CIT Group announced it appointed William Douglass group head and managing director of CIT Corporate Finance, Healthcare, effective immediately. He previously served as underwriting manager for the group where he was responsible for overseeing the transaction underwriting function.

“William’s extensive experience in corporate banking, leveraged lending and middle market healthcare finance makes him the ideal person to lead our Healthcare group,” said Jim Hudak, president of CIT Corporate Finance. “His management and leadership skills fit well with our client-focused and industry centric model.”

Douglass will be responsible for overseeing CIT’s financing and advisory activities in the sector, including syndicated cash flow financings, asset based loans, real estate financings and M&A advisory engagements.

He brings to the role 20 years of leveraged finance and corporate banking experience. Prior to joining CIT in 2009, Douglass spent 10 years with Citigroup, focused on middle market leverage lending and junior debt, covering multiple industries with responsibilities including origination, underwriting, and portfolio management. From 2000 to 2005, he worked in the Business Finance Group, providing senior debt financing to companies located throughout the U.S. (leverage finance, asset based and investment grade). In 2006, he joined Citi Special Situations, a multi-strategy principal investment group, to help launch the fund’s middle market junior debt strategy providing capital solutions including unitranche, second lien, mezzanine and equity co-investments. Douglass began his career with SouthTrust Bank.