Hasten, Platek Tapped to Lead Victory Park Capital’s Insurance Investment Unit

Chicago-based investment firm, Victory Park Capital (VPC), has hired Connell Hasten and Joshua Platek to lead the firm’s new insurance services division.

Hasten, who joins as partner, and Platek, who has been appointed vice president, will serve as co-founders of the insurance services platform, primarily responsible for sourcing, underwriting, executing and managing investment opportunities for insurers.

Hasten brings over a decade of industry experience to VPC. He was previously a managing director at EquiTrust Life Insurance Co., an insurance company with approximately $20 billion in assets, where he oversaw a large portion of private and public debt and equity investments. Prior to joining EquiTrust, he was a director at Guggenheim Partners and served as a portfolio manager, primarily responsible for investment portfolios on behalf of insurance companies. Previously, Hasten was a vice president at Bank of America in the special situations and real estate lending groups

Platek joins VPC from EquiTrust Life Insurance Co., where he co-managed a private debt and structured credit investment portfolio as a vice president. Prior to EquiTrust, Platek worked at Maranon Capital, a Chicago-based provider of senior financing, mezzanine debt and equity for middle market transactions. He started his career at Paul Capital, a New York-based private equity fund.

Both Hasten and Platek joined VPC in November and are based in the firm’s Chicago office.

Source: Victory Park Capital