The Fund Finance Association announced its 2023 awards, and Cadwalader was very well represented, with U.S. practice head Wes Misson selected for a prestigious “Annual Contribution to the Industry” award and special counsels Chris Montgomery and Joe Zeidner named “Rising Stars.”

The Annual Contribution to the Industry Award is presented to individuals “who have gone above and beyond the call of duty during the prior year and demonstrated outstanding overall contribution to the Fund Finance industry, their firms and their clients, with an emphasis on professional contributions focused on excellence in client service, product and service innovations, diversity and inclusion, career development, training and mentoring, networking and community service.”

In addition to Wes, FFA acknowledged the contributions of U.S. Bank Managing Director Mike Henry and KKR & Co.’s Micaela Mastrogiannis.  

In selecting Wes, FFA noted that he “leads the largest and most experienced team in the U.S. market and has served as lead counsel on thousands of transactions, including many of the largest and most sophisticated fund financings ever consummated.” The FFA added that his “innovative work and commercial approach has had a profound impact on the fund finance industry, an impact which has earned this year’s award.” The published profile also pointed out that, working collaboratively with UK fund finance head Samantha Hutchinson, Wes “oversees a diverse and growing team of nearly 80 fund finance practitioners that cover the full spectrum of modern day fund finance, including NAV-Facilities, Hybrids, Pref Equity Structures, GP Financings, Venture Debt and Capital Relief and Risk Transfer Trades.”

You can read the profiles on Wes, Mike and Micaela here.

The Rising Stars program recognizes leaders in the fund finance industry with less than 10 years of experience. Recipients are selected “based on their outstanding overall contribution to the fund finance industry, their firms and their clients, the FFA, the NextGen Network and/or WFF, with an emphasis on professional contributions focused on excellence in client service, product and service innovations, diversity and inclusion, career development, training and mentoring, networking and community service.”

The profiles of Chris and Joe include work-related information and some fun facts. For example, Chris continues to be inspired by his grandfather, the "hardest-working person I have ever met and just an incredibly fair and decent man." And Joe talks about his love for travel – he has visited 42 countries outside the United States, with the number one spot on his bucket list being Machu Picchu. 

You can download the full Rising Stars booklet here and read the profiles of Chris, Joe and all the other honorees. 

Congratulations to all!