NewStar Financial, Inc. has hired veteran banker Paul Horton as a Managing Director in its Leveraged Finance group with responsibility for generating new financing opportunities with mid-sized companies, private equity firms and other investors in the middle market. He will be located in the company's Darien, CT office.

Horton has 24 years of experience originating and structuring debt financings for middle market companies backed by private equity firms. Prior to joining NewStar, he was a Managing Director at RBS Citizens, where he was responsible for originating and executing senior debt capital transactions as a senior member of its Financial Sponsors group. Prior to that, Horton worked for Arrowhead Mezzanine LLC where he was responsible for originating and executing junior capital investments for a $500 million mezzanine fund. Previously, he worked at Royal Bank of Scotland, Heller Financial and Gleacher NatWest in a variety of roles, including leading sponsor coverage and restructuring teams. 

"I am very excited to join an established platform with such depth and experience in middle market lending," said Horton. "I am looking forward to helping NewStar build on its established direct origination franchise as the Company continues to broaden its coverage of private equity firms and intermediaries in these key markets."

"Paul is well known in the marketplace and has great relationships with financial sponsors. His credit skills and extensive transaction experience make him a great fit with us and we are really pleased to have him join us," said Pat McAuliffe, Head of Leveraged Finance-Origination for NewStar.

"We are pleased to add a banker of Paul's caliber to our team. He will add to our coverage of key markets," said Tim Conway, NewStar's Chief Executive Officer. "He also has valuable credit and junior debt transaction execution experience combined with a sophisticated view of the markets.  Adding Paul to our direct lending franchise reinforces our position in the marketplace as a trusted partner at a time when we are increasing our activity across the country," Conway added.

NewStar Financial is an internally-managed commercial finance company focused on meeting the complex financing needs of companies and private investors in the middle markets.