Upwelling Capital Group announced it has hired Robert Rakowski as a principal of the firm.  Rakowski brings more than 20 years of financial industry experience to support Upwelling’s core offerings of legacy portfolio solutions, asset management, and strategy consulting services for institutional alternative investors, according to the firm.

Since its formation in 2011, Upwelling has successfully built its business through an emphasis on investment consulting services to foundations, family offices, pension plans, and other investment organizations located around the world.

“I am pleased to add Robert to the Upwelling team because he brings a rare combination of asset management experience and a successful track record of turning around underperforming investments,” commented Joncarlo Mark, founder of Upwelling. “His expertise in strategy, financial restructuring, and private equity finance will prove valuable in helping our clients address the challenge of managing complex legacy alternative assets.”

Rakowski is based in Connecticut, which provides Upwelling with a physical presence on the East Coast.

Rakowski most recently served as Executive Director with Fifth Street Finance, a private equity finance company. In that role, Rakowski was responsible for portfolio management and restructuring of debt and equity investments in middle-market companies.

Prior to Fifth Street Finance, he was a director with AlixPartners, a global corporate improvement consultancy that provides financial advisory and business turnaround services to multi-billion dollar businesses. His past casework included the successful resolution of a $60 billion regulated Wall Street brokerage and alternative investment management firm.

Before AlixPartners, Rakowski served as a Strategy Senior Manager with Accenture, where he led and conducted organic-growth and M&A-driven business consulting services in the U.S. and Europe. He began his career with Arthur Andersen Business Consulting and Deloitte.