Episode 261: David Golub of Golub Capital: Giving Culture the Credit

May 30, 2024

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David Golub is President at Golub Capital, a direct lender and credit manager established in 1994, and celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. As the son of a psychiatrist and psychologist, a path into finance was originally a divergent path, and a somewhat non-linear one at that.

As we chart the course of David’s career we chart the arc of Golub Capital’s at the same time – discussing the origins of the concept of a private lending firm and how it had its roots in private equity. Designed to solve a problem, offer certainty of execution and built on a network of relationships we hear how a lot of hard work – and a little bit of luck – lead to the positioning that they enjoy today.

We move then to discuss the nature of the private credit market and how it has evolved over the course of Golub’s history. We examine its significantly enhanced breadth and sophistication today.

One of David’s key personal interests is in culture and we speak in particular about the role that culture plays at Golub. The firm dedicates significant resources to training, coaching and creating a sense of belonging for its team members. We speak about the role of feedback and accountability as well as the way that junior professionals are mentored and learn how to take risk. Finally we discuss the role of worrying and how for a credit investor it seems to go with the territory.

Series 3 of 2024 is supported by Ruffer and Nuveen. Ruffer is a London based asset manager - founded in 1994 - managing over $25 billion for institutions, pension funds, charities and individuals. They have a single investment approach that aims to deliver positive returns across the full range of market conditions. Nuveen has provided investment excellence for 125 years. With expertise across income and alternatives, Nuveen continues to expand its capabilities while maintaining its legacy as a leading investment manager. Visit Nuveen.com to learn more. Investing involves risk; loss of principal is possible.