Crescent Capital Group has launched a new investment strategy focused on lending to private U.S. lower middle-market companies. John Bowman and Scott Carpenter, both managing directors of Crescent Capital, will lead Crescent Direct Lending.

Guggenheim Partners launched a restructuring practice within Guggenheim Securities. As part of the launch, Guggenheim appointed Ronen A. Bojmel as senior managing director and head of Restructuring to lead the firm’s expansion in this practice. Based in New York, Bojmel will start his new role on Oct. 1.

In its continued commitment to building out its direct investment platforms, Bregal Investments announced that it has formed Bregal Sagemount I, a private equity fund capitalized with $500 million in committed capital.

Investment bankers Mark D. Lubash and Terence M. Murphy announced the launch of Glidepath Capital Partners, an investment banking firm focused on providing mergers and acquisitions advisory services to small- and middle-market companies in the aerospace, defense and government services sectors.

Boutique merchant banking firm Northeast Global said it has entered the asset-based lending market. The company said it can now lend against assets such as, high-end jewelry and high-end art.

SWK Holdings announced that it has hired J. Brett Pope and Winston L. Black III as its chief executive officer and managing director, respectively, to build a specialty finance and asset management business.

Qualia Legacy Advisors, a media and entertainment transaction advisory firm, announced both its formation and the appointment of its co-founder Isaac Palmer as its CEO.

Paul McLean and Daryl MacLellan announced Maxium Financial Services has added an Accounts Receivable Financing and Asset-Based Lending Group to their organization. Martin Rees has been appointed director of the new group.

Newly formed Northpoint Commercial Finance, an inventory finance company, announced its entry into the marine industry. The company is majority owned by affiliates of Perella Weinberg Partners’ asset-based value strategy.

Prudential Capital Group has created a Dallas-based Energy Finance Group to provide expanded financing capabilities to the energy sectors of oil and gas, utility and power. Randall Kob, managing director, will lead the unit, overseeing a $12 billion energy and power portfolio.