Why Brightwood?

Our Approach

An experienced investment team active in sourcing, diligence, and driving growth for our portfolio companies.

Our People

Founded in 2010, Brightwood has over 40 employees with a presence in New York, Chicago, Beverly Hills, Dallas, and Minneapolis.

Meet Our Team

• Sengal Selassie

  Sengal Selassie

  CEO and Co-Founder

  New York City P. +1-646-957-9534 E. selassie@brightwoodlp.com

  Sengal Selassie is the CEO and Co-Founder of Brightwood. Mr. Selassie has been involved in all phases of the firm’s development since its founding in 2010. He is a member of the Executive Committee and serves on the Investment Committee of all Brightwood Managed Funds. Mr. Selassie currently participates on the boards of many of Brightwood’s portfolio companies and has managed capital for hundreds of limited partners, including a number of prominent public, private and corporate pension plans, endowments, family offices, and high net worth individuals.  Prior to forming Brightwood, Mr. Selassie led Cowen Capital Partners, LLC (“Cowen Capital”), where he served as managing partner from 2006 through 2009. Mr. Selassie joined Cowen Capital from SG Capital Partners LLC (“SG Capital”), Cowen Capital’s predecessor fund where he worked from 1998 through 2006. At SG Capital he was a Managing Director and served as group head starting in 2002. Prior to SG Capital, Mr. Selassie worked in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at Morgan Stanley where he helped media and telecommunications companies execute strategic transactions. He began his career in the Corporate Finance Group of the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs in 1990.

  Education: A.B. in Economics, magna cum laude, Harvard College; M.B.A. and J.D., with honors, Harvard University

   

• William W. Archer

  William W. Archer

  Chief Credit Officer

  P. 646-368-8266 E. archer@brightwoodlp.com

  Mr. Archer has returned to Brightwood as Chief Credit Officer, a position he held during 2013 to 2015 and oversees Brightwood’s existing portfolio of investments. He began his career in 1976 at a predecessor of National Westminster Bank as a Relationship Manager focused on the media industry. In 1981, he joined Bankers Trust Company (which ultimately merged with Deutsche Bank), initially as a Relationship Manager in the Media Group, for which he subsequently served as Co-Head. From 1994-1996, he served within Bankers Trust’s private equity unit and was a voting partner on all of the firm’s investments with primary responsibility for investments in the media industry. Ultimately Mr. Archer was appointed Chief Credit Officer for Bankers Trust Company and Co-Global Head, Non-Investment Grade Credit for Deutsche Bank. In 2002, Mr. Archer joined Goldman Sachs & Co as Chief Debt Underwriter and served as a senior member of the Firmwide Capital Committee and Co-Chair of the Capital Markets Capital Committee. In this capacity, Mr. Archer held responsibility for overseeing the diligence of underwriting commitments and terms of all leveraged credit underwritings. In 2006, Mr. Archer joined Barclays Capital as Head of Leveraged Credit Risk for the Americas. In 2008, he became a Managing Director and Investment Committee member of Veronis Suhler, Stevenson (“VSS”), a firm investing in private equity and junior debt. Since 2008 Mr. Archer has been a consultant to The Canadian Public Pension Board (“CPPIB”) where he advises CPPIB on all debt investments made by CPPIB.

  Education: Mr. Archer holds a B.A. from Rutgers College and a M.B.A. from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

• Darilyn Olidge

  Darilyn Olidge

  Partner, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

  New York City P. +1-646-368-8397 E. olidge@brightwoodlp.com

  Darilyn Olidge is a Partner, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Brightwood. Darilyn also serves on the Executive Committee. Darilyn’s responsibilities at Brightwood include providing strategic legal advice to the firm, setting and monitoring internal governance practices and policies, running the compliance program, overseeing our human resources team, and managing external counsel relationships.

  Prior to joining Brightwood, Darilyn was a Managing Director in the General Counsel Division of Credit Suisse, serving as Lead Advisory Counsel to the Prime Services Group, Co-Manager of GCD’s Center of Excellence Documentation Team and a member of the GC Americas Management Operating Committee.  Darilyn joined Credit Suisse from Morgan Stanley, where she last served as Executive Director, advising on various legal and regulatory matters in its fixed income and institutional equities businesses.  Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, she was an Associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York and clerked for the late Hon. Constance Baker Motley, United States District Court, Southern District of New York.   She began her career as a Certified Public Accountant in the Tax Division of Arthur Andersen.

  Education: B.B.A., Accounting, Loyola University; J.D., New York University Law School; member of the Law Review

• Cornelia Cheng – West Coast

  Cornelia Cheng – West Coast

  Managing Director

  Beverly Hills, CA P. (310) 504-6543 E. cheng@brightwoodlp.com

  Cornelia Cheng is a Managing Director on the Investments Team with a focus on the western region of the United States.  She is based in Brightwood’s Los Angeles, CA office.  Prior to joining Brightwood, Cornelia was regional head of the greater Los Angeles Investment Team for Prudential Capital Group, where she spent 15 years sourcing, executing and managing a portfolio of private placement senior debt, mezzanine debt and minority equity investments in middle-market companies across a range of industries. She previously held positions in the high yield, leverage finance, sponsor coverage and debt capital markets groups at CIBC World Markets in New York and San Francisco. She was also previously part of the M&A team, Internal Consulting Group and Economics Department at First Interstate Bank.

  Cornelia is a former board member of the Archer School for Girls and is actively involved with several leadership and development groups, including being a founding committee member of ACG 101’s Women in Corporate Growth, and active involvement with the Riordan Fellows Program at UCLA.

  Education: BA, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, University of California, Riverside; MBA, The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

• Sachin Goel – Chicago

  Sachin Goel – Chicago

  Managing Director

  New York City P. +1-646-368-8264 E. goel@brightwoodlp.com

  Sachin Goel is a Managing Director on the Investment Team and leads our capital markets activities.  Prior to joining Brightwood, Sachin was a Managing Director in Macquarie Capital USA’s credit trading division, where he was responsible for a portfolio of distressed and high-yield corporate credits. His duties included risk management, trading and investing in bonds and bank debt in various sectors, with a focus on energy, power, infrastructure and transportation in the U.S. and Australia. Previously, Sachin was a Vice President at Credit Suisse in the fixed income division of the investment bank, first in the U.S. credit trading group, where he was responsible for formulating and executing trades, and subsequently as a member of the special opportunities group, conducting principal investing in illiquid credit opportunities, primarily in middle market private lending.

  Education: BA from the University of Chicago

• Colin Keenan – New York

  Colin Keenan – New York

  Managing Director

  New York City P. +1-646-368-8091 E. keenan@brightwoodlp.com

  Colin Keenan is a Managing Director on the Investment Team.

  Prior to Brightwood, Colin was V.P. of Lazard Freres’ restructuring group, focusing on the execution of restructuring, distressed M&A, and rescue financing transactions in the U.S. and internationally. Prior to this, he was with Alix Partners in turnaround and restructuring services, providing financial and operational assistance to companies and their stakeholders. Earlier, he served as a U.S. Marine Corps Captain.

  Education: BS, Naval Academy; MBA, Columbia University

• Scott Porter – New York

  Scott Porter – New York

  Managing Director

  New York City P. +1-646-957-9531 E. porter@brightwoodlp.com

  Scott Porter is a Managing Director on the Investment Team with a focus on two core verticals — Transportation & Logistics and Franchising. Prior to joining Brightwood, Scott was a Partner at Uni-World Capital, a lower-middle market buyout fund, where he spent over five years sourcing, executing and managing private equity investments. Prior to Uni-World, Scott worked with Brightwood co-Founder Sengal Selassie as a Partner at CCP, where he spent nine years in a similar capacity to his role at Uni-World. While at Cowen, he was instrumental in assisting the company in a number of business development activities that included the company’s spin-out from Société Générale and subsequent IPO, the creation of a $500 million healthcare-focused private equity fund and the acquisition of an Asian boutique investment bank. Scott started his career working as part of Chase Securities High Yield Corporate Finance Group, where he executed over $3.5 billion in lead managed and $7.0 billion in co-managed transactions in the media, telecommunication, healthcare, chemical, consumer products, manufacturing and service industries.

  Education: BA, magna cum laude from SUNY Binghamton University

• Kunal Shah – New York

  Kunal Shah – New York

  Managing Director

  New York City P. +1-646-368-8114 E. shah@brightwoodlp.com

  Kunal Shah is a Managing Director on the Investment Team.

  Prior to joining Brightwood, Kunal was an investment professional at Solar Capital, a credit-focused investment firm, where he was responsible for evaluating, executing and managing middle market secured and mezzanine loans. Prior to joining Solar Capital, he was an analyst in the Leveraged Finance Group at Merrill Lynch.

  Education: BS, University of Southern California

• Steve Barton – Minneapolis

  Steve Barton – Minneapolis

  Director

  Minneapolis P. 612-439-5135 E. barton@brightwoodlp.com

  Steve Barton is a Director at Brightwood and based in Minneapolis, MN. Prior to Brightwood, Mr. Barton was a Director / Private Wealth Advisor at BMO Wealth Management – U.S. (Bank of Montreal). From 2012 to 2018 Mr. Barton was a Director at Unity Banking Group. From 2011 to 2018 Mr. Barton was Founder & CEO of Waterford Group Consulting (C-suite consulting business). Prior from 2008 to 2011 as Senior Private Client Advisor at BNP Paribas / Bank of the West. From 2005 `to 2008, Mr. Barton was a Vice President / Private Banking at TCF Bank.

  Education: Mr. Barton has a BS from the Winona State University.

• Frank Cross – New York

  Frank Cross – New York

  Director

  New York P. 646-368-8648 E. cross@brightwoodlp.com

  Frank Cross is a Director at Brightwood. Prior to joining Brightwood, Mr. Cross was a Director in the Healthcare investment banking group at RBC Capital Markets and, prior to that, held a similar role at Wells Fargo Securities. Previously, Mr. Cross worked in the Credit Opportunities fund at UBS O’Connor and at Castle Harlan, a middle-market private equity fund. Mr. Cross started his career as an analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions group at Credit Suisse.

  Education: Mr. Cross earned his B.A. in economics from Yale University.

• Christopher Mosley – Dallas

  Christopher Mosley – Dallas

  Director

  Dallas P. 214-463-2963 E. mosley@brightwoodlp.com

  Christopher Mosley is a Director on the Investment Team and is based in Brightwoods’ Dallas office. Christopher has spent his career providing solutions for corporate and middle market clients. Prior to joining Brightwood, he was as a member of Fifth Third Bank’s Corporate Banking team where he developed an industry vertical focusing on industrial companies. Prior to Fifth Third, Christopher executed all manner of capital raises, M&A processes, and advisory situations while at Challenger Capital, a Dallas based boutique investment bank. In addition, he brings his experiences from Wells Fargo/Wachovia, where he worked to execute middle market transactions for sponsors and corporate clients.

  Education: BS, Florida State University; MBA, Texas Christian University.

• Jamie Allen – New York

  Jamie Allen – New York

  Director

  New York P. 646-368-8334 E. allen@brightwoodlp.com

  Jamie Allen is a Director on the Investment Team.  Prior to joining Brightwood, she was an investment professional at Golub Capital, a middle market lender, where she executed and managed investments.  Prior to Golub Capital, she was with IDB Bank in their corporate lending group.  Jamie began her career in the leveraged finance and financial sponsors group at UBS Investment Bank.

  Education: BBA, University of Michigan; MBA, Columbia University

• Mike Katz – New York

  Mike Katz – New York

  Director

  New York City P. +1-212-259-6624 E. katz@brightwoodlp.com

  Mike Katz is a Director on the Investment Team and manages the execution process including documentation and presentation to the investment committee.

  Prior to Brightwood, Mike was a Senior Vice President at Jefferies Finance LLC where he led structuring and origination of asset-based loans, non-investment grade loans and high yield bridges for corporate and financial sponsor clients in the consumer products, retail and restaurant sectors. Prior to this, he was with Standard & Poor’s where he was a credit analyst in the Global Fixed Income Research Group.

  Education: Mike holds a BS from the New York University Stern Business School

• Raudline Etienne

  Raudline Etienne

  Raudline is the Founder and Managing Partner of Daraja Capital, an advisory firm providing strategic advice to start up and early stage boutique asset managers.

  Ms. Etienne is a Senior Advisor of the global strategy firm Albright Stonebridge Group (ASG). Her focus is on developing business strategies and expanding opportunities in the investment sector for ASG.   Ms. Etienne is a trustee of the Janus Funds Board of Trustees where she represents the interests of fund investors in all matters related to the mutual fund complex.

  From 2008 through 2011, Ms. Etienne served as Chief Investment Officer (CIO) for the New York State Common Retirement Fund (CRF), the third largest public pension fund in the United States with assets of $145 billion. As CIO, she oversaw all aspects of CRF’s investment strategy, including asset allocation, policy and governance, investment structure, partner selection, and risk management. Her responsibilities included oversight of 60 professionals and management of a global portfolio of equity, fixed income, hedge funds, real estate, private equity and opportunistic investments. She also was responsible for CRF investment operations, including internal portfolio management, custodial services, and securities lending, as well as management of external investment advisors and consultants.

  Previously, Ms. Etienne was a Managing Director, and Co-Head of Non-Traditional Investment Group at Rogerscasey in Darien, Connecticut. She headed consulting relationships for public and corporate retirement systems on issues of investment policy and governance, asset-liability management and asset allocation, and investment manager selection and monitoring. During her 11+ year tenure with Rogerscasey, she developed wide expertise in asset classes, investment strategies, and institutional investment managers.

  Ms. Etienne was instrumental in creating the Connecticut Hedge Fund Association where she was a board member, and also served on the Toigo Foundation Governing Board. She was appointed to the International Accounting Standards Board and the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Financial Crisis Advisory Group, which considered financial reporting improvements to enhance investor confidence.

  Ms. Etienne earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA in finance from the University of California at Berkeley.

• William Lighten

  William Lighten

  Mr. Lighten is a former Managing Director, Chairman and CEO of Lehman Brothers Bank, FSB. He has served as a member of both the Lehman Brothers Management Committee and their Fixed Income Operating Committee where he was involved in policy making and developing firm procedures within the Fixed Income Division. Most recently he was the founder and global head of the Lehman Brothers Mortgage Capital Division (MCD), an industry-leading mortgage loan origination franchise with over 6,500 employees globally. Prior to taking on his role in MCD in 2004 Mr. Lighten was global head of Lehman Brothers Structured Finance for over a decade. He has played a leading role in building out the firm’s robust Asian and European structured finance businesses. From 1986-1991 he worked in the Mortgage Finance and Asset-Backed Securities businesses at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Lighten holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University, where he currently serves as a Sterling Fellow and a member of the Yale Development Council.

• David M. Malcolm

  David M. Malcolm

  Mr. Malcolm has been active in the financial services industry for over 40 years. Most recently he was CEO of Cowen Group Inc., a public broker dealer, prior to becoming CEO he was Executive Vice Chairman and ran the firm’s Investment Banking business. Cowen was sold in a reverse merger in 2009 and Mr. Malcolm served as Senior Advisor to the firm for the following five years. Prior to that he started and ran the Global Leveraged Finance Group for Societe Generale and he started and ran the high yield business at First Boston, now Credit Suisse. Additionally he sits on the Advisory Committee of Echelon Capital Strategies, a peer-to-peer lending credit vehicle.  He is an Honors graduate of Wesleyan University and holds an MBA for the Harvard Business School.

• Warren Olsen

  Warren Olsen

  Mr. Olsen is the Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of SCB Global Capital Management, LLC, a private partnership that makes long and short investments across a variety of global, publicly traded securities markets. Prior to founding SCB Global, Mr. Olsen was a co-founder of First Western Financial, the parent company of First Western Trust Bank, a private bank with offices in Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming and California. Prior to co-founding First Western, Mr. Olsen was the President and CEO of IBJ Whitehall Asset Management and President of Morgan Stanley’s global mutual fund business. Mr. Olsen has served on numerous boards of directors including the Aetos Funds, Construction Software Technologies and First Western Financial. Mr. Olsen has been active in the community on both a national and local level, having served as Chairman of the Board of Colorado Public Radio and a member of the Board of Regents of Georgetown University among a number of volunteer positions over the years. Mr. Olsen is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Villanova University School of Law.