The Ramp Up

This month, Brett Jefferson, Founder and Co-Chief Investment Officer at Hildene Capital Management, joins your host Brian Bejile, CEO of Octaura, on The Ramp Up. Brett has charted an impressive career by looking at things differently. From the early days of navigating his education and passion for lacrosse at Syracuse University to landing on Wall Street and teaching himself the world of structured credit, Brett's refusal to fail and his focus on innovation has led Hildene to become a multi -award winning asset manager, and there's a lot more on the horizon for the firm.

About Brett

Mr. Jefferson is the Founder and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Hildene Capital Management, an asset management firm specializing in structured finance investments. Mr. Jefferson oversees all firm investment decisions and strategies. With over 25 years of combined experience in the structured finance market and the option arbitrage industry, Mr. Jefferson led Hildene to the Wall Street Journal (formerly Barron’s) Top 100 Annual Hedge Funds list for a seven-consecutive year period.

Prior to founding Hildene, Mr. Jefferson was a Senior Portfolio Manager of the Marathon Structured Finance Fund, which had no down months during his tenure. Prior to Marathon, he worked in the Structured Credit Products groups at Salomon Smith Barney and Chase Securities.

Mr. Jefferson graduated with a BA from Syracuse University and an MBA from J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Mr. Jefferson serves on the board of SILAC Insurance Company. Additionally, Mr. Jefferson is very active in the community. He is a member of the board of directors of the Tewaaraton Foundation, which annually awards the Tewaaraton Trophy to the best college lacrosse player in the nation; as well as a board member of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). In 2023, Mr. Jefferson was awarded the Syracuse University Letterwinner of Distinction in recognition of his success after graduation and his mark on the athletics program.

This month, Andy Gordon, co-founder, former CEO, and current Executive Chair of the Board of Managers at Octagon Credit joins your host Brian Bejile, CEO of Octaura on The Ramp Up. Andy has had an illustrious career on Wall Street. From being one of the first analysts on the leveraged buyout desk at Manufacturers Hanover Trust to successfully spinning out Octagon – he did all of this while finding opportunity through two recessions and building a business that champions diversity and inclusion.

About Andy

Andrew Gordon is a member of Octagon’s Investment Committee and serves as the Executive Chair of Octagon’s Board of Managers. He co-founded Octagon in 1994. Andy served as the firm’s Chief Executive Officer from 2009 to 2023, prior to which he managed numerous Octagon funds. He possesses over 30 years of experience in the below investment grade leveraged loan and high yield bond asset classes, in both sell-side and buy-side capacities. He also sits on Octagon’s ESG Committee.

Before co-founding Octagon, Andy was a Managing Director at Chemical Securities, Inc., where he focused primarily on the oil and gas industries. He advised on and arranged below investment grade loans for corporate clients, while also undertaking special projects in M&A advisory and distressed credit situations. Prior to Chemical, Andy served as Vice President in the Acquisition Finance Division of Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company.  In this capacity, he structured, syndicated and managed leveraged buyout transactions.

From 2010 to 2015, Andy served on the Board of Directors of the Loan Syndications and Trading Association ("LSTA") and on the LSTA's Executive Committee.  He graduated Cum Laude with an A.B. in Economics from Duke University, and holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 Registrations.

This month, Thomas Majewski, Founder and Managing Partner at Eagle Point Credit joins your host Brian Bejile, CEO of Octaura on The Ramp Up. Tom has been at the center of some of the most impactful innovations in the CLO market. On this episode, we cover a wide spectrum – including how Tom executed one of the earliest known CLO equity trades and what led him to start one of the first CLO equity funds.

About Tom

Tom is the Founder and Managing Partner of Eagle Point Credit Management. He manages Eagle Point and its affiliates, oversees all of the firm’s investment offerings, and is the lead Portfolio Manager for Eagle Point’s multi-credit strategies. Tom is Chairman of the firm’s Investment Committee. Tom founded Eagle Point in 2012 and has over 28 years of experience in credit and structured finance. He led the creation of some of the earliest refinancing CLOs, pioneering techniques that are now commonplace in the market. In 2017, Tom received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Ernst & Young in recognition of Eagle Point’s innovative and entrepreneurial culture. He holds a BS in Accounting from Binghamton University.

What do you say when someone asks you if you want to “be the guy?” On this month’s episode of The Ramp Up, Scott McKay, Head of Blue Owl Liquid Credit, fills us in on what he said next and shares why long-lasting relationships and perseverance were key to his career thus far. 

About Scott 

Before joining Blue Owl, Scott was a Managing Director at Littlejohn & Co., a middle-market private equity fund based in Greenwich. Scott began his career as an Investment Banking Associate at Bear Stearns & Co. in the Leverage Finance Group. Prior to beginning his finance career, Scott served in the United States Air Force as an acquisition officer and was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain. 

Scott received his BS in Management from the United States Air Force Academy and MBA from the University of Southern California.