Centerbridge Partners

{{Short description|Multi-strategy private investment firm}}

{{distinguish|Centerview Partners}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Centerbridge Partners, L.P.

| logo = File:Centerbridge Partners logo.png

| type = Private

| Executives = Principal: Jeffrey Aronson

| foundation = {{start date and age|2005}}

| location = Seagram Building
New York City, New York, United States

| industry = Hedge fund, Private Equity

| products = Leveraged buyouts, distressed securities|

| aum = $56 Billion

| homepage = {{url|http://centerbridge.com/}}|

}}

Centerbridge Partners, L.P. is a multi-strategy private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts and distressed securities.

The firm manages over $56 billion of assets[https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2021-11-23/dgap-news-bidding-company-with-participation-by-advent-international-and-centerbridge-partners-announces-intention-to-launch Bidding company with participation by Advent International and Centerbridge Partners announces intention to launch] Bloomberg, November 23, 2021. and is based in New York City, with an additional office in London. The firm invests in both control (private equity and public debt with a "loan-to-own" strategy) and non-control (public market debt, public market equities, and other publicly traded securities) opportunities.

The firm [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443713704577603553216342994 Split in Private Equity Funding]. The Wall Street Journal, August 21, 2012 was founded in 2005 by Jeffrey Aronson and Mark Gallogly. Aronson had previously been the head of distressed securities and had founded the leveraged loan business at Angelo, Gordon & Co., which he had joined in 1989 from L.F. Rothschild & Co. Gallogly was formerly a senior managing director and head of private equity investments at the Blackstone Group from 2003 until his departure. At Blackstone, Gallogly was heavily involved in the firm's investments in New Skies Satellites and Sirius Satellite Radio among others and had joined the firm in 1989 from Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, where he worked in acquisition finance.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

In September 2006, the firm raised its debut fund with $3.2 billion of investor commitments to focus on control investments in distressed securities as well as leveraged buyout transactions.[https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=araeFBNUGhFo&refer=funds Centerbridge Raises $3 Billion for First Buyout Fund]. Bloomberg, September 26, 2006[http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2006-11-30/centerbridge-recruits-for-auto-investments Centerbridge recruits for auto investments]. Financial News, Nov 30, 2006 The firm also raised a $2 billion non-control, activist-oriented credit trading fund known as Centerbridge Special Credit Partners through 2009 and 2010.[https://blogs.wsj.com/privateequity/2010/04/02/investors-buy-into-centerbridges-do-nothing-strategy/ Investors Buy Into Centerbridge’s ‘Do Nothing’ Strategy]. Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2010 In 2010, the firm announced plans to begin marketing a second investment fund with a target of $3.75 billion of investor commitments.[http://www.automatedtrader.net/real-time-dow-jones/10497/centerbridge-aims-for-375-billion-on-distressed_debt-and-buyout-fund Centerbridge Aims For $3.75 Billion On Distressed-Debt And Buyout Fund] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119140905/http://www.automatedtrader.net/real-time-dow-jones/10497/centerbridge-aims-for-375-billion-on-distressed_debt-and-buyout-fund |date=2015-11-19 }}. Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst, August 6, 2010 In 2011, the firm closed its second flagship fund, Centerbridge Partners II, on $4.4 billion, including a commitment from the GP.[https://archive.today/20130201025300/http://www.privateequityconnect.com/NewsContent.aspx?iid=67475 Centerbridge in lightning-quick fundraise]. Private Equity International, May 25, 2012 This was followed by a closing of its $2bn second Special Credit Partners fund in March 2012.

In 2010, Centerbridge won control of Extended Stay Hotels, a company that Gallogly had been involved with at Blackstone.[https://www.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748704596504575272051736257916.html Centerbridge Snares Extended Stay]. Wall Street Journal, May 29, 2010 That same year, Centerbridge acquired 'GMAC Commercial Finance', a subsidiary of Ally Financial{{cite web|title= Centerbridge Acquires Resort Finance Business From GMAC Commercial Finance|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/centerbridge-acquires-resort-finance-business-from-gmac-commercial-finance-103653799.html|publisher=prnewswire}} as well as Rock Bottom Restaurants and Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, merged to form CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/nov/16/gordon-biersch-brewer-in-merger-to-become/|title=Gordon Biersch brewer in merger to become CraftWorks|date=16 November 2010 |publisher=|accessdate=30 June 2016}} In 2012, Centerbridge acquired P. F. Chang's China Bistro, a chain of Chinese casual dining restaurants.{{cite news|url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/centerbridge-partners-buys-p-f-changs-for-1-1-billion/?_r=0 |title=Centerbridge Buys P.F. Chang's for $1.1 Billion |author=Evelyn M. Rusli |work=New York Times |date=May 1, 2012 |accessdate=April 3, 2017}} Three years later announced its agreement to buy Senvion SE from Indian wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon{{cite web |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/deals-day-idUKL4N0V13NU20150122 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106123843/http://uk.reuters.com/article/deals-day-idUKL4N0V13NU20150122 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 6, 2016 |publisher=Reuters |accessdate=2014-01-22 |title=Deals of the day - Mergers and acquisitions}} and acquired Great Wolf Resorts, the world's largest chain of indoor water park resorts for $1.35 billion.{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-great-wolf-m-a-centerbridge-idUSKBN0MK1V220150324 |title=Exclusive: Centerbridge in $1.35 billion deal for Great Wolf Resorts: Sources |website=Reuters |date=24 March 2015 |access-date=2017-06-30 |archive-date=2015-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619005043/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/24/us-great-wolf-m-a-centerbridge-idUSKBN0MK1V220150324 |url-status=live }}

In August 2016, Centerbridge Partners, together with Canyon Capital Advisors, Värde Partners and seven other funds, participates in the rescue of Spanish giant Abengoa, injecting a combined €1.17 billion.{{cite news |title=¿Asegura Abengoa su supervivencia tras el rescate de los acreedores?|url=https://www.elmundo.es/economia/2016/08/11/57ac73df268e3ea05c8b4682.html|work=Diario El Mundo|access-date=11 August 2016}}

In January 2017, Centerbridge Partners sells Vela Energy to Sonnedix for €600 million. Sonnedix thus takes over a portfolio of 136MWp, corresponding to 43 solar PV plants in Spain, making it the second largest solar PV operator in Spain and one of the largest in the world, with close to 500MW worldwide.[https://www.expansion.com/empresas/energia/2017/01/07/5870b40ae2704ee97c8b4629.html Centerbridge vende Vela Energy a Sonnedix por 600 millones], en el diario Expansión.com, 7 de enero de 2017.[https://www.eleconomista.es/energia/noticias/8069773/01/17/Sonnedix-compra-Vela-Energy-a-Centerbridge.html Sonnedix compra Vela Energy a Centerbridge], en el diario El Economista.es, consultado el 9 de enero de 2017.

During the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Pete Buttigieg received scrutiny for accepting donations from members of Centerbridge due to the firm's "reputation for its work buying up distressed debt in Puerto Rico."{{cite web |last1=Sammon |first1=Alexander |title=Pete's Puerto Rico Problem |url=https://prospect.org/power/pete-buttigieg-puerto-rico-problem/ |website=The American Prospect |date=3 January 2020 |publisher=The American Prospect |accessdate=24 April 2020}} Centerbridge sat on the steering committee of the Ad Hoc group, a group of hedge funds that litigated against the Puerto Rican government for full repayment on constitutionally guaranteed general obligation bonds.{{cite news |last1=Krudy |first1=Edward |title=Puerto Rico hedge fund group seeks legal advice as default stakes rise |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-puertorico/puerto-rico-hedge-fund-group-seeks-legal-advice-as-default-stakes-rise-idUSL1N0XX07H20150506 |website=Reuters |date=6 May 2015 |agency=Reuters |accessdate=24 April 2020}}

In the fall of 2020, Centerbridge took a minority stake in FreshDirect, an online grocer. The deal was part of a buyout of the company along with Dutch-based food retailer Ahold Delhaize.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-19|title=Ahold Delhaize to buy online grocer FreshDirect|url=https://www.supermarketnews.com/online-retail/ahold-delhaize-buy-online-grocer-freshdirect|access-date=2020-12-10|website=Supermarket News|language=en}}