Churchill Asset Management LLC, a majority-owned affiliate of Nuveen focused on originating, underwriting and managing middle market senior loan investments, announced that Amit Bhatia, Jeff Rabaut and Tarek Srouji have joined the firm as Principals and members of Churchill’s Sponsor Coverage team. The appointments are effective immediately and all will report to Randy Schwimmer, Senior Managing Director and Head of Origination and Capital Markets.

Bhatia comes to Churchill with over ten years of middle market debt investing experience, having worked most recently at Solar Capital Partners, where he was a Principal. At Solar, he focused on originating, structuring, negotiating and executing stretch senior, unitranche and second lien debt investments in private, middle-market companies across a broad range of industries. He developed and maintained relationships with numerous middle market private equity sponsors, investment banks and other alternative lending platforms. Prior to Solar, Bhatia was a Vice President in the Private Debt Group of GSO Capital Partners where he had similar investment and origination responsibilities.

Rabaut joins Churchill’s Chicago office from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation where he was a Director on their Sponsor Origination team and helped launch SMBC’s Chicago office. Prior to that, Rabaut spent over ten years at Antares Capital and its predecessor firm GE Antares, where he was responsible for reviewing new financing opportunities, leading underwriting teams and managing loan investments as part of the firm’s credit and portfolio management group.

Srouji joins Churchill with over a decade of experience in middle market finance and brings strong relationships with leading middle market private equity firms and lenders to his role at the firm. He previously worked at BNP Paribas where he served as a Director in the firm’s Merchant Banking and Loan Syndication Groups. At BNP Paribas, he led the origination, structuring and underwriting of senior debt transactions with middle market private equity investment firms. Previously, Srouji held similar positions at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse.

“We are thrilled to have Amit, Jeff and Tarek join our origination team,” said Randy Schwimmer. “They all bring with them outstanding middle market sponsor and lender relationships that will help us enhance our capabilities and broaden our coverage of leading middle market private equity firms. These appointments underscore our commitment to growing a deep and experienced investment team with a strong track record in middle market senior debt financing.”

Churchill is led by a senior management and investment team that has worked together for over twelve years and has collectively invested more than $8 billion in over 400 middle market companies.