BDT & MSD Appoints Greg Olafson President, Co-Head of Global Credit & Co-Chief Investment Officer

CHICAGO and NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BDT & MSD Partners ("BDT & MSD") today announced that Greg Olafson has been appointed President, Co-Head of Global Credit & Co-Chief Investment Officer. He will join as a member of the senior leadership of the firm this July, reporting to Byron Trott, Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer & Co-Chief Investment Officer, and Gregg Lemkau, Co-Chief Executive Officer.

Olafson joins BDT & MSD from The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., where he served as Global Head of Private Credit, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, managing $130 billion in assets. In his new role, he will draw on his years of experience to oversee BDT & MSD's Private Credit strategies alongside Rob Platek, Co-Head of Global Credit, who will transition to the role of Chairman of Global Credit at the end of the year. In addition, Olafson will jointly lead investment decisions for the firm's flagship Private Capital funds alongside Trott and Dan Jester, President & Co-Chief Investment Officer.

Byron Trott said, "Over the course of his remarkable career, Greg has proven himself to be an exceptional, multi-talented investor with a sophisticated understanding of both private and public markets. His investing acumen will further strengthen our ability to meet the investing needs of founders, business-owning families, and like-minded investors."

"Greg is an outstanding addition to our firm, bringing an unparalleled track record of investing experience across asset classes and strategies," said Gregg Lemkau. "I have known and worked with him for many years, and I am delighted that we will benefit from his expertise and leadership to generate value for our investors."

Rob Platek commented, "As a like-minded investor with a consistent focus on generating risk-adjusted returns, Greg's approach and core values align perfectly with our team. I am proud of the strong franchise we have built within the Private Credit space, and I am confident that Greg will further enhance our capabilities and success."

BDT & MSD offers diversifying investment solutions across Private Capital, Private Credit, and Real Estate that aim to mitigate risk and enhance long-term value creation for family offices, trusts, foundations and select strategic investors. The firm's Private Credit platform has a 20-year track record and strong culture of aligned investing, providing creative financing solutions to a broad range of businesses across market sectors and geographies.

Olafson began his career at Goldman Sachs in 2001 and has held a variety of senior leadership positions over the past two decades. Prior to his most recent role, he served as President of Alternatives, overseeing the firm's private equity, growth equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, and sustainable investing strategies. He was Co-Chair of the Private Credit Investment Committee and a member of all other Alternatives Investment Committees, as well as a member of the Sustainable Finance Steering Group and the Firmwide Conduct Committee. Previously, he held the roles of Global Co-Head of Private Credit within Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and Head of the European Special Situations Group, of which he was a founding member.

Olafson is actively involved in the community, serving on the Board of Directors of The Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center in New York. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from the University of Windsor, Canada, and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, where he was recognized as a Shermet Scholar.

About BDT & MSD
BDT & MSD Partners is a merchant bank with an advisory and investment platform built to serve the distinct needs of business owners and strategic, long-term investors. The firm is distinguished by its decades of experience advising at the intersection of founders, families, and businesses, as well as by its differentiated capital base and culture of aligned investing. BDT & MSD was established in 2023 through the combination of BDT & Company, the merchant bank to the closely held, founded in 2009 by Byron Trott, and MSD Partners, a premier investment firm, led by Gregg Lemkau, that since 2009 has invested on behalf of Dell Technologies Founder Michael Dell, his family, and other like-minded investors. For more information, visit www.bdtmsd.com.

Media Contacts
Sara Evans / Matthew Glasser
T: (312) 529-6548 / (312) 385-2883
E: [email protected]

SOURCE BDT & MSD Partners