Jefferies Credit Partners, the asset management arm of Jefferies Finance, appointed Steve Marino as Head of Investor Solutions. Jefferies Finance is a joint venture of Jefferies Financial Group Inc. and MassMutual.

In the newly created role, Marino will focus on product development and strategy, working with JCP’s management, investment and business development teams to create and provide bespoke solutions for investors and strategic partners around the world.

Marino brings extensive experience building and managing institutional credit and alternative asset platforms. Most recently, Mr. Marino was the Head of the Private Investments program for the state of South Carolina where he was responsible for rebuilding a $10 billion portfolio of Private Equity, Credit and Real Assets across commingled funds, SMAs, JVs, secondaries and co-investments. At South Carolina, Mr. Marino implemented new top down investment policy, tactical workplans, and deal management infrastructure. He and his team led a turnaround of the Private Equity Portfolio, doubling in size from 2018 to 2021, and successfully spearheaded the restructuring of the Private Credit portfolio, transitioning it from opportunistic private equity style investments to ROE and cash flow focus through creation of Direct Lending SMAs, private to public BDCs, and JV structures.

Led by a senior team that averages more than 30 years of investment experience, JCP continues to expand its platform targeting companies with strong and sustainable competitive advantages that are led by exceptional management teams and owned by leading private equity sponsors. JCP offers investors exclusive access to private credit investment opportunities sourced directly through our platform’s proprietary network of sponsor and company relationships. Our broad platform has a long track record of empowering businesses’ growth, creating value and establishing long-term relationships.

Marino is a CFA charterholder and received a B.S in Business and Economics from Lehigh University and an MBA from the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business. He currently serves as a Board and Investment Committee Member to the University of South Carolina's ~$1bn Education Foundation.