First Eagle Alternative Credit appointed Michelle Handy, a managing director and head of portfolio and underwriting for the firm’s direct lending platform, to its direct lending investment committee.
Since joining the firm, then known as THL Credit in 2016, Handy has been responsible for overseeing the underwriting and management of investments across the portfolio. She joined three other primary members on the direct lending investment committee, including Chris Flynn, president; Jim Fellows, CIO; and Terry Olson, COO and CFO. There are also rotating committee members who provide industry expertise.
“Michelle has demonstrated astute credit selection and assessment and has instituted a portfolio management and underwriting framework to support our larger, $7 billion direct lending platform,” Flynn said. “We are pleased to welcome her to the investment committee with confidence that she will continue to provide invaluable insight as we continue to grow and scale while delivering high quality, risk adjusted returns for our investors.”
Earlier in her career, Handy held a series of positions of increasing responsibility at GE Capital, including her role as COO of GE Capital Americas’ workout function.
First Eagle Alternative Credit’s direct lending investment committee has five rotating members who provide industry-specific expertise: Monty Cook, managing director and head of specialty finance; Larry Klaff, senior managing director and head of asset-based lending; Howard Wu, managing director, and Garrett Stephen, managing director, who together cover healthcare and information services and technology; and Patrick McAuliffe, managing director and head of sponsor origination.
With $23 billion of assets under management, First Eagle Alternative Credit is a provider of both tradable credit and middle-market direct lending.
