Originations

Jay Ramakrishnan joined AB in 2014 and is a founding member, Head of Originations, and a member of the investment committee of AB Private Credit Investors. In addition, she is responsible for business initiatives such as technology-focused capital solutions, oversees investments in the healthcare/HCIT sectors, and covers select East Coast financial sponsors with an emphasis on technology, healthcare and business services. Previously, Ramakrishnan was a managing director with Barclays Private Credit Partners, and as a founding member of the business was involved in various aspects of business launch, transaction sourcing and execution. Prior to joining Barclays, she was a vice president at Goldman Sachs, in the Specialty Lending Group in New York, and in London, where she oversaw a European leveraged-loan portfolio and managed restructurings. Before that, Ramakrishnan was in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and Bear Stearns, and she started her career as an associate consultant for Bain & Company. She holds a BA (Hons) in economics from the University of Cambridge, England, and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Location: New York

Patrick Fear joined AB in 2014 and is a Senior Managing Director and founding AB Private Credit Investors team member, the Head of Digital Infrastructure and Services, and a member of the investment committee of AB Private Credit Investors. He is also responsible for generalist sponsor originations across a variety of industries. Fear was previously a director with Barclays Private Credit Partners, where he held a similar role. Prior to that, he was a director with CapitalSource in the US and Europe. Fear was a founding member of the senior management team of CapitalSource Europe, responsible for sourcing, executing and monitoring a $500 million portfolio of middle market mezzanine and other leveraged loans in a variety of industries. Before that, he was a vice president focused on M&A advisory at Robert W. Baird in London and Chicago. Fear began his career in transaction services at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He holds a BBA in accounting from the University of Notre Dame and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Location: Austin

Alex Barry joined AB in 2022 and is a Managing Director with AB Private Credit Investors, where he leads its Tech Capital Solutions strategy. Prior to joining the team, he launched TriplePoint Capital’s New York office in 2017 and most recently led its East Coast investment team. Barry originated and executed technology investments across multiple sectors and capital strategies through his relationships with venture capitalists, founders and corporates. Before TriplePoint Capital, he spent three years at Silicon Valley Bank in New York, where he built a team focused on providing debt and equity solutions to Series A and growth-stage technology companies in the venture capital ecosystem. Prior to this, Barry spent nine years in Dublin, Los Angeles and New York with middle-market credit fund AIB Debt Management, where he was focused on underwriting leveraged buyouts, ABL and real estate credit investments. He holds a BA with concentrations in economics and sociology from University College Dublin. Location: Austin

Bob Bielinski joined AB in 2015 as a Managing Director of AB Private Credit Investors, where he is responsible for generalist sponsor originations across a variety of industries. He has sector expertise and long-standing experience investing in the restaurant, multi-unit and franchising industries, as well as the financial services industry. Bielinski was previously a managing director with CIT Group, where he led the restaurant industry practice within Corporate Finance for seven years. At CIT, Bielinski focused on middle market lending with an emphasis on private equity–owned businesses. Prior to CIT, he was a managing director with Challenger Capital Group, a middle market investment bank. Before that, Bielinski was a managing director with Richard C. Breeden & Co., an advisory firm headed by a former chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. His investment banking experience includes seven years at Lehman Brothers, where he began his career, and he has held a variety of senior financial positions in the restaurant and retail industries, including senior vice president of finance and treasurer at Boston Chicken Inc. and vice president of financial operations at The Limited. Bielinski holds BS degrees in electrical engineering and management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Location: Chicago

Patrick Gimlett joined AB in 2015 and is a Managing Director of AB Private Credit Investors, where he leads the team’s originations activities in the energy sector and covers generalist financial sponsors located in Dallas and Houston. He also assists with fund-raising and deal-sourcing within AB’s financial advisor network. Gimlett was previously a vice president with GE Capital’s Energy Financial Services Group, where he originated investments in the oil and gas and midstream industries. His experience at GE Capital also included several years of underwriting and portfolio management. Gimlett holds a BBA in finance from the University of Notre Dame. Location: Houston

Drew Miller joined AB in 2015 and is a Managing Director with AB Private Credit Investors. His core responsibilities include serving as Head of Business Services, and leading West Coast financial sponsor originations, with a focus on technology. Previously, Miller was a vice president in GE Capital’s Sponsor Finance Group (now Antares Capital), where he originated investments in the technology and media industries. Miller’s experience at GE Capital also included several years of underwriting, portfolio management and debt restructuring. Prior to joining GE Capital in 2004, he worked for KPMG. Miller holds a BA in international relations from the University of Memphis and a MAcc from the University of Southern California. Location: Austin

Hardeep Saini joined AB in 2015 as a Managing Director of AB Private Credit Investors, where he is responsible for leading coverage efforts for certain East Coast financial sponsor relationships across a variety of industries. He was previously a managing director at ICON, where he held a similar role and acquired deep experience in the industrial, manufacturing, shipping and business services arenas. Prior to joining ICON in 2008, Saini worked for SMBC Capital Markets as a risk-management officer within fixed income. He holds a BEng in computer science from the University of Mumbai and an MBA in finance from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College. Location: New York

Ryan Simpson joined AB in 2022 and is a Managing Director with AB Private Credit Investors, where he is responsible for West Coast sponsor originations across a variety of industries, with a focus on general industries. Prior to joining the team, Simpson was a director at MUFG Union Bank, and before that was a vice president at Antares Capital (previously GE Antares Capital). He holds a BS in management from the United States Air Force Academy and an MBA with concentrations in finance and accounting from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Location: Los Angeles

Daniel Weiss joined AB in 2016 and is a Managing Director of AB Private Credit Investors, where he leads financial sponsor coverage efforts for Chicago and the Midwest across a variety of industries. He was previously a vice president at Cerberus Capital Chicago, responsible for sourcing, structuring and executing debt financings for financial sponsors. Prior to that, Weiss was a managing director at MFC Capital Funding, where he was a member of the firm’s investment committee and one of five senior deal professionals responsible for sourcing and executing debt investments for lower–middle market companies. Before that, he worked in private equity for the State of Wisconsin Investment Board and for Pfingsten Partners, a lower–middle market private equity fund. Weiss began his career as an analyst at NationsBank. He holds a BS in business from Tulane University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. Location: Chicago

Solomon Cole joined AB in 2016 and is a Director with AB Private Credit Investors, where he is involved in originations across a number of industries, including healthcare, software and technology-enabled business services. He was formerly a vice president on the Credit team at AB Private Credit Investors, where he was involved in structuring, underwriting and execution, and portfolio management. Prior to joining AB, Cole was an associate with the Merchant Banking Group at BNP Paribas, where he focused on originating, underwriting and syndicating leveraged loans for sponsor-backed transactions. Before that, he was an associate at The Riverside Company, a middle market private equity firm. Cole holds a BS in finance (Hons) and an MS in accountancy from Wake Forest University, and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Location: Austin

Tom Hensel joined AB in 2023 and is a Director with AB Private Credit Investors, where he is involved in originations for certain East Coast financial sponsors across a variety of industries. Prior to joining AB, Hensel was a senior vice president with Crescent Capital, where he focused on originating, underwriting and portfolio management of middle market direct lending investments. Before that, he was a vice president at NXT Capital, a middle market direct lending firm in Chicago. Hensel holds a BSBA in finance and management from Georgetown University (magna cum laude) and is a CFA charterholder. Location: New York

Sean Kennedy joined AB in 2014 and is a Director of AB Private Credit Investors, where he is involved in originations, primarily focused on the digital infrastructure and services sector, as well as generalist sponsor coverage. Kennedy was formerly a director on the Credit team at AB Private Credit Investors, where he was involved in structuring, underwriting and execution, and portfolio management. Prior to joining AB-PCI, he was an associate in the Fixed Income Global Credit Research Group at AB, focusing on high-yield and leveraged-loan transactions. Prior to that, Kennedy was an associate in the Asset and Principal Finance Group at Nomura Securities. He holds a BS in business administration from Carnegie Mello University. Location: Austin

Lewis Leavitt joined AB in 2018 as a Director of AB Private Credit Investors, where he jointly leads originations for several specific verticals including software, digital information services and healthcare. He is also responsible for regional intermediary coverage and sponsor coverage of select growth equity firms across the US. Leavitt was previously a principal with Escalate Capital Partners, where he led business development by working closely with technology lenders as well as venture capital and growth equity firms. Prior to Escalate, he helped start Alert Media, a mass-notification software business based in Austin, Texas. Leavitt holds a BA in Spanish and political science from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. Location: Austin