Our Story & Leadership

The Ben® Story

Beneficient – Ben, for short – was founded to address an emerging gap in the alternatives industry. Lowered minimums had opened this exciting asset class to a broader pool of investors. However, no one was providing these smaller investors with the level of access to early exit solutions similar as what was afforded to large institutional investors.

We’re focused on truly democratizing the alternatives landscape and empowering mid-to-high net worth individuals and small-to-midsized institutions to access early exit solutions for their illiquid alternative asset investments when they’re needed, wanted, or simply when it makes financial sense. By leveraging cutting edge technology and serving a wider range of investors than any other solution provider, we’re executing our vision.

Our Leadership

Our business is grounded in a strong management team and Board of Directors with extensive experience in alternative assets and financial services.

Our Team

Ben’s management team includes industry veterans with broad fiduciary, investing, and operating experience in both the credit and alternative asset markets. Our senior management team enjoys longstanding relationships with investors, general partners, and advisors of alternative asset funds.

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Brad Heppner

Chief Executive Officer

Chairman of the Board

Founder

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James Silk

Executive Vice President

Chief Legal Officer

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Derek Fletcher

President & Chief Fiduciary Officer

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Jeff Welday

Global Head of Originations & Distribution

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Greg Ezell

Chief Financial Officer

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Scott Wilson

Chief Underwriting Officer

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David Rost

General Counsel

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Maria S. Rutledge

Chief Technology Officer

Our Board

Ben’s Board of Directors includes industry leaders, including a former Federal Bank Reserve president, with direct market experience in the key aspects of Ben’s business.

Our Board

Ben’s Board of Directors includes industry leaders, including two former Federal Bank Reserve presidents, with direct market experience in the key aspects of Ben’s business.

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Brad Heppner

Director

Chairman

Credit Committee

Enterprise Risk Committee

Executive Committee Chair

Nominating Committee Chair

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Thomas O. Hicks

Director

Compensation Committee Chair

Enterprise Risk Committee

Executive Committee

Nominating Committee

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Bruce W. Schnitzer

Director

Compensation Committee

Enterprise Risk Committee Chair

Executive Committee

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Peter T. Cangany, Jr.

Director

Audit Committee Chair

Enterprise Risk Committee

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Derek Fletcher

Director

Community Reinvestment Committee

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Dennis P. Lockhart

Director

Audit Committee

Credit Committee Chair

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James G. Silk

Director

Executive Committee

Nominating Committee

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Emily Bowersock Hill

Director

Audit Committee

Credit Committee

Community Reinvestment Committee

Our Proprietary Technology

 

Revolutionizing the Alternative Assets Landscape through Technological Innovation

Powered by tech innovation and a forward-thinking approach, Ben’s redefining alternative assets by addressing key challenges faced by investors. The estimated $11 trillion1 global alternative investments market holds immense potential, yet lags in innovation, favoring big institutions. We’re changing the narrative with tech advancements and an innovative trust structure, ensuring wider accessibility to exit strategies for alternative assets.

Flagship Technology for Rapid and Cost-Effective Solutions

Ben’s proprietary technology is supported by an innovative transaction and trust structure which finances the delivery of seamless and cost-effective options that address each client’s specific needs.

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AltAccess®

AltAccess leverages proprietary digital technologies to deliver a simple, straightforward online experience for investors seeking solutions for their alternative assets. In a single tool, we’re able to manage risk and simplify the transaction closing process. Clients can use AltAccess to upload documents, work through tasks and complete their transactions with standardized transaction agreements with no additional costs or hidden fees.

ExAlt Plan®

Central to our online transactions, the ExAlt Plan structure is designed to facilitate the delivery of a client’s preferred election, whether that’s cash, equity securities or debt securities, or a combination of cash and equity or debt securities when exiting alternatives.

Our Foundational Proprietary Technology

Our flagship technology is supported by two proprietary systems, each focused on a core functionality of the alternative asset transaction process:

Underwriting Evaluation Tools

Portfolio Management Backbone


AltScore® – Algorithms producing risk-adjusted quality score for alternative asset returns


AlphaAlt® – Data-driven algorithms forecasting alternative asset growth and cashflows

ValueAlt® – Algorithms helping to assess the value Ben could offer its customers by determining an optimal advance rate on a fiduciary loan

OptimumAlt® – Fiduciary loan portfolio optimization algorithms specialized for alternative assets

AltRating – Credit rating algorithm for fiduciary loans or other financings collateralized by alternative assets

AltC® – Algorithm creating a consolidated metric for monitoring the fiduciary loan portfolio’s concentrations of alternative asset collateral

(1) Sources: Preqin, Boston Consulting Group Global Asset Management 2022 Report

Industry Impact

The Technology-Enabled Fiduciary Financial Institution (TEFFI) Act is a comprehensive statutory and regulatory framework which authorizes the chartering of regulated fiduciaries providing financing, custody, and trustee management services to investors and managers of alternative investments. This ground-breaking legislation creates a business, regulatory, and tax-friendly operating environment in the state of Kansas and represents a major step in modernizing the alternative asset industry.

 

Under the TEFFI Act, a portion of alternative asset financing fees will go directly to rural communities located in Kansas economic growth zones. Through its subsidiary, Beneficient Fiduciary Financial, L.L.C., Ben received its charter under the TEFFI Act and
strives to work with all stakeholders to establish the best operating framework for the industry and ensure benefits flow throughout state.

 

Learn More About TEFFI’s Impact >
Learn More About TEFFI Legislation >

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