Marathon Capital and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Form Strategic Partnership

Partnership to expand the reach and service offerings of both Marathon Capital and SMBC, providing clients comprehensive strategic and financial support necessary to facilitate their global energy transition goals

CHICAGO, June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Marathon Capital, LLC ("Marathon Capital"), a leading independent investment banking firm, has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement ("SCA") with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation ("SMBC"), one of the largest industrial, energy and infrastructure lenders in the world. SMBC is a member of SMBC Group, a top-tier global financial group headquartered in Tokyo with approximately $2 trillion of consolidated total assets. In conjunction with the SCA, the Parties have entered into a definitive agreement for a minority equity investment in Marathon Capital. The proceeds will be used to accelerate the firm's growth and expansion.

Under the SCA, Marathon Capital and SMBC will collaborate towards the origination and execution of new mandate activity covering strategic advisory, capital markets and credit solutions for both firms' clients globally. Marathon Capital's strategic advisory practice will augment SMBC's global reach and market-leading credit, debt capital markets and structured finance capabilities. SMBC's balance sheet and lending capacity will supplement Marathon Capital's equity raising, project financing, tax expertise, off-take advisory services and M&A franchise. Together, they will help clients work through their own unique transitions toward a zero and low-carbon energy future.

Since its founding in 1999, Marathon Capital has been dedicated to working as an independent advisor to an increasingly global client base comprising of corporations and institutional investors focused on navigating the increasingly complex and evolving sustainable global energy, infrastructure, and technology markets. Marathon Capital has grown rapidly in recent years amid the broad and accelerating global energy transition while simultaneously expanding its professional team across all levels and departments, increasing the firm's products and services, and building out its geographic footprint.

"Marathon Capital's partnership with SMBC is a pivotal strategic milestone, enabling us both to create bold sustainability solutions for our clients through enhancements across various capabilities, as well as the expansion of our teams," said Ted Brandt, Marathon Capital Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "As companies and governments across the globe continue to evolve their climate and energy security objectives, Marathon Capital, in partnership with SMBC, will continue to help clients navigate their industries and achieve both short- and long-term goals. We are delighted to have found our ideal partner in SMBC and we very much look forward to working together to deliver innovative and efficient solutions to our respective clients.

"Our partnership with Marathon Capital is a unique and compelling opportunity for SMBC to drive increased client engagement and solutions that support our sustainability objectives," said Hiro Otsuka, Chief Executive Officer of SMBC Americas Division and President and CEO of SMBC Americas Holdings, Inc. "We look forward to working together with the team at Marathon Capital to help further accelerate the growth of our respective strategic advisory businesses, providing our global clients a broader depth and mix of products in the renewables and clean energy space." 

Over its more than two-decade history, Marathon Capital has emerged as the world's largest independent advisory bank serving the global sustainable energy, technology and infrastructure markets. Marathon Capital is known as a key thought leader in global energy transition and is consistently viewed as the most innovative bank across clean energy. Marathon Capital is a leading Clean Energy advisor as ranked by Bloomberg LP in its annual New Energy Finance League Tables from 2019 - 2021 and has been a multi-year winner of M&A Advisor of the Year by Power, Finance & Risk Magazine. Since inception, Marathon Capital has been engaged by its clients and institutional counterparties across all clean energy sectors, including independent power producers, developers, utility affiliates, yield cos, growth companies, energy conglomerates, manufacturers, pension funds, infrastructure funds, private equity sponsors, special purpose acquisition corporations ("SPACs"), insurance companies, venture funds and sovereign wealth funds. The Company has strong, established relationships with both strategic and financial institutional investors located throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. Marathon Capital operates from its global headquarters in Chicago, IL, and offices in New York, Houston, San Francisco, London, as well as representative offices in Canada and Brazil.

SMBC Group is a top-tier global financial group. Headquartered in Tokyo and with a 400-year history, SMBC Group offers a diverse range of financial services, including banking, leasing, securities, credit cards, and consumer finance. The Group has more than 140 offices and 86,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc. (SMFG) is the holding company of SMBC Group, which is one of the three largest banking groups in Japan. SMFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York (NYSE: SMFG) stock exchanges. As of March 31, 2022, its total assets were $2.11 trillion.

In the Americas, SMBC Group has a presence in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Backed by the capital strength of SMBC Group and the value of its relationships in Asia, the Group offers a range of commercial and investment banking services to its corporate, institutional, and municipal clients. It connects a diverse client base to local markets and the organization's extensive global network. The Group's operating companies in the Americas include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities Canada, Ltd., SMBC Capital Markets, Inc., SMBC Rail Services LLC, Manufacturers Bank, JRI America, Inc., SMBC Leasing and Finance, Inc., Banco Sumitomo Mitsui Brasileiro S.A., and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd. For more information, please visit www.smbcgroup.com.

RIMON PC and Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP provided legal advice to Marathon Capital. Sheumack & Co. GMA, LLC. (SHEUMACK GMA) served as exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Marathon Capital. SMBC was advised by Shearman & Sterling LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.

Andrea Rosko
Director, Marketing & Communications
arosko@marathoncapital.com