Colin O'Donnell
Principal

Colin O'Donnell

Colin’s 25+ year career has spanned New York and London, operating across four continents in almost every industry and every type of equity and debt financing. Clients have ranged from startups to well established Fortune 500 names, both public and private. Colin spent eight years in banking at Credit Suisse First Boston and GMAC (Berkadia), focused on real estate, gaming, lodging, and industrial assets with significant structuring and restructuring needs, and then 17 years at three large hedge funds focused on special situations often in real estate, lodging, or power & energy, before starting Leelanau to return to his advisory roots. He has completed over $5bn of financing transactions, both in real estate and for corporate clients and has managed up to $1bn in client portfolios. He has also served as CFO and/or COO of multiple organizations. Colin has executive and entrepreneurial experience spanning and has structured investments and restructured, managed, and guided many companies. Liability management, 13 week cash flows, and negotiations with a host of creditors, investors, and vendors are all part of this business. Colin holds a bachelor's degree with Honors from Georgetown University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

REAL ESTATE / RESTAURANTS / GAMING / LODGING  

Expertly navigated the Sellside, Buyside, Financing, Landlord, and Tenant Advocacy industries, ensuring clients receive top-tier strategic guidance. Successfully led the recapitalization of a warehouse operation, liberating it from the Flemings bankruptcy and setting it on a path to profitability.

Pioneered the capitalization of a lucrative $100MM+ portfolio of select service hotels in the Southeast, utilizing innovative strategies for sustained growth.Orchestrated funding solutions totaling over $1 billion through an impressive array of sources, including Banks, Freddie/Fannie/HUD, CMBS, B Piece, B Note, Mezz, Pref Equity, and straight Equity, as well as pioneering programs like USDA, C-PACE, Tax Credits, and Eb-5.

Guided and capitalized a new manager of multifamily apartments in NYC from 2011 to 2014, leading them to become one of NYC's largest landlords, boasting an impressive portfolio of over 8,000 apartments.

Advised and secured capital for numerous other industrial, apartment, retail, and office portfolios across the United States from 2002 to the present, leaving a trail of satisfied and successful clients in our wake.

HEALTHCARE

Recapitalized multiple senior living and assisted living facilities. Currently, advise the CEO / Board of numerous companies in the eye care industry

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Currently, a consultant to three private funds, totaling over$5bn in AUM, focused on different areas of private debt and distressed debt

POWER AND ENERGY

Extensive focus on both carbon and renewable assets, public and private - participated in the Talen, Dynegy, Calpine, Arch and Peabody bankruptcies and turnarounds. Served as CFO/COO of a power and energy fund, raised capital for that fund, handled all SEC and compliance matters, reporting, audit, etc

INDUSTRIALS AND SYSTEMS

Helped raise over $3bn in financing for industrial and chemical companies. Currently, advise two companies on ongoing strategic and investor relations / capital matters, one manufacturing transformers and Ethernet products, and one manufacturing HVAC components Advised on the capitalization and M&A activities, and final sale/exit, of an environmental testing / filtration business based in New Jersey over the course of 8 years

AGRICULTURE

Advised on the $100MM+ recapitalization of a stressed‘vertical farm’ operation as well as on operational matters, thereby avoiding CH11.  Advised on the $100MM+ recapitalization and credit bid for two stressed agricultural land portfolios in South America into/through administration.  Advised on the $25MM startup capitalization of a farming operation in Belize

DISTRIBUTION & LOGISTICS

Started career as a management/rotational trainee atMcMaster Carr, the world’s largest privately held MRO / industrial distributor,focused on outbound logistics and warehouse operations

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