American Capital, Ltd. announced it has promoted Ryan Brauns to Head of Sponsor Finance effective March 1, 2014.  In his new role, Brauns will be responsible for overseeing the Sponsor Finance Group, a dedicated, standalone team of professionals exclusively focused on providing capital to the financial sponsor community.

"Throughout his seven years with American Capital, Ryan has demonstrated exceptional skill in identifying new investment opportunities, managing portfolio investments and building and strengthening relationships within the financial sponsor space," said Brian Graff, Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Director.  "We are confident that as Managing Director and Head of Sponsor Finance, Ryan's leadership will continue to grow our business of providing the widest and most flexible range of financing in support of our private equity sponsor partners."

Brauns joined American Capital in February 2007 and has been a managing director in the New York office.  During his time at American Capital, Brauns has originated and managed debt and equity investments in middle-market companies in support of private equity firms.  Prior to joining American Capital, Brauns was Vice President at GE Capital.  While at GE Capital, Brauns focused on senior debt and second lien transactions, sourced through equity sponsors and the bank market, for leveraged middle-market companies in a variety of sectors.  Prior to GE Capital, Ryan spent five years with Lazard.

American Capital also announced today that two managing directors in the Sponsor Finance Group, Adam Spence and Bowen Diehl, have resigned from the company to pursue other interests.  Spence has been appointed by New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to be Senior Vice President of START-UP NY, a new economic development initiative.  Diehl has joined Capital Southwest Corporation as Chief Investment Officer.   

"We greatly appreciate the many contributions both Adam and Bowen have made to American Capital and particularly the growth of our Sponsor Finance business over the years.  We wish them continued success in their new positions," added Graff.

The Sponsor Finance Group works in partnership with private equity sponsors to provide unitranche, second lien, subordinated debt and minority equity investments of up to $150 million to support buyouts, recapitalizations, add-on acquisitions and growth initiatives of middle market companies.  In 2013, the Sponsor Finance Group, with offices in the United States and Europe, invested over $325 million in 18 new and existing portfolio companies.