Clearlake Capital Group

Clearlake Capital Group was founded in 2006 by Steven Chang, Behdad Eghbali, and José E. Feliciano. The firm's original strategy involved shifting between buyouts and distressed securities based on economic conditions, a flexibility that allowed it to capitalize on the 2008 financial crisis. Over the years, the firm has expanded significantly, selling minority stakes to firms like Dyal Capital and Petershill Partners to fund the launch of a dedicated credit unit.

The firm is headquartered in Santa Monica and maintains a global presence with affiliates in cities such as London, Dublin, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore. In recent years, Clearlake has become a prominent name in sports ownership through its co-led acquisition of Chelsea F.C. under the BlueCo consortium. It has also aggressively expanded its credit platform through the acquisition of WhiteStar Asset Management and Natixis' private credit business, MV Credit.

Clearlake is known for taking major software companies private and managing large-scale restructuring. Notable activities include the acquisitions of Cornerstone OnDemand, Alteryx, and Dun & Bradstreet. By 2025, the firm managed more than $90 billion in assets and signaled plans to significantly triple its credit asset base by 2030 through its Clearlake Credit underwriting platform.