Ingrid Kiefer has accumulated more than two decades of experience in credit financing, acting as an inspiration to many women in the industry. Throughout her accomplished history in the sector, Kiefer has had to utilize a broad range of professional skills to execute on a firm’s strategic objectives. She says that these skills include maintaining a level head, having a long-term perspective, committing to transparent communication and actively contributing to a positive culture, ultimately helping her teams navigate various challenges throughout her career.

Kiefer began her career in the asset management industry in 1996 at Fischer Francis Trees and Watts. She has since held numerous product specialist roles at firms such as BlackRock, Drake Management and Satellite, and in 2009, became a partner at Canyon Partners, where she ran the company’s capital formation effort for nearly 14 years before landing her current role as the chief business development officer for SLR Capital Partners.

Kiefer’s role at SLR involves introducing and expanding the investor base for specialty finance. Through education and outreach, she facilitates access to the asset class and enhances SLR’s diversified lending solutions to borrowers through capital expansion.

As the capital market is constantly changing, Kiefer emphasizes the importance of not only communicating to effectively execute strategy but also taking career risks. “When confronted with a challenge, focus on solutions, not the problem,” Kiefer says. In order to do so, Kiefer advises other professionals to find firms where there is a “positive structure of constructive accountability.”

In the future, Kiefer hopes to identify expansion opportunities that align with the portfolio needs of her clients and support the growth objectives of sponsors, all while also continuing to elevate women into leadership positions.