Curt Lueker joined Marathon Asset Management as a managing director to lead the firm’s sponsor coverage and direct lending business. In addition, Lueker will become a member of the firm’s investment committee.

Lueker has nearly 30 years of experience building middle-market leveraged lending businesses, joining Marathon from Modern Bank, where he served as chief lending officer and head of commercial markets, overseeing the commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, energy and small business lending lines. Before joining Modern Bank, Lueker was at the Royal Bank of Scotland, Indosuez Capital and Bank of America, originating, executing and managing senior secured loans, mezzanine investments, equity co-investments and private equity fund commitments.

“Curt’s expertise and knowledge in direct lending is a welcome addition to our team as we further expand our direct lending business in North America,” Bruce Richards, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Marathon Asset Management, said. “Our core focus is to generate alpha for our clients by further developing our credit origination program, and adding Curt to our team further demonstrates Marathon’s commitment to reinforcing our position as a leading credit manager.”

“I am excited to join the Marathon team to help build the direct lending business and provide private equity sponsors and their companies with creative capital solutions,” Lueker said. “Marathon’s reputation, track record and deep bench of talent will enable us to further develop our leading direct lending business serving private equity sponsors and companies to meet their capital solutions. I look forward to extending credit for general corporate purposes, acquisition finance, recapitalizations and add-ons.”