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Overview

Starwood Infrastructure Finance (‘SIF’) is a leading origination, underwriting and syndication platform within the power, energy and infrastructure sectors with:

  • Highly flexible investment platform allows SIF to invest across the capital structure and provide a potential one-stop shop for financing through construction and operations
  • Ability to commit large ticket sizes and hold up to $150MM, complemented by our strong distribution capabilities
  • Deep sector knowledge and domain expertise enables the team to work efficiently and provide creative solutions
  • Access to diverse sources of capital allows SIF to provide competitive pricing to borrowers
  • Expertise both domestically and internationally
  • Cohesive management team with 22+ years of industry experience

Industry Coverage and Product Offerings


Industry Coverage

Power (Thermal & Renewables)

Midstream

Oil & Gas

General Infrastructure

Product Offering

  • Project finance senior debt
    • Construction loans
    • Acquisition finance
    • Leverage loans
    • Project bonds
  • Reserve based lending
  • Uni-tranche
  • Mezzanine financing

Executive Team

Denise Persau Tait

Co-President

Starwood Infrastructure Finance

Denise Persau Tait is the Co-President of Starwood Infrastructure Finance (“SIF”). In this role, Denise leads the origination, underwriting and portfolio management of the businesses investing in the thermal power, renewable energy, and oil and gas infrastructure projects, in the U.S. and globally.

Prior to joining SIF in 2018, Denise was the Global Head Project Finance Debt Business at GE Energy Financial Services. In this role, Denise led the origination, underwriting and portfolio management of $3bn of debt investments across the energy industry in the U.S. and globally.

Denise is a member of the National Charity League, Inc. – Westport Chapter, and a Board Member of Earthplace – Westport.

Denise spent 24-years at GE and began her career with GE Capital in the Commercial Equipment Finance group holding various positions in Portfolio, Risk and Origination. Denise joined GE Energy Financial services in 2004 as an investment originator and held roles of increasing responsibility before being named to Global Head Project Finance Debt Business in 2015. During her tenure, Denise played an instrumental role in the growth of the businesses debt book, originating $4bn of new investments over the course of ten years as an individual contributor and increasing the size of the book by $2.7bn in hold volume under her leadership since 2015. A key focus of the group was the expansion into quasi-merchant transactions, where the team was the leader in arranging and structuring the initial transactions for large, new build power projects in the U.S.
Denise also led GE Energy Financial Services’ charitable contributions program which donated approximately $300,000 annually. Additionally, she led the businesses Associate / AVP / Analyst career program which focused on growing and retaining energy finance professionals with undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Denise graduated from American University’s Kogod School of Business, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

Sean Murdock

President

Starwood Infrastructure Finance

Sean Murdock is President of Starwood Infrastructure Finance (“SIF”). In this role, Mr. Murdock oversees deal screening, structuring and due diligence, as well as portfolio management for investments made by SIF. He is also a member of SIF’s Investment Committee.

Prior to joining Starwood, Mr. Murdock was a Senior Credit Analyst at Panning Capital Management, a distressed credit fund based in New York. Previous to joining Panning, Mr. Murdock served as the head of US Credit Trading at both the Royal Bank of Scotland in Stamford, Connecticut and Merrill Lynch in New York.

Mr. Murdock received a BA in History from Duke University.

Peter Tom

Managing Director, Underwriting and Portfolio Management

Peter Tom is a Managing Director of Underwriting & Portfolio Management at Starwood Infrastructure Finance. In this role, he leads teams in the underwriting, structuring and portfolio management of debt investments in thermal power, renewable energy, midstream, oil & gas, and infrastructure projects, in the U.S. and globally. In addition to overseeing the structuring of new investments, Peter also manages the U.S. thermal power debt portfolio.

Prior to joining Starwood in 2018, Peter was with the Energy Financial Services division of GE Capital for nearly 13 years. For over 10 years during this period, he led the structuring and execution of $10B in project finance and structured debt transactions. In prior roles at GE Capital, Peter managed a $1.2B portfolio of equity investments in power generation assets and led the divestiture of nearly $1.5B of equity investments in energy assets.

Diane Li

Managing Director, Starwood Infrastructure Finance

Diane Li is a Senior Vice President at Starwood Infrastructure Finance. She leads teams of investment professionals in underwriting, structuring and portfolio management for debt investments in thermal and renewable power, midstream and other infrastructure assets. She has led the execution of highly structured financings with an aggregated enterprise value in excess of $5Bn throughout her career.

Prior to joining Starwood Infrastructure Finance, Diane was a Senior Vice President in GE Energy Financial Services. She has diverse experience in Debt Underwriting, Global Equity Investment and Power Development and closed more than $2Bn investments.

Prior to 2010, Diane held roles of increasing responsibility in Corporate Finance and Development at the Linde Group. Ms. Li holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with honors from Fudan University in Shanghai, China and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University Tepper School of Business, where she graduated with Distinction.

Haig Najarian

Managing Director, Legal and Compliance

Haig Najarian is Managing Director, Legal and Compliance, of Starwood Infrastructure Finance. With nearly 30 years of broad experience in finance, corporate law, and joint ventures, Haig oversees all legal and compliance matters for SIF. He also plays a significant role in SIF’s capital raising efforts.

Prior to joining Starwood, he was Managing Director & Counsel with GE Energy Financial Services, where he advised on a variety of transactions in the US and global energy sectors and managed the corporate governance team. He began his career with international law firms based in New York, advising sponsors and capital providers on energy and infrastructure matters.

Haig received his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and his B.A. in International Affairs from the Elliott School at The George Washington University.

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Contact Us

Stamford

301 Tresser Boulevard, 12th Floor
Stamford, CT  06901
Phone: 203-487-8058