What Willow Tree Credit Partners does

Willow Tree Credit Partners is a privately held credit alternatives platform founded in 2017 by Timothy Lower and headquartered in New York, with additional offices in Chicago and Miami. The firm provides flexible capital structure solutions to family-owned and financial sponsor-backed U.S. middle market companies with EBITDA between $5 million and $75 million, offering a full capital stack that includes revolvers, senior secured term loans, unitranche loans, second lien, mezzanine, preferred equity, and equity co-investment. Its stated investment approach emphasizes floating rate assets positioned at the top of the capital structure with a focus on capital preservation and loss prevention, and a willingness to embrace complexity to drive asset-level returns.

The business is relationship-driven rather than technology-driven: origination flows through a multi-pronged network that combines the senior team's decades of credit experience (with backgrounds at Ares, GSO/Blackstone, BlackRock, and MUFG) and a growing base of Operating Advisors and partners, alongside direct outreach to sponsors and entrepreneurs. The firm operates in a direct lending model on a deal-by-deal basis, with pricing and structure bespoke to each borrower; revenue mechanics are tied to investment returns from its credit book and any management or incentive fees from investor capital it manages. The senior team includes specialized coverage, restructuring, compliance, and investor relations functions (Justin Lee as GC/CCO, Mark Klingensmith as CFO, and dedicated IR and operations VPs), suggesting an institutional infrastructure being assembled to support a scalable fund or managed-account platform rather than purely balance-sheet deployment.

The company is private with no disclosed parent, funding rounds, or institutional investors in the available source material, and no revenue or AUM figures have been disclosed. Its competitive position is anchored on the founder's prior track record building Ares Management's direct lending business from $165 million to over $30.7 billion in AUM, and on co-leader James Roche's experience scaling GSO/Blackstone's sub-advised BDC platform to $17.2 billion.

Name

Willow Tree Credit Partners

Legal name

Willow Tree Credit Partners

Website

https://willowtreelp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Willow Tree Credit Partners is a privately held credit alternatives platform that provides flexible senior debt and equity capital structure solutions to family-owned and sponsor-backed U.S. middle market companies with EBITDA between $5 million and $75 million.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Credit Investment Returns: Generates returns through interest income and capital gains on debt and equity investments in middle market companies. Focuses on floating rate assets at the top of the capital structure for capital preservation and loss prevention.
2. Investment Management: Creates alpha and income for investors seeking attractive risk-adjusted returns through its credit alternatives platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Willow Tree Credit Partners is a credit alternatives platform that originates and structures flexible debt and equity capital solutions — including revolvers, senior secured term loans, unitranche loans, second lien, mezzanine, preferred equity, and equity co-investment — for family-owned and financial sponsor-backed U.S. middle market businesses with EBITDA between $5 million and $75 million. The firm also creates alpha and income for investors seeking attractive risk-adjusted returns through its credit platform.

Product overview

Willow Tree Credit Partners operates as a credit alternatives platform offering a comprehensive suite of flexible capital structure solutions to middle market businesses. The platform provides a range of debt and equity products including Revolvers, Senior Secured Term Loans, Unitranche Loans, Second Lien, Mezzanine, Preferred Equity, and Equity Co-Investment. The company targets family-owned and sponsor-backed businesses with EBITDA between $5 and $75 million, focusing on floating rate assets at the top of the capital structure with an emphasis on capital preservation and loss prevention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Revolvers Revolving credit facilities that provide flexible, ongoing capital access for family-owned and sponsor-backed middle market companies with EBITDA between $5 and $75 million.
• Senior Secured Term Loans First-lien secured term loans positioned at the top of the capital structure, focused on capital preservation and loss prevention for middle market borrowers.
• Unitranche Loans Combined senior and junior debt facilities offering simplified execution and a single financing source for middle market borrowers seeking one-stop capital.
• Second Lien Subordinated secured debt positioned between senior secured and unsecured obligations, offering incremental financing capacity to middle market companies.
• Mezzanine Hybrid debt-equity financing that combines fixed-income returns with equity participation features to support growth capital needs of middle market businesses.
• Preferred Equity Equity capital positioned senior to common equity with fixed or floating dividend features, providing flexible capital to middle market businesses without common-equity dilution.
• Equity Co-Investment Direct equity investments made alongside financial sponsors and family-owned businesses to support growth capital needs of middle market companies.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ares Management (Ares Capital Corporation): One of the largest direct lending and middle market credit platforms globally. Directly comparable as Willow Tree's founder Timothy Lower built Ares's direct lending franchise from inception; they pursue the same middle market borrower segment and capital structure products.
• Golub Capital: Leading middle market direct lending firm offering unitranche, senior secured, and second lien loans to sponsor-backed companies in the EBITDA range Willow Tree targets. Golub is a benchmark competitor for sponsor relationships and pricing.
• Blue Torch Capital: Private credit platform executing debt investments across the capital structure in middle market companies. Multiple Willow Tree alumni previously worked at Blue Torch, indicating direct personnel overlap and similar business model focus.
• Hercules Capital: Specialty finance company providing debt to middle market technology and healthcare companies. Comparable in middle market focus and direct lending model; Willow Tree's Alex Dashiell's team has hired from Hercules.
• Sixth Street Partners: Large-scale private credit and direct lending platform offering flexible capital across the capital structure to middle market and sponsor-backed companies. Comparable in product breadth and target borrower profile.
• MGG Investment Group: Private credit firm focused on direct lending to middle market companies. Comparable in business model and target borrower segment; Willow Tree VP Andrea Martinez was previously at MGG, indicating direct operating overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Oaktree Capital Management (Global Private Debt): Large alternative asset manager with a Global Private Debt group making debt and equity investments in middle market companies. Overlaps with Willow Tree's borrower profile and product suite as part of a broader credit platform.
• BlackRock Private Capital: Global asset manager with significant US Private Capital and direct lending capabilities built around the BlackRock Kelso Capital Advisors franchise. Multiple Willow Tree senior leaders came directly from BlackRock's credit platform.
• MUFG Direct Lending: Direct lending arm of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group providing senior debt and unitranche financing to middle market companies. Directly comparable as Willow Tree recently hired MUFG's former senior originator.
• Fortress Investment Group: Alternative asset manager with credit opportunity funds and direct lending capabilities serving middle market borrowers. Comparable through Willow Tree team alumni (e.g., Andrea Martinez) and overlapping product set.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/willow-tree-credit-partners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Willow Tree Credit Partners