Jeff Fields has joined Atalaya Capital Management as the president of subsidiary Atalaya Leasing, according to a Jan. 16 news release.
The position is new. Fields will be responsible for expanding the equipment-backed investment strategy's reach in the equipment finance market, both as a direct lender to commercial-end users and as a financing partner for established originators, according to the news release.
He will work with Rana Mitra, managing director and head of leasing at Atalaya.
"We believe there is an opportunity to capitalize on the increasing demand for equipment financing from sponsor and non-sponsor companies in conjunction with growing investor appetite for asset-backed private opportunities," Fields said in the release. "In our view, Atalaya is well-positioned to accelerate the growth of its leasing platform through expansion of our direct origination client footprint, as well as working with bank and non-bank origination partners to structure efficient capital solutions."
Fields previously was CEO of Chesswood Capital Management, the equipment-leasing-focused subsidiary of Chesswood Group. He resigned from the Toronto-based firm's board of directors to join Atalaya, according to a Jan. 9 news release from Chesswood. Officials at Chesswood could not be reached immediately for comment.
Fields also worked at RBC Capital Markets, where he led various business units over 22 years.
With his "deep industry expertise and demonstrated leadership," Field's hiring "is an exciting development for Atalaya Leasing," Mitra said in the Atalaya news release. "Having Jeff's wealth of experience and forward-thinking mindset will enhance our ability in seeking to continue making our platform a leading equipment leasing capital provider and trusted partner in the space," he added.
Atalaya has $10 billion in assets under management.
