Key Takeaways
- • Cantilever Group, an independent investment firm focused on middle-market GP stakes, appointed private equity veteran Randy Ralph to its Advisory Board, according to a Business Wire announcement dated May 12, 2025.
- • Ralph spent 21 years at Northwestern Mutual Capital as Managing Director in the Private Equity Funds group, where he evaluated and underwrote more than 250 commitments across private equity, fixed income, co-investments and secondaries.
- • Ralph currently sits on the board of Xylem/Kendall, a Sterling Investment Partners portfolio company, and holds advisory roles with Audax Strategic Capital and Vance Street Capital.
- • Cantilever Group targets asset managers with $500 million to $5 billion in AUM and is backed by BTG Pactual and Broadhaven.
Summary
Cantilever Group, an independent investment firm providing minority capital to middle-market asset managers, has named Randy Ralph to its Advisory Board, according to a Business Wire release. Managing Partner Todd Owens said Ralph's expertise in fund evaluation, industry relationships and investment track record would be "invaluable as we accelerate our growth trajectory."
Ralph brings more than three decades of financial services experience. He spent 21 years at Northwestern Mutual Capital, where as Managing Director in the Private Equity Funds group he underwrote more than 250 commitments across private equity, fixed income, co-investments and secondaries. Before that, he spent 13 years investing and lending at ING Investment Management (now Voya) and Mellon Bank.
Ralph currently serves on the board of Xylem/Kendall, a portfolio company of Sterling Investment Partners, and holds advisory roles with Audax Strategic Capital and Vance Street Capital. The release also notes he was an Advisor to Houlihan Lokey's Private Funds Group from 2022 to 2024. He holds a B.A. in Finance from Georgetown University and an M.A. in History from Indiana University Bloomington.
In his statement, Ralph described the middle market as offering "tremendous untapped potential for thoughtful investors" and praised Cantilever's "agile approach" and commitment to building partnerships with its managers. Cantilever is backed by BTG Pactual and Broadhaven and focuses on asset managers with $500 million to $5 billion in AUM. Its capital can be used for growth, generational ownership transfer, acquisitions or lift-outs, GP commitments, seeding new strategies and founder liquidity.
Ralph brings more than three decades of financial services experience. He spent 21 years at Northwestern Mutual Capital, where as Managing Director in the Private Equity Funds group he underwrote more than 250 commitments across private equity, fixed income, co-investments and secondaries. Before that, he spent 13 years investing and lending at ING Investment Management (now Voya) and Mellon Bank.
Ralph currently serves on the board of Xylem/Kendall, a portfolio company of Sterling Investment Partners, and holds advisory roles with Audax Strategic Capital and Vance Street Capital. The release also notes he was an Advisor to Houlihan Lokey's Private Funds Group from 2022 to 2024. He holds a B.A. in Finance from Georgetown University and an M.A. in History from Indiana University Bloomington.
In his statement, Ralph described the middle market as offering "tremendous untapped potential for thoughtful investors" and praised Cantilever's "agile approach" and commitment to building partnerships with its managers. Cantilever is backed by BTG Pactual and Broadhaven and focuses on asset managers with $500 million to $5 billion in AUM. Its capital can be used for growth, generational ownership transfer, acquisitions or lift-outs, GP commitments, seeding new strategies and founder liquidity.
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