Michael Leitner is a member of BlackRock’s Global Credit Platform and co-head of direct lending and TCP’s Special Situations investment practice. He is responsible for co-leading the platform, originating and executing investment opportunities, maintaining relationships with key deal sources—corporates and intermediaries across the U.S.—and is a permanent member of its Voting Committee across all funds and strategies.

Prior to its acquisition by BlackRock, Michael was a managing partner at Tennenbaum Capital Partners (TCP), a member of its Management Committee, and a past chairman of the Investment Committee for all fund vehicles and strategies. TCP, with its more than $9 billion in committed capital, was acquired by BlackRock in 2018. Prior to joining TCP in 2005, Michael served as senior vice president of Corporate Development for WilTel Communications, and before that as president and chief executive officer for GlobeNet Communications, leading the company through a successful turnaround and sale. Previously, he was vice president of Corporate Development, as well as head of Global Data Center and Colocation Services for 360networks and served as senior director of Corporate Development for Microsoft Corporation, managing corporate investments and acquisitions in the telecommunications, media, managed services and enterprise software sectors. Prior to Microsoft, he was a vice president in the mergers and acquisitions group at Merrill Lynch.

Micahel has served on numerous public and private company boards, and currently serves as a director on the board of Avanti plc, Tillman Infrastructure Group and Industrial Media. Michael received a BA in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles and an MBA from the University of Michigan.