Walter Gontarek is a founding Senior Partner and serves as Chief Executive Officer. He serves on the Risk Committee, Management Committee and Compensation Committee.

Walter began his career as a lending officer at Maryland National Bank before joining Loyola Federal Savings Bank and being named president of its consumer finance unit. In 1991 Walter served with the Ministry of Privatisation in Poland on commercial banking matters for the Secretary of State. Walter held senior positions with CIBC and TD Bank in both New York and London respectively where he was involved in establishing leading credit products business lines.

Walter was recruited by Royal Bank of Canada in 1999 to establish its credit products business as Managing Director and Global Head. This included establishing strategy for the business unit and oversight of bond, loan syndication, credit derivative products plus responsibility for its principal investments portfolio, comprised of primarily CLOs. He served as a member of RBC’s Fixed Income Operating Committee, Principal Investments Committee, and the European Operating Committee. Walter holds a MBA in Finance from NYU Stern School of Business, a certificate in International Business from ISA at the HEC Graduate School of Management in Paris, and a BBA in Finance from Loyola College. In 2012 Walter was named on the “Panel of Recognised International Market Experts in Finance” at PRIME Finance focusing on judicial training and settlement of complex financial transactions in The Hague, The Netherlands.