Star Mountain taps Carlyle mezz co-founder

Star Mountain Capital has added Leo Helmers as a senior advisor to the firm. 

Helmers, as well as advising will also invest with Star Mountain. Helmer's most recent venture is small business-focused investment firm LMZ Partners. 

Before establishing LMZ, Helmers was a managing director at The Carlyle Group, where he co-founded Carlyle’s mezzanine investment business and raised the first two mezzanine funds. Prior to Carlyle, Helmers served as a senior vice president at TCW/Crescent Mezzanine Partners, where he was responsible for investing and managing a portfolio of mezzanine capital across three funds. 

“The addition of Leo to the Star Mountain team further strengthens the firm's immense knowledge base of small and medium-sized business investing,” said chief executive Brett Hickey in a statement.

“I believe that Star Mountain's innovative model, experienced team and deep relationships provide considerable value to all constituents in this under-served market segment,” added Helmers. 

Other senior advisors and investors in the firm include former chairman and chief executive of US investment bank Morgan Stanley, John Mack as well as Bob Long, the former president and chief executive of Oak Hill Advisors' externally managed BDC. 

New York-based Star Mountain is an alternative investment firm focused on lower mid-market credit investments.