PE Firm · Capital Allocator

DLJ Merchant Banking

Medium
New York City, United States · Founded 1985 · AUM $12 billion · Website
Leveraged BuyoutGrowth CapitalMezzanine DebtReal Estate Private EquitySecondary InvestmentsRetailMediaHealthcareFinancial ServicesChemicalsEnergyIndustrialConsumer ProductsNorth AmericaEurope
Last verified
8/19/2026

Firm Overview

10
Portfolio tracked
8
Sectors
2
Regions
8/19/2026
Last verified

A private equity investment firm originally founded as the merchant banking arm of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, focusing on leveraged buyout transactions.

DLJ Merchant Banking (DLJMB) was founded in 1985 as the private equity arm of the investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Initially established to invest capital in leveraged buyouts alongside the bank's clients using balance sheet and employee capital, it transitioned to raising institutional private equity funds in 1992. Following the acquisition of DLJ by Credit Suisse First Boston in 2000, the firm saw significant leadership changes and several high-profile spinouts, including the formation of Diamond Castle Holdings and Avista Capital Partners.

In 2014, DLJMB was officially spun out from Credit Suisse to become an independent firm known as aPriori Capital Partners. Throughout its history, the firm has managed a diverse array of investment vehicles including real estate, growth capital, mezzanine debt, and secondary investments. It has historically managed billions in investor commitments across multiple fund cycles, maintaining a significant presence in the private equity landscape from its primary offices in New York and London.

Founded1985
HeadquartersNew York City, United States
AUM$12 billion
Target investment$1 billion - $5.3 billion (Fund Size)
EmployeesUnspecified
StrategiesLeveraged Buyout, Growth Capital, Mezzanine Debt, Real Estate Private Equity, Secondary Investments
Sector focusRetail, Media, Healthcare, Financial Services, Chemicals, Energy, Industrial, Consumer Products
Geographic focusNorth America, Europe

Leadership

Nicole Arnaboldi
Head of DLJMB
Named head of the firm in 2008 and a Managing Director at the firm.
Steven C. Rattner
Former Head of DLJMB
A former head of the firm who resigned in 2008 during fundraising for the fifth fund.
Larry Schloss
Former Co-Head of DLJMB
Co-head of DLJMB who spun out in 2004 to form Diamond Castle Holdings.
Thompson Dean
Former Lead Executive
A leader at the firm who completed a spinout in 2005 to form Avista Capital Partners.

Notable Investments

Neiman MarcusMGMNuveen InvestmentsRockwood HoldingsSymetra FinancialAccellentHealthMarketsNIBC BankGuala Closures GroupWastequip

Historical and current deals referenced in public sources.

Portfolio Companies

CompanySectorStatusWebsite
Enduring Resources IIEnergyExited
Fougera Pharmaceuticals Inc.PharmaceuticalsExited
Gala Group LimitedConsumer / RetailExited
HealthMarkets, Inc.Financial ServicesExited
JGWPT Holdings, LLCFinancial ServicesExited
Laramie Energy I, LLCEnergyExited
Luxury Optical Holdings Co.RetailExited
NextPharma Technologies, S.A.PharmaceuticalsExited
The Service Companies, Inc.Business ServicesExited
Zucamor SAIndustrialExited

Source: http://aprioricapital.com/portfolio

Portfolio Web Readiness

Not yet assessed

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Sources

This profile is based on publicly available information and may be incomplete or outdated. PE Firm Index is not affiliated with DLJ Merchant Banking and does not provide investment advice.

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