Lafayette Square, an impact-driven, minority-owned investment platform, announced today that Stephen Usher has been appointed as Head of Distribution. In this new role, Mr. Usher will lead business development and capital formation activities across Lafayette Square.
Mr. Usher has twenty-five years of experience within the asset management industry. Most recently, he was a Partner at Standard General, where he headed business development efforts, was a member of the firm’s investment committee and helped manage the company’s trading business. Before that, Mr. Usher was a Founding Partner of Serengeti Asset Management, where he oversaw business development and built out the firm’s credit trading platform. Previously, he was at Goldman Sachs for nearly a decade within the distressed bank loan and bond sales and trading group. Mr. Usher began his career as a member of Citibank’s leveraged loan sales group.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Stephen, and look forward to working with him to develop and launch strategic fundraising initiatives that align us with a strong base of like-minded investors,” said Damien Dwin, Founder & CEO of Lafayette Square. “His knowledge of the space and key industry relationships will help us meet the needs of prospective investors, who are overwhelmingly starting to look for solutions that not only drive returns within the current low-rate environment but also sustainably drive impact.”
“It’s with great pleasure that I’m joining a firm that is at the forefront of confronting critical societal challenges through capital and services,” said Mr. Usher. “We have noticed accelerating demand from investors for impact-driven investment strategies within their portfolios, and I look forward to leading Lafayette Square’s business development efforts and in turn, helping investors achieve their goals.”
Mr. Usher has served on several non-profit boards and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of The Harlem School of the Arts. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University, where he is a member of the President’s council.
About Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square Holding Company, LLC (“Lafayette Square” or the “Firm”) is an impact-driven, minority-owned investment platform. Founded by Damien Dwin in 2020, the Firm confronts critical societal challenges with capital and services in three core areas: housing, jobs, and financial inclusion. For more information about Lafayette Square, please visit lafayettesquare.com
