Company's selection of new investments in conjunction with Sequoia Investment Management Company (the “Investment Adviser”) and International Fund Management (the “AIFM”).
Tim Drayson has over thirty years' experience in the US and European debt capital markets. He was most recently Global Head of Corporate Sales & Deputy Head of the European Corporate Debt Platform at BNP Paribas and had been a member of the Fixed Income Transaction Approval Committee, screening complex transactions and interacting with the bank's credit committee. He joined BNP Paribas as Global Head of Securitization in 2005, with responsibility for managing all origination and structuring teams, including infrastructure. Prior to joining BNP Paribas, Tim held senior roles at Morgan Stanley in London as Head of Securitized Products Distribution and Paine Webber in New York.
Kate Thurman is a highly experienced and respected credit market professional having spent over 30 years identifying and analysing credit risk in bond and loan instruments for institutional portfolios. Kate has broad experience across industry sectors, credit grades, legal structures and jurisdictions, having special expertise in the assessment of quantitative and qualitative credit factors and downside risks. In recent years, she has been employed as a credit researcher and debt portfolio specialist by Rogge Global Partners, New Bond Street Asset Management, Dresdner Bank and independently as a consultant.
Robert Jennings, Chairman, said:
“Since the Company's launch almost three years ago, the Board has supported the Investment Adviser and AIFM by independently assessing credit risks and the management of the portfolio. Collectively, we have a strong track record of investing in good credit opportunities. With the five-fold growth of the Company's portfolio over this period, we felt it appropriate to strengthen and deepen the resources available to us in our oversight of these critical functions. The Company's Board, the Investment Adviser and the AIFM are delighted that we will have the benefit of Tim and Kate's experience in credit and risk management going forward.”