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Christian Oberbeck

is the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer & President at Saratoga Investment Corp., a publicly traded business development company.

Featured Blog Posts:

A History of BDCs, and Why They’re Rising Quickly

Business development companies (BDCs) are closed-end investment companies that invest in small and mid-sized businesses in the United States. Similar to venture capital funds, BDCs invest shareholders’ money to generate investment income and turn a profit. BDCs differ...

Opinions Split on BDC Maturity Wall Scenario

Do BDCs have a debt maturity issue on its hand? A recent Fitch Ratings report found that is indeed the case as some $1.3 billion of convertible notes and other debts from select BDCs are about to reach maturity. The sum totals the 2011 and 2012 issued notes from four...

No News is Good News? Why Not Seeing BDC Headlines is a Good Sign

In recent years, the business development company sector has boomed. In just a few short years, the number of BDCs skyrocketed from relatively low numbers in the early 2000s to a sizeable number today, including over 50 that are publicly traded. So why might you not...

Retirement Planning? Consider a BDC

The once clear path to retirement savings continues to become less and less clear as traditional fixed-income holdings may not provide enough for the staggering amount of Baby Boomers--an estimated 77 million Americans between 50 and 69 years old--enter retirement....

How Do BDCs Fare Against Traditional Investments?

What Are Business Development Companies? Business Development Companies (BDCs) were created in 1980 to provide loans and aid to small and mid-sized businesses hoping to finance their prospective enterprises. According to the Small Business Administration, small to...

Chris OberbeckChris Oberbeck is the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer & President at Saratoga Investment Corp., a publicly traded business development company. Mr. Oberbeck brings over 25 years of experience in leveraged finance, from distressed debt to private equity, to his position.

Mr. Oberbeck’s wealth of experience stems from originating, structuring, negotiating, consummating, managing and monitoring investments in a wide variety of middle-market businesses. In addition to his aforementioned roles, Mr. Oberbeck is the Managing Partner of Saratoga Partners, a middle market private equity investment firm, and has served on its investment committee since 1995. In 2008, he assumed management responsibility of Saratoga Partners.

Prior to joining Saratoga, Chris Oberbeck served as an integral figure in the early development of the corporate buyout firm Castle Harlan, Inc. Serving as Managing Director, he served as a key figure in successful investments in manufacturing and financial services companies, until departing in 1995 to join Saratoga. In addition to his work at Castle Harlan, Inc., Mr. Oberbeck established himself as a Financial Analyst and Associate at Blyth Eastman Paine Webber (’82-’84) and The Corporate Development Group of Arthur Young (’86-’87).

His financial acumen is a credit to a lifelong emphasis on education that took him overseas for schooling in France, as well as receiving an elite education from New Hampshire’s Phillips Exeter Academy. Upon entering university, he a diverse education–earning his ScB. in Physics and B.A. in Mathematics from Brown University (’82) and M.B.A. with a concentration in finance from Columbia University (’84).

When not at work, Chris Oberbeck endeavors to give back as much as possible through his non-profit efforts. Since 2010, he has remained active in the Chief Executive Organization as well as the World Presidents Organization’s Big Apple and Fairchester chapters. Furthermore, in 2011 he began with the PEN American Center, Literary and Human Rights Organization and Harvard Kennedy School’s Dean’s Council.