Värde Partners, a global investment firm specializing in credit and credit-related assets, elevated Missy Dolski to partner and global head of asset-based finance and hired Jim Lees as managing director, asset-based finance. These leadership appointments follow the launch of Värde’s fund finance platform earlier this year.
In her expanded role, Dolski will oversee Värde’s global ABF strategy, with a focus on middle-market opportunities across commercial and consumer asset classes as well as fund finance. Building on a long history in the asset-based markets, the firm sees a tremendous opportunity to accelerate investment activity in diverse sub-sectors such as small business lending, equipment finance, trade and supply chain finance, secured and unsecured consumer finance and fund finance.
“Asset-based finance has been a cornerstone of our platform for over 30 years, and Värde continues to be a market leader in providing innovative credit and liquidity solutions for businesses, consumers and finance platforms worldwide,” Brad Bauer, managing partner and CEO of Värde, said. “Over her eight years at Värde, Missy has been instrumental in driving investment opportunities emerging out of the banking sector, while delivering excellent financing execution across both public and private markets. As the architect of our Fund Finance platform, she has demonstrated her ability to oversee and execute a strategic vision. We believe her growing contributions to our ABF strategy will allow us to deepen and extend our ABF competencies and build on the momentum in this area of the market.”
Dolski said, “I am thrilled to step into this role and steward Värde’s next phase of growth in asset-based finance. Our strategy focuses on areas where we believe we have a distinct competitive advantage, prioritizing middle-market opportunities where the firm has deep asset expertise. With a highly talented team and the addition of Jim Lees, whose 25+ years of experience sourcing, structuring and managing ABF investments will be invaluable, we believe we are well-positioned to continue delivering innovative financing solutions to the market and creating long-term value for our investors.”
Jim Lees, who most recently served as a managing director on the ABF team at KKR joins Värde as managing director in the firm’s New York headquarters, where he will lead ABF origination and underwriting for North America. He previously held senior roles at Wells Fargo, specializing in originating financing for middle-market companies.
