This week we chat with Robert A. Hamwee, president and chief executive officer of New Mountain Finance Corp. (NMFC). NMFC is a public BDC investing in debt securities in all levels of the capital structure, primarily focusing on middle market companies with Ebitda between $20-200 million.

The Lead Left: Rob, how do you explain the strategy for New Mountain’s debt practice?

Robert Hamwee: We’re not positioning ourselves as turnkey providers for all your needs. We’re a great source of capital in different formats, mezzanine or unitranche in the industries we focus on. For example, heavy industrial deals aren’t in the category of things we know well. The key for New Mountain is utilizing our relevant private equity members to be strategic about what we know well. That speaks to the broader platform of the firm.

TLL: So what are the industry verticals that comprise your firm’s core practices?

RH: Some examples would be enterprise software, tech-enabled business services, niche healthcare, distribution and logistics, federal services, and education. That’s the bulk of it. We’ve done a little bit of energy and some other miscellaneous sectors.