Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Private equity |
| Predecessor | BAML Capital Partners |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Charlotte, North Carolina , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Equity investments up to US$250 million |
Ridgemont Equity Partners is a private equity firm that concentrates on investing in middle-market companies within the United States, spanning sectors such as basic industrial, energy, healthcare, telecommunications, media, and technology. The firm seeks to make equity investments up to US$250 million.
Established in 2010 as an independent entity spun off from Bank of America, Ridgemont traces its roots back to BAML Capital Partners and Bank of America Capital Investors. Together with its antecedents, the firm has deployed more than US$4.4 billion in equity since 1993.
The company’s main office is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Predecessors
Ridgemont became an independent firm in 2010 following its separation from Bank of America, having previously operated under the name BAML Capital Partners. This entity was created in 2009 through the merger of Bank of America Capital Investors (BACI) and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity (MLGPE), which occurred after Bank of America acquired Merrill Lynch.
After the merger, MLGPE halted new investments while BACI traditionally focused on smaller-scale transactions. This consolidation resulted in the unification of teams and the establishment of BAML Capital Partners.
Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity
Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity (MLGPE), headquartered in New York City, served as Merrill Lynch’s private equity arm prior to its integration with Bank of America. Founded in 1996, MLGPE specialized in leveraged buyout and growth capital transactions across a variety of industries and was a significant participant during the buyout surge of the mid-2000s.
MLGPE committed over US$5 billion to more than 30 portfolio companies. Among its prominent leveraged buyout deals were investments in The Hertz Corporation, Hospital Corporation of America, Debenhams, and Rexel.