UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant ☒
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check the appropriate box: |
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Preliminary Proxy Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 |
BLACKROCK
TCP CAPITAL CORP.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s)
Filing Proxy Statement, if Other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): |
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No fee required. |
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Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
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Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act
Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-1 |
PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT—SUBJECT
TO COMPLETION

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.
2951 28th Street, Suite 1000
Santa Monica, California 90405
March
20, 2025
Dear Stockholder:
You are cordially invited
to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of BlackRock TCP Capital Corp., a Delaware corporation
(the “Company”), to be held on May 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., Pacific Time,
to consider and vote on the proposals discussed in the enclosed proxy statement. The Annual Meeting will be held in a virtual meeting
format only. Stockholders will not have to travel to attend the Annual Meeting but will be able to view the Annual Meeting live and cast
their votes by accessing a web link. To participate in the Annual Meeting please follow the directions in the notice of Annual Meeting
and proxy statement accompanying this letter and use the following link: meetnow.global/M4N5VLR.
The notice of Annual
Meeting and proxy statement accompanying this letter provide an outline of the business to be conducted at the meeting. At the Annual
Meeting you will be asked to elect all six Director nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company and to consider and vote on a proposal
to authorize the Company, with approval of its Board of Directors, to sell shares of the Company’s common stock at a price or prices
below its then current net asset value per share in one or more offerings (for up to the next 12 months), subject to certain limitations
set forth in the proxy statement (including, without limitation, that the number of shares sold on any given date does not exceed 25%
of the Company’s then outstanding common stock immediately prior to such sale).
It is important that you
be represented at the Annual Meeting. Please complete, sign, date and return your proxy card to us in the enclosed, postage-prepaid envelope
at your earliest convenience, even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting. If you prefer, you can authorize your proxy through the
Internet or by telephone as described in the proxy statement and on the enclosed proxy card. If you attend the Annual Meeting, you may
revoke your proxy prior to its exercise and vote virtually at the Annual Meeting. Your vote is very important to us. I urge you to submit
your proxy as soon as possible.
If you have any questions
about the proposals to be voted on or the virtual meeting, please call Georgeson LLC, the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies,
toll free at 1-855-372-7798.
Further, from time to
time we may repurchase a portion of our common shares and are notifying you of this ability as required by applicable securities law.
Sincerely yours,
Philip Tseng
Chair of the Board of Directors and
Chief Executive Officer
PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT—SUBJECT
TO COMPLETION

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.
2951 28th Street, Suite 1000
Santa Monica, California 90405
(310) 566-1003
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING
TO BE HELD
ON May 22, 2025
To the Stockholders of BlackRock TCP Capital
Corp.:
The 2025 Annual Meeting
of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of BlackRock TCP Capital Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) will
be held on May 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, for the following purposes:
| 1. | To
elect all six Director nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company to serve until the
2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, or until his or her successor is duly
elected and qualifies; |
| 2. | To
consider and vote on a proposal to authorize the Company, with approval of its Board of Directors,
to sell shares of the Company’s common stock (for up to the next 12 months) at a price or
prices below its then current net asset value per share in one or more offerings, subject
to certain limitations set forth in the proxy statement (including, without limitation, that
the number of shares sold on any given date does not exceed 25% of the Company’s then outstanding
common stock immediately prior to such sale); and |
| 3. | To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournments,
postponements or delays thereof. |
Stockholders will not have
to travel to attend the Annual Meeting but will be able to view the Annual Meeting live and cast their votes by accessing a web link.
You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person. To attend the Annual Meeting please follow the directions below and use
the following link: meetnow.global/M4N5VLR
You have received this proxy statement because you were a stockholder
of record of the Company on March 26, 2025 (the “Record Date”). Please be certain to vote by telephone or via the Internet
or sign, date and return the proxy card you received from us.
Your vote is important.
Attendance at the Annual Meeting will be limited to the Company’s stockholders as of the Record Date.
If your shares in the Company
are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the Annual Meeting at meetnow.global/M4N5VLR by entering the control number
found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the Annual Meeting. You may vote during the Annual Meeting by following
the instructions that will be available on the Annual Meeting website during the Annual Meeting.
If you are a beneficial stockholder
of the Company (that is if you hold your Company shares through a bank, broker, financial intermediary or other nominee) and want to
attend the Annual Meeting you must register in advance of the Annual Meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your proxy power
(legal proxy) reflecting your Company holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson LLC, the Company’s tabulator. You
may email an image of your legal proxy to shareholdermeetings@computershare.com. Requests for registration must be received no later
than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the Annual Meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson
LLC of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the Annual Meeting.
We encourage you to carefully
review the enclosed materials, which explains the proposals in more detail. As a stockholder, your vote is important, and we hope that
you will respond today to ensure that your shares will be represented at the Annual Meeting. You may vote using one of the methods below
by following the instructions on your proxy card or voting instruction form:
• By touch-tone telephone;
• By Internet;
• By signing,
dating and returning the enclosed proxy card or voting instruction form in the postage-paid envelope; or
• By participating
at the Annual Meeting as described above.
If you do not vote using
one of these methods, you may be called by Georgeson LLC, the Company’s proxy solicitor, to vote your shares.
You have the right to receive
notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting if you were a stockholder of record at the close of business on March 26, 2025. Please complete,
sign, date and return your proxy card to us in the enclosed, postage-prepaid envelope at your earliest convenience, even if you plan
to attend the Annual Meeting. If you prefer, you can authorize your proxy through the Internet or by telephone as described in the proxy
statement and on the enclosed proxy card. If you attend the meeting, you may revoke your proxy prior to its exercise and vote virtually
at the meeting. In the event that there are not sufficient stockholders present for a quorum, the Annual Meeting may be adjourned from
time to time, in the manner provided in our bylaws, until a quorum will be present or represented.
If you have any questions
about the proposals to be voted on or the virtual meeting, please call Georgeson LLC, the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies,
toll free at 1-855-372-7798.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Chair of the Board of Directors and
Chief Executive Officer
Santa Monica, California
[ ], 2025
This is an important meeting. To ensure proper representation at the
Annual Meeting, please complete, sign, date and return the proxy card in the enclosed, postage-prepaid envelope, or authorize a proxy
to vote your shares by telephone or through the Internet. Even if you authorize a proxy prior to the Annual Meeting, you still may attend
the Annual Meeting, revoke your proxy, and vote your shares virtually.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.
PLEASE VOTE PROMPTLY FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON YOUR
ENCLOSED PROXY CARD TO RECORD YOUR VOTING INSTRUCTIONS BY TELEPHONE OR VIA THE INTERNET, OR SIGN AND RETURN THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD OR
VOTING INSTRUCTION FORM, NO MATTER HOW MANY SHARES YOU OWN.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY
MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON MAY 22, 2025.
THE PROXY STATEMENT FOR THIS MEETING IS AVAILABLE
AT:
https://www.proxy-direct.com/blk-34427
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PRELIMINARY
PROXY STATEMENT—SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

BlackRock TCP Capital Corp.
2951 28th Street, Suite 1000
Santa Monica, California 90405
(310) 566-1003
PROXY
STATEMENT 2025
Annual Meeting of Stockholders
This proxy statement
(the “Proxy Statement”) is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (the “Board
of Directors”) of BlackRock TCP Capital Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), for use at the 2025 Annual Meeting
of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of the Company to be held on May 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and at any
postponements, adjournments or delays thereof. Stockholders will not have to travel to attend the Annual Meeting but will be able to
view the Annual Meeting live and cast their votes by accessing a web link. However, stockholders will have the same rights in the virtual
meeting as they would in in-person meetings. To attend the Annual Meeting please follow the directions below and use the following
link: meetnow.global/M4N5VLR.
We encourage you to
access the Annual Meeting prior to the start time. The live webcast and listen-only conference call will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m.
Pacific Time. The virtual meeting platform is fully supported across browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari) and devices
(desktops, laptops, tablets, and cell phones) running the most updated version of applicable software and plugins. You will not be able
to attend the Annual Meeting in person. Participants should ensure that they have a strong WiFi connection wherever they intend to participate
in the Annual Meeting. Participants should also give themselves plenty of time to dial-in to the conference call or log in and ensure
that they can hear audio prior to the start of the Annual Meeting.
If you want to submit
a question during the Meeting, log into the live webcast at meetnow.global/M4N5VLR, click on the “Q&A” icon at the top
right of your screen, type a question or comment in the free form section and click “Send” to submit your question
If your shares in
the Company are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the Annual Meeting at meetnow.global/M4N5VLR by entering the
control number found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the Annual Meeting. You may vote during the Annual
Meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the Annual Meeting website during the Annual Meeting.
If you are a beneficial
stockholder of the Company (that is if you hold your Company shares through a bank, broker, financial intermediary or other nominee)
and want to attend the Annual Meeting you must register in advance of the Annual Meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your
proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Company holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson LLC, the Company’s tabulator.
You may email an image of your legal proxy to shareholdermeetings@computershare.com. Requests for registration must be received no later
than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the Annual Meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson
LLC of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the Annual Meeting. This Proxy Statement,
the accompanying proxy card and the Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 are first being sent to
stockholders on or about April 9, 2025.
It is important that
every stockholder authorize a proxy so that we can achieve a quorum and hold the Annual Meeting. The presence at the Annual Meeting,
in person via webcast or by proxy, of holders of not less than one-third of the Company’s shares issued and outstanding and entitled
to vote at the meeting will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. If a quorum
is not met, then we will be required to adjourn the meeting and incur additional expenses to continue to solicit additional votes.
We have engaged a proxy
solicitor, who may call you and ask you to vote your shares. The proxy solicitor will not attempt to influence how you vote your shares,
but only ask that you take the time to cast a vote. You may also be asked if you would like to authorize your proxy over the telephone
and to have your voting instructions transmitted to our proxy tabulation firm.
We encourage you to vote,
either by voting virtually at the Annual Meeting or by granting a proxy (i.e., authorizing someone to vote your shares). If you properly
sign and date the accompanying proxy card or authorize a proxy to vote your shares by telephone or through the Internet, and we receive
it in time for the Annual Meeting, the persons named as proxies will vote the shares registered directly in your name in the manner that
you specified. If you properly execute the proxy card and give no instructions on the proxy card, the shares covered by the proxy
card will be voted FOR the election of the nominees as Directors and FOR the proposal to authorize the Company, with the approval of
its Board of Directors, to sell its common shares at a price or prices below the Company’s then current net asset value per share in
one or more offerings (for up to the next 12 months), subject to certain limitations set forth herein (including, without limitation,
that the number of shares sold on any given date does not exceed 25% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock immediately prior
to such sale).
If you are a stockholder
“of record” (i.e., you hold shares directly in your name), you may revoke a proxy at any time before it is exercised by notifying
the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer in writing, by submitting a properly executed, later-dated proxy, or by voting virtually at the
Annual Meeting. Any stockholder of record attending the Annual Meeting may vote virtually whether or not he or she has previously authorized
a proxy.
If your shares are
held for your account by a broker, trustee, bank or other institution or nominee, you may vote such shares at the Annual Meeting only
if you have a legal proxy and present it at the Annual Meeting.
If your shares are
registered in the name of a bank or brokerage firm, you may be eligible to vote your shares electronically via the Internet or by telephone.
For information on
how to obtain directions to attend the Annual Meeting via webcast, please contact Georgeson LLC, the firm assisting us in the solicitation
of proxies, toll free at 1-855-372-7798. You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person.
IMPORTANT
NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS
FOR THE
ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON May 22, 2025
The following materials
relating to this Proxy Statement are available at https://www.proxy-direct.com/blk-34427:
| • | the
accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting; and |
| • | the
Company’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. |
Purpose of Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting has
been called for the following purposes:
| 1. | To
elect all six Director nominees to the Board of Directors of the Company to serve until the
2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, or until his or her successor is duly
elected and qualifies; |
| 2. | To
consider and vote on a proposal to authorize the Company, with approval of its Board of Directors,
to sell shares of the Company’s common stock at a price or prices below its then current
net asset value per share in one or more offerings (for up to the next 12 months), subject
to certain limitations set forth herein (including, without limitation, that the number of
shares sold on any given date does not exceed 25% of the Company’s then outstanding common
stock immediately prior to such sale); and |
| 3. | To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournments,
postponements or delays thereof. |
Voting Securities
You may vote your
shares at the Annual Meeting only if you were a stockholder of record at the close of business on March 26, 2025 (the “Record Date”).
At the close of business on the Record Date, the Company had [●] common shares outstanding. Each share is entitled to one vote.
Quorum Required
The holders of not less
than one-third of the Company’s shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, present in person via webcast
or represented by proxy, will constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting for the transaction of business.
If a quorum is not met,
then we will be required to adjourn the meeting and incur additional expenses to continue to solicit additional votes.
Shares that are present
at the Annual Meeting, but then abstain, including by reason of so called “broker non-votes,” will be treated as present for
purposes of establishing a quorum. However, abstentions and “broker non-votes” on a matter are not treated as votes cast on
such matter. A broker non-vote with respect to a matter occurs when a nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner is present at the
meeting with respect to such shares, has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner on the matter in question and does
not have, or chooses not to exercise, discretionary authority to vote the shares on such matter.
Vote Required
Proposal I. Election
of Directors. The election of a Director requires the affirmative vote of a plurality of the Company’s shares entitled to vote represented
in person via webcast or by proxy at the Annual Meeting so long as a quorum is present. If you vote to “Withhold Authority”
with respect to a nominee, your shares will not be voted with respect to the person indicated. Because the Company requires a plurality
of votes to elect each such Director, withheld votes and broker non-votes, if any, will not have an effect on the outcome of this Proposal.
Proposal II. To
Authorize the Company to Sell Its Common Shares (For up to the Next 12 Months) at a Price or Prices below the Company’s Then Current
Net Asset Value per Share in One or More Offerings. Approval of this proposal may be obtained by the affirmative vote of (i) a majority
of the outstanding common shares entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting; and (ii) a majority of the outstanding common shares entitled
to vote at the Annual Meeting that are not held by affiliated persons of the Company. The Investment Company Act of 1940, or 1940 Act,
defines “a majority of the outstanding shares” as: (i) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders
of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of such company are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) 50% of the outstanding
voting securities of a company, whichever is less. Proposal II will also be approved if we receive approval from a majority of the number
of beneficial holders of our common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, without regard to whether a majority of our shares
of common stock are voted in favor of the proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes on Proposal II will have the same effect as votes
against the proposal.
Adjournment. The
Annual Meeting may be adjourned from time to time pursuant to our bylaws. If a quorum is not present or represented at the Annual Meeting
or if the chair of the Annual Meeting believes it is in the best interests of the Company, the chair of the Annual Meeting has the power
to adjourn the meeting from time to time, in the manner provided in our bylaws, until a quorum will be present or represented or to provide
additional time to solicit votes for one or more proposals.
Information Regarding This Solicitation
The Company will bear all
costs and expenses related to the solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting, including the cost of preparing, printing and mailing
this Proxy Statement, the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting and proxy cards. Such costs and expenses are estimated to be approximately
$516,000. If brokers, nominees, fiduciaries and other persons holding shares in their names, or in the name of their nominees, which
are beneficially owned by others, forward the proxy materials to and obtain proxies from such beneficial owners, we will reimburse such
persons for their reasonable expenses in so doing.
In addition to the solicitation
of proxies by the use of the mail, proxies may be solicited in person and by telephone or facsimile transmission by directors, officers
or employees of the Company, Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC, which is the Company’s investment adviser (the “Advisor”), and/or
Series H of SVOF/MM, LLC, which is the Company’s administrator (the “Administrator”). The Advisor and the Administrator are
located at 2951 28th Street, Suite 1000, Santa Monica, California 90405. No additional compensation will be paid to directors, officers,
regular employees, the Advisor or the Administrator for such services.
The Company intends to use
the services of Georgeson LLC, to assist in the solicitation of proxies and expects to pay market rates for such services, with an estimated
base fee not to exceed $8,000 plus estimated additional fees and expenses that may cause the Company to pay Georgeson LLC, approximately
$156,000 in total fees and expenses based on the prior year combined proxy solicitation costs for the annual and special meetings.
Stockholders may provide
their voting instructions by telephone or through the Internet. These options require stockholders to input the control number which
is located on each proxy card. After inputting this number, stockholders will be prompted to provide their voting instructions. Stockholders
will have an opportunity to review their voting instructions and make any necessary changes before submitting their voting instructions
and terminating their telephone call or Internet link. Stockholders who authorize a proxy via the Internet will be able to confirm their
voting instructions prior to submission.
Any proxy given pursuant
to this solicitation may be revoked by notice from the person giving the proxy at any time before it is exercised. Any such notice of
revocation should be provided in writing and signed by the stockholder in the same manner as the proxy being revoked and delivered to
our proxy tabulator.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial
Owners and Management
As of March 26, 2025, there
were no persons that owned more than 25% of our outstanding voting securities, and no person would be presumed to control us, as such
term is defined in the 1940 Act.
Our Directors are divided
into two groups—interested directors and independent directors. “Interested Directors” are those who are “interested
persons” of the Company, as defined in the 1940 Act. “Independent Directors” are those who are not “interested persons”
of the Company, as defined in the 1940 Act.
The following table sets
forth, as of December 31, 2024, certain ownership information with respect to the Company’s shares for those persons who may, insofar
as is known to us, directly or indirectly own, control or hold with the power to vote, 5% or more of our outstanding common shares and
the beneficial ownership of each Director nominee and executive officer, and the executive officers and Directors as a group. [As of
March 26, 2025, all Directors and executive officers as a group owned less than 1% of the Company’s outstanding common shares.]
Ownership information for
those persons, if any, who own, control or hold the power to vote, 5% or more of our shares is based upon Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G
filings by such persons with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and other information obtained from
such persons, if available. Such ownership information is as of the date of the applicable filing and may no longer be accurate.
Unless otherwise indicated,
we believe that each person set forth in the table below has sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of the Company
he or she beneficially owns and has the same address as the Company. The Company’s address is 2951 28th Street, Suite 1000, Santa Monica,
California 90405.
Title of Class |
|
Name and Address of
Beneficial Owner |
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Amount and Nature of
Beneficial Ownership |
|
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Percent of Class |
5% or more holders |
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None |
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Interested Directors |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock |
|
Philip Tseng |
|
|
27,481 |
|
|
* |
Independent Directors |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock |
|
John R. Baron |
|
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8,404 |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Eric J. Draut |
|
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55,532 |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Karen L. Leets |
|
|
4,700 |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Andrea L. Petro |
|
|
11,823 |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Maureen K. Usifer |
|
|
23,502 |
|
|
* |
Executive Officers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common Stock |
|
Jason Mehring |
|
|
19,914 |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Erik Cuellar |
|
|
250 |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Ariel Hazzard |
|
|
─ |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Patrick Wolfe |
|
|
1,862 |
|
|
* |
Common Stock |
|
Dan Worrell |
|
|
23,500 |
|
|
* |
* Represents less than 1%.
The following table
sets out the dollar range of our equity securities beneficially owned by each of the Director nominees as of December 31, 2024.
We are not part of a “family of investment companies,” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act.
Name of Director |
|
Dollar Range
of Equity Securities in the Company(1) |
Interested Directors |
|
|
Philip Tseng |
|
Over $100,000 |
Independent Directors |
|
|
John R. Baron |
|
$50,001-$100,000 |
Eric J. Draut |
|
Over $100,000 |
Karen L. Leets |
|
$10,001-$50,000 |
Andrea L. Petro |
|
Over $100,000 |
Maureen K. Usifer |
|
Over $100,000 |
| (1) | Dollar
ranges are as follows: none, $1—$10,000, $10,001—$50,000, $50,001—$100,000,
or over $100,000. |
Proposal I. Election of Directors
Pursuant to our certificate
of incorporation and bylaws our Board of Directors may change the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors, provided that
the number thereof will never be less than two nor more than nine. We currently have six Directors on our Board of Directors, all of
which are standing for election this year. Each has consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and agreed to serve if elected. If
any Director is unavailable for re-election at the time of the Annual Meeting, the persons named as proxies will vote for such substitute
nominee(s) as the Company’s Governance and Compensation Committee may select. It is not anticipated that any nominee will be unable
or unwilling to serve. Each Director nominee elected at the Annual Meeting will serve until the later of the date of our 2026 Annual
Meeting or until his or her successor is elected and qualifies, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
A stockholder can vote
for or withhold his or her vote from any nominee. In the absence of instructions to the contrary, it is the intention of the persons
named as proxies to vote such proxy FOR the election of the nominees named below. If a nominee should decline or be unable to serve as
a Director, it is intended that the proxy will be voted for the election of such person as is nominated by the Board of Directors as
a replacement. The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that any of the persons named below will be unable or unwilling to
serve, and each such person has consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and to serve if elected.
The Board of Directors
recommends that you vote FOR the election of the nominees named in this Proxy Statement.
INFORMATION
ABOUT THE NOMINEES AND DIRECTORS
Certain information with
respect to the nominees for election at the Annual Meeting and the Directors is set forth below, including their names, ages, a brief
description of their recent business experience, including present occupations and employment, certain directorships that each person
holds, and the year in which each person became a Director.
The 1940 Act and the
NASDAQ rules require that our Board of Directors consist of at least a majority of independent directors. Under the 1940 Act, in order
for a Director to be deemed independent, he or she, among other things, generally must not: own, control or hold power to vote, 5% or
more of the voting securities of, or control the Company or an investment advisor or principal underwriter to the Company; be an officer,
director or employee of the Company or of an investment advisor or principal underwriter to the Company; be a member of the immediate
family of any of the foregoing persons; knowingly have a direct or indirect beneficial interest in, or be designated as an executor,
guardian or trustee of an interest in, any security issued by an investment advisor or principal underwriter to the Company or any parent
company thereof; be a partner or employee of any firm that has acted as legal counsel to the Company or an investment advisor or principal
underwriter to the Company during the last two years; or have certain relationships with a broker-dealer or other person that has engaged
in agency transactions, principal
transactions with, lent money or other
property to, or distributed shares on behalf of, the Company. Under NASDAQ rules, in order for a Director to be deemed independent, the
Company’s Board of Directors must determine that the individual does not have a relationship that would interfere with the Director’s
exercise of independent judgment in carrying out his or her responsibilities.
The Board of Directors,
in connection with the 1940 Act and NASDAQ rules, as applicable, has considered the independence of members of the Board of Directors
who are not employed by the Advisor and has concluded that John R. Baron, Eric J. Draut, Karen L. Leets, Andrea L. Petro, and Maureen
K. Usifer (the “Independent Directors”) are not “interested persons” as defined by the 1940 Act and therefore qualify
as independent directors under the standards promulgated by the 1940 Act and the NASDAQ rules. In reaching this conclusion, the Board
of Directors concluded that Mses. Leets, Petro and Usifer and Messrs. Baron and Draut had no relationships with the Advisor or any
of its affiliates, other than their positions as Directors of the Company and other than, if applicable, investments in us or other private
funds managed by the Advisor that are on the same terms as those of other stockholders and investors.
Each Director nominee
has been nominated for election as a Director to serve until the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, or until his or
her successor is duly elected and qualifies. None of the Independent Directors has been proposed for election pursuant to any agreement
or understanding with any other Director or the Company. The Company is party to an investment advisory agreement with the Advisor. Mr. Tseng
is employed by the Advisor. In addition, pursuant to the terms of an administration agreement, the Administrator provides, or arranges
to provide, the Company with the office facilities and administrative services necessary to conduct our day-to-day operations. The Administrator
is controlled by the Advisor and its affiliates.
Biographical Information
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
Independent
Director Nominees |
John
R. Baron
2951
28th
Street,
Suite 1000, Santa Monica, California 90405
Year
of birth: 1957 |
Director;
Audit Committee Member, Governance and Compensation Committee Member and Joint Transactions
Committee Member |
2025;
2024 to
present |
Until
its merger with and into a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Company on March 18, 2024, Mr. Baron was a Director of BlackRock
Capital Investment Corporation.
Mr.
Baron was the Managing Member of Crystal Ridge Partners, LP, a New Jersey based private equity firm. Prior to joining Crystal Ridge
Partners, Mr. Baron was a Senior Partner of JP Morgan Partners, LP, a global private equity firm. Prior to joining the private equity
unit in 1995, Mr.
Baron previously held senior management positions in banking and investment banking with JP Morgan and its predecessors.
Mr.
Baron continues as an owner of Big Rock Sports, a leading distributor of hunting and fishing products in North America and served as
a director of Big Rock Sports from 2000 to 2021. Mr. Baron is currently an owner and director of Rufus Aviation Fund/BIAero, an
aerospace parts |
1
BDC
consisting
of 1 Portfolio. |
None. |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
|
|
|
business
and an owner and director of Data Metrics Technologies, LLC, a proprietary software application company that identifies, reads and
cleanses data exported from disparate ERP systems and other data sources. From 2008 to 2019, Mr. Baron was a director of Bronco
Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of spare parts for oil and gas drillings rigs. |
|
|
Eric
J. Draut
2951
28th
Street,
Suite 1000, Santa Monica, California 90405
Year
of birth: 1957 |
Lead
Independent Director, Audit Committee Member, Governance and Compensation Committee Member
and Joint Transactions Committee Member |
2025;
2011 to
present |
From
2011 to present, Mr. Draut has been a Director, Chair or a Member of the Company’s Audit Committee, a Member of the Governance
and Compensation Committee and a Member of the Joint Transactions Committee. From 2021 to present, Mr. Draut has been a Director of
BlackRock Direct Lending Corp., and from 2022 to present, Mr. Draut has been a Trustee of BlackRock Private Credit Fund. In 2021,
Mr. Draut was appointed the Lead Independent Director. Since August 2022, Mr. Draut has served as a trustee of the ELCA Foundation. Mr. Draut is the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board of Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans, a
registered investment
adviser and Fortune 500
Company. In February 2015,
Mr. Draut was also appointed to the Board of Holy Family Ministries, operator of Holy Family School, where he served as the Interim
Chief Executive Officer from 2017 to 2018 and currently serves as chair of the board. From 2008 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2017,
Mr. Draut was Chairman of the Board of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Draut was Executive Chairman
and, in 2017, became chairman emeritus of the Board of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. |
3
BDCs
consisting
of 3 Portfolios. |
None. |
Karen
L. Leets
2951
28th
Street,
Suite 1000,
Santa
Monica, |
Director,
Audit Committee Member, Governance and Compensation Committee Member and Joint Transactions
Committee Member |
2025;
October
2022
to present |
From
October 2022 to present,
Ms.
Leets has been a Director and a Member of the Audit Committee, the Governance and Compensation Committee and the Joint Transactions Committee.
From 2023 to present, Ms. Leets has been a Director of BlackRock |
2
BDCs
consisting
of 2 Portfolios. |
None. |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
California
90405
Year
of birth: 1956 |
|
|
Direct
Lending Corp. From 2019 to present, she has served as a Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Baxter International Inc. Ms. Leets
previously served as Assistant Treasurer of Google LLC from 2017 to 2018. From 2013 to 2017, Ms. Leets was a Vice President and
Treasurer of Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Prior to joining Kimberly-Clark, Ms. Leets worked in treasury roles at McDonald’s
Corporation and USG Corporation. Ms. Leets began her career as a public accountant at Coopers & Lybrand (now
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP), where she worked for eight years. Ms. Leets is a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and earned a
B.S. in Accounting and an MBA from Indiana State University Scott School of Business. |
|
|
Andrea
L. Petro
2951
28th
Street,
Suite 1000,
Santa
Monica, California 90405
Year
of birth: 1952 |
Director,
Audit Committee Member, Governance and Compensation Committee Chair and Joint Transactions
Committee Member |
2025;
August 4,
2020
to present |
From
2020 to present, Ms. Petro has been a Director and a Member of the Audit Committee, the Governance and Compensation Committee and
the Joint Transactions Committee. From March 2024 to present, Ms. Petro has been Chair of the Governance and Compensation Committee.
Ms. Petro also serves as a Trustee of BlackRock Private Credit Fund, Chair of its Governance and Compensation Committee and Member
of its Audit Committee and its Joint Transactions Committee. From November 2024 to present, Ms. Petro has served as a Senior Advisor
to Carob Financial, LLC, a private credit fund. From June 2020 to June 2024, Ms. Petro served as a Director of Ready Capital
Corporation. From June 2018 to February 2020, Ms. Petro served as Managing Director and Group Head of the Specialty Commercial
Finance Group of Waterfall Asset Management. Ms. Petro served as a consultant for Waterfall Asset Management from March 2020 through
February 2023.
Ms.
Petro previously worked at Wells Fargo Capital Finance from December 2000 to December 2017 as the Executive Vice President and Group
Head of the Lender Finance Division and Supply Chain Finance Division. Ms. Petro
currently
serves as a member of the MS Finance Advisory Board of the |
2
BDCs
consisting
of 2 Portfolios. |
None. |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
|
|
|
McCombs
School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. She also served as the President of the Commercial Finance Association from
2016 to 2017 and previously served as a member of the Secured Finance Foundation board of directors from 2000 to 2022. Ms. Petro
holds a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas and a
Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Russian and Soviet Studies from Kent State University. |
|
|
Maureen
K. Usifer
2951
28th
Street,
Suite 1000, Santa Monica, California 90405
Year
of birth: 1960 |
Director;
Audit Committee Chair; Governance and Compensation Committee Member and Joint Transactions
Committee Member |
2025;
2024 to
present |
From 2005 until
its merger with and into a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Company on March 18, 2024, Ms. Usifer was a Director of BlackRock
Capital Investment Corporation. Ms. Usifer is also a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of BlackRock Direct Lending Corp.
and a Trustee and Chair of the Audit Committee of BlackRock Private Credit Fund.
From
2021 to present Ms. Usifer has served as a Director for PC Construction. Ms. Usifer was a member of the Green Mountain Care Board, a
regulatory board appointed by the Governor in Vermont responsible for approving hospital budgets, insurance rates and capital projects,
from 2017 to 2021. Ms. Usifer served as CFO of Seventh Generation Inc., a distributor of its brand of household and personal care products,
from 2012 to 2016. From 1996 to 2012, Ms. Usifer served in various roles with Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (“Church & Dwight”),
a major producer of baking soda and consumer products. Ms. Usifer served as Vice President of Investor Relations, Senior Finance Director,
Divisional CFO and controller during her tenure at Church & Dwight. Ms. Usifer received an undergraduate degree in business from St. Michael’s College and an M.B.A. in Finance
from Clarkson University. |
3
BDCs
consisting
of 3 Portfolios. |
Ms.
Usifer currently serves as a Director of Liberty All Star Funds and serves as chair of the audit committee. Ms. Usifer also serves
as a Director of Charlotte’s Web. |
Interested
Director Nominee |
|
Philip
Tseng
2951
28th
Street, |
Chair
of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and |
2025;
2021 to
present
(Director;
Chair of the Board, |
Mr.
Tseng is the Chair of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chief Investment Officer of the |
3
BDCs
consisting
of 3 Portfolios. |
None. |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
Suite
1000, Santa Monica, California 90405
Year
of birth: 1976 |
Co-Chief
Investment Officer |
Chief
Executive Officer and Co- Chief Investment Officer since 2024); 2021 to
2024(President) |
Company.
He is also a senior member of BlackRock’s Global Private Debt Platform. He is Head of BlackRock’s US Private Capital (“USPC”)
business as well as Co-CIO and Co-Chair of the Investment Committee overseeing institutional commingled funds and separately managed
accounts, the Company, BlackRock Private Credit Fund BDC, and Middle-Market CLOs. He oversees both business and investment strategy
across the US Private Capital platform including investment committees, investment processes, talent management and development, risk
management & performance. Prior to joining BlackRock, Mr. Tseng was a Managing Partner at Tennenbaum Capital Partners (“TCP”)
which was acquired by BlackRock in 2018. Prior to TCP, he held roles in equity research and investment banking at Credit Suisse First
Boston and Deutsche Banc Alex Brown. Mr. Tseng previously served as a Director on the Boards of First Advantage, ITC DeltaCom, Connexity
Inc., and Anacomp, Inc. He currently serves as Chairman of AutoAlert. Mr. Tseng received his A.B. with honors in Economics from Harvard
College and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. |
|
|
Officers
Who Are Not Directors |
|
Jason
Mehring
2951
28th
Street,
Suite 1000, Santa
Monica, California 90405
Year
of birth: 1971 |
President |
N/A;
2024 to present |
Mr.
Mehring is the President of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private
Credit Fund. Mr. Mehring is a voting member and a past Chairman of the investment committee for BlackRock’s US Private Capital
Group (“USPC”). Mr. Mehring focuses on the team’s origination, underwriting and monitoring of middle market
private investments, as well as its capital raising activities across public and private investment funds. Mr. Mehring has over 30
years’ experience in middle market investing including his 19 years’ experience with the USPC team, joining as a
Managing Director at BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation’s former advisor in 2005. Mr. Mehring previously spent more than
ten years at Banc of America Capital Investors (BACI), an affiliate of Bank of |
N/A |
N/A |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
|
|
|
America,
Inc., in Chicago, where he held positions of increasing responsibility, becoming a Principal of the firm in 2000. At BACI, Mr.
Mehring focused on mezzanine and private equity investing in middle market companies. Prior to joining BACI in 1994, he worked at
Firstar Bank, a predecessor to U.S. Bank. Mr. Mehring has also served on a variety of private corporate boards. Mr. Mehring has
earned an M.B.A from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, as well as a B.B.A., summa cum laude, in Finance
and Economics from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (graduating with University Honors). |
|
|
Erik
L. Cuellar
2951
28th
Street,
Suite 1000, Santa
Monica, California 90405
Year
of birth: 1971 |
Chief
Financial Officer, Treasurer |
N/A;
2021 to present |
Mr.
Cuellar is the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private
Credit Fund. He is responsible for financial and regulatory reporting. Mr. Cuellar has been at BlackRock and its predecessor, TCP,
since 2011. Prior to his current role, Mr. Cuellar served as Controller for Ares Capital Corporation. Prior to that, Mr. Cuellar
was with Metropolitan West Asset Management where he served as the Assistant Treasurer and Principal Accounting Officer for the Metropolitan
West Funds. Prior to that, Mr. Cuellar managed the Alternative Investments Group at Western Asset Management Company. Mr. Cuellar
began his career with Deloitte & Touche LLP where he was a Senior Auditor in their Financial Services Group. Mr. Cuellar earned
a B.S. in Accounting from California State University Northridge and is a Certified Public Accountant in California. |
N/A |
N/A |
Ariel
Hazzard
50
Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10018
Year
of birth: 1988 |
Chief
Compliance Officer |
N/A;
2024 to present |
Ms.
Hazzard is the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) of the Company, as well as two alternative closed-end funds and BlackRock’s
other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. Ms. Hazzard is also responsible for the oversight of BlackRock’s
closed-end fund and index ETF businesses. Ms. Hazzard has previously been responsible for the implementation |
N/A |
N/A |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
|
|
|
of
the registered funds compliance program for BlackRock’s U.S. domiciled mutual funds, closed-end funds and active ETFs. Prior to
joining Blackrock, Ms. Hazzard was a member of the Credit Legal team at Apollo Global Management, LLC where she supported their business
development company in addition to closed-end funds and sub-advised accounts. Prior to Apollo, she worked as an ISDA Onboarding
Analyst at UBS where she handled a portfolio of derivatives and repo accounts across a variety of strategic clients. Ms. Hazzard
earned a B.S in Finance and Marketing from Boston College, and a J.D from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. |
|
|
Laurence
D. Paredes
50
Hudson Yards New York, New York 10018
Year
of birth: 1968 |
Secretary |
N/A;
2021 to present |
Mr.
Paredes is the Secretary of the Company. He also serves as the Secretary of BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp.
and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. Mr. Paredes formerly served as the Secretary of BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation. Mr.
Paredes also serves as Private Debt Product Structuring & Fund Board Engagement Lead for BlackRock’s Global Private Debt Business
& Product Strategy team. Mr. Paredes is responsible for focusing on the regulatory and legal complexities associated with product
structuring, business strategy and client engagement towards the strategic expansion of BlackRock’s global debt product suite.
Additionally,
Mr. Paredes is responsible for ongoing governance and fund board engagement for the Global Private Debt platform and existing and
future BDCs. Prior to joining BlackRock’s Global Private Debt Business & Product Strategy team, Mr. Paredes was a member of the
BlackRock Legal & Compliance Department from 2008 to 2023, where he served as General Counsel to the Company, BlackRock Capital
Investment Corporation, BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund, and also supported BlackRock’s U.S. registered
funds business and
BlackRock’s
U.S. Wealth Advisory business. Mr. Paredes also served |
N/A |
N/A |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
|
|
|
as
General Counsel of BlackRock Kelso Capital Advisors LLC, as well as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of BlackRock Kelso
Mezzanine Partners I, LLC and BKCA Mezzanine Advisors LLC. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2008, Mr. Paredes served as Senior Vice
President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Porter Novelli, Inc., an Omnicom Group Inc. agency. Mr. Paredes has
previously served as a Trustee for the Rye Country Day School and the Frederick Gunn School. Mr. Paredes received a B.A. (Economics)
from Hobart College and a J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. |
|
|
Diana
Huffman
50
Hudson Yards, New York, New York, 10001
Year
of birth: 1982 |
General
Counsel, Assistant Secretary and Authorized Person |
2022
to present |
Ms.
Huffman serves as General Counsel, Assistant Secretary and Authorized Person of the Company. She is also General Counsel of BlackRock’s
other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. Ms. Huffman was also previously General Counsel for BlackRock
Capital Investment Corporation, prior to its merger with TCPC in March 2024. Ms. Huffman is Legal Counsel in the Legal & Compliance
Department at BlackRock. She is responsible for supporting BlackRock’s U.S. regulated funds business, with a focus on retail alts.
Ms. Huffman advises on a broad array of legal and regulatory issues impacting U.S. regulated funds, including product development and
corporate governance matters. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2022, Ms. Huffman served as Corporate Counsel at PGIM Investments LLC starting
in 2015, where she served as Chief Legal Officer for its BDC and as the lead attorney for retail funds. From 2009 to 2015, Ms. Huffman
was an associate in the Asset Management group at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, where she focused on the organization and operation
of private and regulated funds. Ms. Huffman received a B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from Boston University in 2004 in International
Relations. Ms. Huffman also received a J.D. degree, cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law in 2009. |
N/A |
N/A |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
Patrick
Wolfe
50
Hudson Yards New York, New York 10018
Year
of birth: 1982 |
Chief
Operating Officer |
N/A; 2024 to present |
Patrick
Wolfe is Chief Operating Officer of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private
Credit Fund. He is also a Senior Portfolio Manager in the BlackRock’s Global Private Debt Platform. He is Head of Portfolio Construction
for U.S. Private Capital’s U.S. Direct Lending funds which includes overseeing allocations, portfolio positioning, and liability
management. Mr. Wolfe is also Senior Portfolio Manager on BlackRock Credit Strategies Fund, Senior Portfolio Manager for the Company,
BDLC and BDEBT, and Head of U.S. middle-market CLOs at BlackRock. Mr. Wolfe joined BlackRock through the acquisition of TCP. At TCP,
Mr. Wolfe was a portfolio manager on the U.S. Direct Lending Funds and launched the middle-market CLO platform taking the business
to over $1 billion of assets. He also co-led led the development of the firm’s proprietary private credit software platform. He was
one of the creators of the Direct Lending fund structure designed for insurance company clients. Before TCP, Mr. Wolfe was in structured
credit at Deutsche Bank for six years focusing on the structuring, issuance, and management of CLOs and other credit strategies.
He began his career in 2006 at KSJG LLP in the Advisory group focused on mortgage banking. Mr.
Wolfe earned a B.S. in Accounting from San Diego State University in 2006. Mr. Wolfe volunteers his time as a member of the Board
of Directors for the Southern California Golf Association (“SCGA”) and Southern California Golf Association Junior Foundation. |
N/A |
N/A |
Dan
Worrell
50
Hudson Yards New York, New York 10018
Year
of birth: 1963 |
Co-Chief
Investment Officer |
N/A;
2024 to present |
Mr.
Worrell serves as the Co-CIO of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit
Fund. Mr. Worrell is a member of Blackrock’s US Private Capital Group (“USPC”), where he focuses on direct lending
and special situation strategies. He is a member of the USPC Management Operating Committee and the head of USPC’s Underwriting
Committee, and a voting committee member of |
N/A |
N/A |
Name,
Address and Age |
Position(s)
Held with Fund |
Term
of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal
Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
No.
of BlackRock Advised BDCs
Overseen |
Other
Public or
Investment Company Directorships
Held
by Director* |
|
|
|
USPC.
He also serves on the investment committees for other private credit funds managed by BlackRock. Prior to joining BlackRock. Mr.
Worrell was a Managing Director at TCP, which he joined in 2007, where he headed multiple industry sectors. Mr. Worrell has been on
the Board of Directors of several portfolio companies in the Consumer and Healthcare industries. Prior to his current role, Mr.
Worrell was a High Yield Portfolio Manager with Mulholland Capital Advisors, where he analyzed and invested in high yield credit
opportunities, capital structure arbitrage and special situations. He has also previously invested in distressed companies and
special situations at Gruss Partners, JP Morgan and as an Investment Manager at a Central Asia-focused private equity fund based in
Kazakhstan. Mr. Worrell earned an M.B.A. from Columbia University in 1991. |
|
|
*
Directorships disclosed under this column do not include directorships disclosed under the column “Principal Occupation(s) During
Past Five Years.”
†
Mr. Tseng is an “interested person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company by virtue of his current position
with the Advisor.
The
Board of Directors has adopted procedures for evaluating potential Director candidates against the knowledge, experience, skills, expertise
and diversity that it believes are necessary and desirable for such candidates. The Board of Directors believes that each Director satisfied,
at the time he or she was initially elected or appointed a Director, and continues to satisfy, the standards contemplated by such procedures.
In addition to such procedures, the Board of Directors has adopted requirements that (1) no Director serve concurrently as a director
of more than six public companies, for which directorships on companies in a family of funds will count as a single directorship and
(2) Directors be subject to a mandatory retirement age of 75, which mandatory retirement age may be waived by a majority vote of the
Board of Directors. Furthermore, in determining that a particular Director was and continues to be qualified to serve as a Director,
the Board of Directors has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. The Board of Directors believes
that, collectively, the Directors have balanced and diverse experience, skills, attributes and qualifications, which allow the Board
of Directors to operate effectively in governing the Company and protecting the interests of stockholders. Among the attributes common
to all Directors are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively
with the Advisor and other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance
of their duties as Directors. Each Director’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her educational
background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a member
of the Board of Directors, other investment companies, public companies, or non-profit entities or other organizations; ongoing commitment
and participation in Board of Directors and committee meetings, as well as his or her leadership of standing committees; or other relevant
life experiences. Information about the specific experience, skills, attributes and qualifications of each Director, which in each case
led to the Board of Director’s conclusion that the Director should serve as a Director of the Company, is provided below.
Interested
Directors
Philip
Tseng: Mr. Tseng is the Chief Executive Officer, Co-Chief Investment Officer and Chair of the Board of the Company. He is also
a senior member of BlackRock’s Global Private Debt Platform and Chairman. He is Head of BlackRock’s US Private Capital (“USPC”)
business as well as Co-CIO and Co-Chair of the Investment Committee overseeing institutional commingled funds and separately managed
accounts, the Company, BlackRock Private Credit Fund BDC, and Middle-Market CLOs. He oversees both business and investment strategy across
the US Private Capital platform including investment committees, investment processes, talent management and development, risk management
& performance. Prior to joining BlackRock, Mr. Tseng was a Managing Partner at Tennenbaum Capital Partners (“TCP”) which
was acquired by BlackRock in 2018. Prior to TCP, he held roles in equity research and investment banking at Credit Suisse First Boston
and Deutsche Banc Alex Brown. Mr. Tseng previously served as a Director on the Boards of First Advantage, ITC DeltaCom, Connexity Inc.,
and Anacomp, Inc. He currently serves as Chairman of AutoAlert. Mr. Tseng received his A.B. with honors in Economics from Harvard College
and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Independent
Directors
John
R. Baron: Since March 2024, Mr. Baron has been a Director of the Company and is a member of the Company’s Audit Committee, member
of the Governance and Compensation Committee and a member of the Joint Transactions Committee. Until its merger with and into a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company on March 18, 2024, Mr. Baron was a Director of BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation. Mr. Baron has
served in several senior level management positions, including as the Managing Member of Crystal Ridge Partners, LP, a New Jersey based
private equity firm focused on investments in middle market companies. Prior to joining Crystal Ridge Partners, Mr. Baron was a
Senior Partner of JP Morgan Partners, LP, a global private equity firm, and its predecessors. Prior to joining the private equity unit
in 1995, Mr. Baron previously held senior management positions in banking and investment banking with JP Morgan and its predecessors.
Mr. Baron was a senior level banker responsible for managing middle market regional offices of Manufactures Hanover Trust Co. and Chemical
Bank. Mr. Baron continues as an owner of Big Rock Sports, a leading distributor of hunting and fishing products in North America,
and served as a director of Big Rock Sports from 2000 to 2021. Mr. Baron is currently an owner and director of Rufus Aviation Fund/BIAero,
an aerospace parts business and an owner and director of Data Metrics Technologies, LLC, a proprietary software application company that
identifies, reads and cleanses data exported from disparate ERP systems and other data sources. From 2008 to 2019, Mr. Baron was
a director of Bronco Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of spare parts for oil and gas drillings rigs. Mr. Baron’s expertise
in the private equity, banking and investment banking industries provides the Company with an abundance of practical business experience
and knowledge.
Eric
J. Draut: Mr. Draut is Lead Independent Director, a member of the Company’s Audit Committee, member of the Governance and Compensation
Committee and a member of the Joint Transactions Committee. Mr. Draut also serves as a Director of BlackRock Direct Lending Corp.
and a Trustee of BlackRock Private Credit Fund. The Company’s Board of Directors benefits from Mr. Draut’s nearly 30-year career
in accounting and finance. Mr. Draut completed a 20-year career at Kemper Corporation (formerly Unitrin, Inc.) in 2010, serving
the last nine years as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and a member of its board of directors. Mr. Draut also
held positions at Kemper Corporation as Group Executive, Treasurer and Corporate Controller. Prior to joining Kemper Corporation, Mr. Draut
was Assistant Corporate Controller at Duchossois Industries, Inc. and at AM International, Inc. Mr. Draut began his career at Coopers
and Lybrand (now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP). Mr. Draut is a Certified Public Accountant, received an M.B.A. in finance and operations
from Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a B.S. in accountancy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
graduating with High Honors. Until September 2013 Mr. Draut served as a Director and Chairman of the audit committee of Intermec. Mr. Draut is the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board of Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans, a registered
investment adviser and
Fortune 500 Company. In February 2015 Mr. Draut was also appointed to the
Board of Holy Family Ministries, operator of Holy Family School, where he served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer from 2017 to
2018 and currently serves as Chair of the Board. Since August 2022, Mr. Draut has served as a trustee of the ELCA Foundation, where
he currently serves as Chair of the Finance Committee. Mr. Draut volunteers with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois where he currently
serves as chairman emeritus of the Board of Directors and recently served as Executive Chairman of its Board of Directors. Mr. Draut
is also a National Association of Corporate Directors Fellow. Mr. Draut’s knowledge of financial and accounting
matters, and his independence from the Company and the Advisor, qualifies him to serve as a member of the Company’s Audit Committee.
Karen
L. Leets: From October 2022 to present, Ms. Leets has been a Director and member of the Company’s Governance and Compensation
Committee, member of the Audit Committee and a member of the Joint Transactions Committee. Ms. Leets also serves as a Director
of BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. From 2019 to present, Ms. Leets has served as a Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Baxter
International Inc. Ms. Leets previously served as Assistant Treasurer of Google LLC from 2017 to 2018. From 2013 to 2017, Ms. Leets
was a Vice President and Treasurer of Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Prior to joining Kimberly-Clark, Ms. Leets worked in treasury
roles at McDonald’s Corporation and USG Corporation. Ms. Leets began her career as a public accountant at Coopers & Lybrand
(now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP), where she worked for eight years. Ms. Leets is a Certified Public Accountant in Illinois and earned
a B.S. in Accounting and an MBA from Indiana State University Scott School of Business. Ms. Leets’ knowledge of financial and accounting
matters qualifies her to serve as a member of the Company’s Audit Committee.
Andrea
L. Petro: Ms. Petro is a Director and Chair of the Company’s Governance and Compensation Committee, member of the Audit Committee
and a member of the Joint Transactions Committee. Ms. Petro also serves as a Trustee of BlackRock Private Credit Fund, Chair of
its Governance and Compensation Committee, Member of the Audit Committee and Member of its Joint Transactions Committee. From November
2024 to present, Ms. Petro has served as a Senior Advisor to Carob Financial, LLC, a private credit fund. From June 2020 to June 2024,
Ms. Petro served as a Director of Ready Capital Corporation. From June 2018 to February 2020, Ms. Petro served as Managing Director and
Group Head of the Specialty Commercial Finance Group of Waterfall Asset Management. Ms. Petro served as a consultant for Waterfall Asset
Management from March 2020 through February 2023. Ms. Petro previously worked at Wells Fargo Capital Finance from December 2000 to December
2017 as the Executive Vice President and Group Head of the Lender Finance Division and Supply Chain Finance Division. Ms. Petro currently
serves as a member of the MS Finance Advisory Board of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. She also
served as the President of the Commercial Finance Association from 2016 to 2017 and previously served as a member of the Secured Finance
Foundation board of directors from 2000 to 2022. Ms. Petro holds a Master of Business Administration degree in finance from the McCombs
School of Business at the University of Texas and a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Russian and Soviet Studies from Kent
State University. Ms. Petro’s knowledge of financial and accounting matters qualifies her to serve as a member of the Company’s
Audit Committee.
Maureen
K. Usifer: Ms. Usifer is a Director of the Company, Chair of the Audit Committee, member of the Governance and Compensation
Committee and a member of the Joint Transactions Committee. Ms. Usifer also serves as an Independent Trustee and Chair of the
Audit Committee of BlackRock Private Credit Fund, Member of its Governance and Compensation Committee and Member of its Joint
Transactions Committee, and a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and Member of its Joint
Transactions Committee. From 2005 until its merger with and into a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company on March 18, 2024, Ms.
Usifer was a Director of BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation. Ms. Usifer was a member of the Green Mountain Care Board, a regulatory board appointed by the Governor in Vermont
responsible for approving hospital budgets, insurance rates and capital projects, from 2017 to 2021. Ms. Usifer served as CFO of
Seventh Generation Inc., a distributor of its brand of household and personal care products, from 2012 to 2016. From 1996 to 2012,
Ms. Usifer served in various roles with Church & Dwight, a major producer of baking soda and consumer products. Ms. Usifer
served as Vice President of Investor Relations, Senior Finance Director, Divisional CFO and controller during her tenure at Church
& Dwight. From 2024 to present, Ms. Usifer has served as a Director for Charlotte’s Web. Since 2021, Ms. Usifer has served as a Director for PC Construction. Since 2018, Ms. Usifer has been a
Director of Liberty All Star Funds. Ms. Usifer received an undergraduate degree in business from St. Michael’s College and an
M.B.A. in Finance from Clarkson University. Ms. Usifer’s prior board service, in addition to her roles as an Independent
Director of the Company, an Independent Director of BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and an Independent Trustee of BlackRock Private
Credit Fund, provides her with specific understanding of the Company, its operations and the business and regulatory issues facing
BDCs. Ms. Usifer’s independence from the Company enhances her service as Chair of the Board’s Audit Committee and member
of other Board committees.
Officers
Who Are Not Directors
Erik
L. Cuellar: Mr. Cuellar, Director of BlackRock, is the Chief Financial Officer of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs:
BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. Mr. Cuellar has been at
BlackRock and its predecessor, TCP, since 2011. Prior to his current role, Mr. Cuellar served as Controller for Ares Capital Corporation.
Prior to that, Mr. Cuellar was with Metropolitan West Asset Management where he served as the Assistant Treasurer and Principal
Accounting Officer for the Metropolitan West Funds. Prior to that, Mr. Cuellar managed the Alternative Investments Group at Western
Asset Management Company. Mr. Cuellar began his career with Deloitte & Touche LLP where he was a Senior Auditor in their Financial
Services Group. Mr. Cuellar earned a B.S. in Accounting from California State University Northridge and is a Certified Public Accountant
in California.
Jason
Mehring. Mr. Mehring, Managing Director of BlackRock, is the President of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock
Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. He is also a voting member and a past Chairman of the investment committee for
BlackRock’s US Private Capital Group (“USPC”). Mr. Mehring focuses on the team’s origination, underwriting and monitoring
of middle market private investments, as well as its capital raising activities across public and private investment funds. Mr. Mehring
has over 30 years’ experience in middle market investing including his 19 years’ experience with the USPC team, joining as
a Managing Director at BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation’s former advisor in 2005. Mr. Mehring previously spent more than ten
years at Banc of America Capital Investors (BACI), an affiliate of Bank of America, Inc., in Chicago, where he held positions of increasing
responsibility, becoming a Principal of the firm in 2000. At BACI, Mr. Mehring focused on mezzanine and private equity investing in middle
market companies. Prior to joining BACI in 1994, he worked at Firstar Bank, a predecessor to U.S. Bank. Mr. Mehring has also served on
a variety of private corporate boards. Mr. Mehring has earned an M.B.A from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University,
as well as a B.B.A., summa cum laude, in Finance and Economics from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (graduating with University
Honors).
Laurence
D. Paredes: Mr. Paredes is the Secretary of the Company and Managing Director of BlackRock. He also serves as the Secretary
of BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund BlackRock Private Credit Fund. Mr. Paredes
formerly served as the Secretary of BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation. Mr. Paredes also serves as Private Debt Product Structuring
& Fund Board Engagement Lead for BlackRock’s Global Private Debt Business & Product Strategy team. Mr. Paredes is responsible
for focusing on the regulatory and legal complexities associated with product structuring, business strategy and client engagement towards
the strategic expansion of BlackRock’s global debt product suite. Additionally, Mr. Paredes is responsible for ongoing governance
and fund board engagement for the Global Private Debt platform and existing and future BDCs. Prior to joining BlackRock’s Global Private
Debt Business & Product Strategy team, Mr. Paredes was a member of the BlackRock Legal & Compliance Department from 2008
to 2023, where he served as General Counsel to the Company, BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation, BlackRock Direct Lending Corp.
and BlackRock Private Credit Fund, and also supported BlackRock’s U.S. registered funds business and BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory
business. Mr. Paredes also served as General Counsel of BlackRock Kelso Capital Advisors LLC, as well as General Counsel and Chief
Compliance Officer of BlackRock Kelso Mezzanine Partners I, LLC and BKCA Mezzanine Advisors LLC. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2008,
Mr. Paredes served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Porter Novelli, Inc., an Omnicom Group
Inc. agency. Mr. Paredes has previously served as a Trustee for the Rye Country Day School and the Frederick Gunn School. Mr. Paredes
received a B.A. (Economics) from Hobart College and a J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Diana
Huffman: Ms. Huffman serves as General Counsel, Assistant Secretary and Authorized Person of the Company and is a Director of BlackRock.
She is also General Counsel of BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. Ms. Huffman
was also previously General Counsel for BlackRock Capital Investment Corporation, prior to its merger with TCPC in March 2024. Ms. Huffman
is Legal Counsel in the Legal & Compliance Department at BlackRock. She is responsible for supporting BlackRock’s U.S. regulated
funds business, with a focus on retail alts. Ms. Huffman advises on a broad array of legal and regulatory issues impacting U.S. regulated
funds, including product development and corporate governance matters. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2022, Ms. Huffman served as Corporate
Counsel at PGIM Investments LLC starting in 2015, where she served as Chief Legal Officer for its BDC and as the lead attorney for the
retail funds. From 2009 to 2015, Ms. Huffman was an associate in the Asset Management group at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, where
she focused on the organization and operation of private and regulated funds. Ms. Huffman received a BA degree, summa cum laude, from
Boston University in 2004 in International Relations. Ms. Huffman also received a JD degree, cum laude, from Fordham University School
of Law in 2009.
Ariel
Hazzard: Ms. Hazzard, Chief Compliance Officer of the Company and Director of BlackRock, is also responsible for the oversight of
BlackRock’s closed-end fund and index ETF businesses. She is also the Chief Compliance Officer of BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock Direct
Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. Ms. Hazzard has previously been responsible for the implementation of the registered
funds compliance program for BlackRock’s U.S. domiciled mutual funds, closed-end funds and active ETFs. Prior to joining Blackrock, Ms.
Hazzard was a member of the Credit Legal team at Apollo Global Management, LLC where she supported their business development company
in addition to closed-end funds and sub-advised accounts. Prior to Apollo, she worked as an ISDA Onboarding Analyst at UBS where she
handled a portfolio of derivatives and repo accounts across a variety of strategic clients. Ms. Hazzard earned a B.S in Finance and Marketing
from Boston College, and a J.D from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.
Patrick
Wolfe: Mr. Wolfe, Managing Director of BlackRock, is the Chief Operating Officer of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock
Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. He is also a Senior Portfolio Manager in the BlackRock’s Global Private Debt
Platform. He is Head of Portfolio Construction for U.S. Private Capital’s U.S. Direct Lending funds which includes overseeing allocations,
portfolio positioning, and liability management. Mr. Wolfe is also Senior Portfolio Manager on BlackRock Credit Strategies Fund,
Senior Portfolio Manager for the Company, BDLC and BDEBT, and Head of U.S. middle-market CLOs at BlackRock. Mr. Wolfe joined BlackRock
through the acquisition of TCP. At TCP, Mr. Wolfe was a portfolio manager on the U.S. Direct Lending Funds and launched the middle-market
CLO platform taking the business to over $1 billion of assets. He also co-led led the development of the firm’s proprietary private credit
software platform. He was one of the creators of the Direct Lending fund structure designed for insurance company clients. Before TCP,
Mr. Wolfe was in structured credit at Deutsche Bank for six years focusing on the structuring, issuance, and management of CLOs
and other credit strategies. He began his career in 2006 at KSJG LLP in the Advisory group focused on mortgage banking. Mr. Wolfe
earned a B.S. in Accounting from San Diego State University in 2006. Mr. Wolfe volunteers his time as a member of the Board of Directors
for the Southern California Golf Association (“SCGA”) and Southern California Golf Association Junior Foundation.
Dan
Worrell. Mr. Worrell, Managing Director of BlackRock, is Co-Chief Investment Officer of the Company and BlackRock’s other BDCs: BlackRock
Direct Lending Corp. and BlackRock Private Credit Fund. He is also a member of Blackrock’s US Private Capital Group (“USPC”),
where he focuses on direct lending and special situation strategies. He is a member of the USPC Management Operating Committee and the
head of USPC’s Underwriting Committee, and a voting committee member of USPC. He also serves on the investment committees for other
private credit funds managed by BlackRock. Prior to joining BlackRock. Mr. Worrell was a Managing Director at TCP, which he joined in
2007, where he headed multiple industry sectors. Mr. Worrell has been on the Board of Directors of several portfolio companies in the
Consumer and Healthcare industries. Prior to his current role, Mr. Worrell was a High Yield Portfolio Manager with Mulholland Capital
Advisors, where he analyzed and invested in high yield credit opportunities, capital structure arbitrage and special situations. He has
also previously invested in distressed companies and special situations at Gruss Partners, JP Morgan and as an Investment Manager at
a Central Asia-focused private equity fund based in Kazakhstan. Mr. Worrell earned an M.B.A. from Columbia University in 1991.
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
Our
Directors have been divided into two groups—Interested Directors and Independent Directors. Interested Directors are “interested
persons” as defined in the 1940 Act. Philip Tseng is an Interested Director by virtue of his employment with the Advisor. In part
because the Company is an externally-managed investment company, the Board of Directors believes having a chairperson that is an Interested
Director and that is familiar with the Company’s portfolio companies, its day-to-day management and the operations of the Advisor, greatly
enhances, among other things, its understanding of the Company’s investment portfolio, business, finances and risk management efforts.
In addition, the Board of Directors believes that Mr. Tseng’s employment with the Advisor allows for the efficient mobilization
of the Advisor’s resources at the Board of Director’s behest and on its behalf. Mr. Draut serves as the Lead Independent Director.
The Lead Independent Director coordinates the activities of the other Independent Directors and performs such other duties and responsibilities
as the Board of Directors may determine, including presiding at all meetings of the Board of Directors at which the Chair is not present,
including executive sessions of the Independent Directors. The Board of Directors believes its relatively small size and the composition
and leadership of its committees allow each Director to enjoy full, accurate and efficient communication with the Company, the Advisor
and management, and facilitates the timely transmission of information among such parties.
Director
Independence
On
an annual basis, each member of the Board of Directors is required to complete an independence questionnaire designed to provide information
to assist the Board of Directors in determining whether the Director is independent. The Board of Directors has determined that each
of our Directors, other than Mr. Tseng, is independent under the 1940 Act and the NASDAQ Global Select Market listing standards.
Means
by Which the Board of Directors Supervises Officers
The
Board of Directors is regularly informed on developments and issues related to the business of the Company, and monitors the activities
and responsibilities of the officers in various ways. At each regular meeting of the Board of Directors, the officers report to the Board
of Directors on developments and important issues. Each of the officers, as applicable, also provides regular updates to the members
of the Board of Directors regarding the Company’s business between the dates of regular meetings of the Board of Directors. Officers
and other members of the Advisor, at the invitation of the Board of Directors, regularly attend portions of meetings of the Board of
Directors and its committees to report on the financial results of the Company, its operations, performance and outlook, and on areas
of the business within their responsibility, including risk management and management information systems, as well as other business
matters.
The
Board of Directors’ Role in Risk Oversight
Day-to-day
risk management with respect to the Company is the responsibility of the Advisor or other service providers (depending on the nature
of the risk) subject to the supervision of the Advisor. The Company is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance,
operational and valuation risks, among others. While there are a number of risk management functions performed by the Advisor and the
other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Company. Risk oversight is
part of the Board of Directors’ general oversight of the Company and is addressed as part of various Board of Directors and committee
activities. The Board of Directors, directly or through a committee, also reviews reports from, among others, management, the independent
registered public accounting firm for the Company and internal accounting personnel for the Advisor, as appropriate, regarding risks
faced by the Company and management’s or the service provider’s risk functions. The committee system facilitates the timely and efficient
consideration of matters by the Directors, and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and
of the Company’s activities and associated risks. Our Chief Compliance Officer oversees the implementation and testing of the Company’s
compliance program and reports to the Board of Directors regarding compliance matters for the Company and its service providers. The
Independent Directors have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.
Code
of Ethics
The
Company has adopted codes of ethics and business conduct that apply to, among others, the Directors, as well as its officers, including
its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and President, and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, or persons performing
similar functions (collectively, “Senior Officers”). The code of ethics can be accessed at http://Investors.TCPCapital.com/corporate-governance.The
Company intends to disclose any amendments to or waivers of required provisions of the applicable codes on the Company’s website and
as otherwise required by the rules promulgated by NASDAQ and the SEC.
Hedging
Transactions
The
Company’s codes of ethics and business conduct do not expressly prohibit Directors or Senior Officers from engaging in hedging transactions
with respect to its securities.
BOARD
MEETINGS
During
the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, the Board of Directors met eighteen times. No incumbent Director who was a Director
during such fiscal year attended less than 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board of Directors and of each committee of
the Board of Directors on which the Director served during
the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year. All of the then-Directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the
Company virtually.
COMMITTEES
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our
Board of Directors currently has three committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance and Compensation Committee and a Joint Transactions
Committee.
Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a charter approved by our Board of Directors and met four times during the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2024. The Audit Committee currently holds regular meetings on a quarterly basis and special meetings as
needed. The charter sets forth the responsibilities of the Audit Committee and can be accessed at http://Investors.TCPCapital.com/corporate-governance.
The primary function of the Audit Committee is to serve as an independent and objective party to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling
its responsibilities for overseeing all material aspects of our accounting and financial reporting processes, monitoring the independence
and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm, providing a means for open communication among our independent
accountants, financial and senior management and the Board of Directors, and overseeing our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
The Audit Committee is presently composed of Mses. Leets, Petro and Usifer (Chair) and Messrs. Baron and Draut, each of whom is
considered independent for purposes of the 1940 Act and The Nasdaq Global Select Market listing standards. Our Board of Directors has
determined that each member of our Audit Committee is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under Item 407(d)(5)
of Regulation S-K of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “1934 Act”). In addition, each member of our Audit Committee
meets the current independence and experience requirements of Rule 10A-3 of the 1934 Act and, in addition, is not an “interested
person” of the Company or of the Advisor as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.
Joint
Transactions Committee. The Joint Transactions Committee met thirteen times during such fiscal year. The Joint Transactions Committee
is currently composed of Mses. Leets, Petro and Usifer and Messrs. Baron and Draut. The Joint Transactions Committee operates to
approve the allocation of certain private placement transactions in which we participate with one or more of the Advisor’s other accounts
in accordance with our exemptive orders obtained from the Commission.
Governance
and Compensation Committee. The Governance and Compensation Committee operates pursuant to a charter approved by our Board of Directors.
The charter sets forth the responsibilities of the Governance and Compensation Committee, including, but not limited to, making nominations
for the appointment or election of Independent Directors, personnel training policies, administering the provisions of the code of ethics
applicable to the Independent Directors and determining, or recommending to the Board of Directors for determination, the compensation
of any officers of the Company. The charter can be accessed on the Company’s website. Currently, the Company’s officers do not receive
any direct compensation from the Company. The Governance and Compensation Committee consists of Mses. Leets, Petro (Chair) and Usifer
and Messrs. Baron and Draut, each of whom is considered independent for purposes of the 1940 Act and The Nasdaq Global Select Market
listing standards. The Governance and Compensation Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
With
respect to nominations to the Board of Directors, the Governance and Compensation Committee seeks to identify individuals to serve on
the Board of Directors who have a diverse range of viewpoints, qualifications, experiences, backgrounds and skill sets so that the Board
of Directors will be better suited to fulfill its responsibility of overseeing the Company’s activities. In so doing, the Governance
and Compensation Committee reviews the size of the Board of Directors and the knowledge, experience, skills, expertise and diversity
of the Directors in light of the issues facing the Company in determining whether one or more new Directors should be added to the Board
of Directors.
The
Governance and Compensation Committee may consider recommendations for nomination of Directors from our stockholders. Nominations made
by stockholders must be delivered to or mailed (setting forth the information required by our bylaws) and received at our principal executive
offices not earlier than 150 days nor fewer than 120 days in advance of the first anniversary of the date on which we first mailed our
proxy materials for the previous year’s annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting has
changed by more than 30 days from the prior year, the nominations must be received not earlier than the 150th day prior to the date of
such annual
meeting nor later than the later of (i) the 120th day prior to the date of such annual meeting or (ii) the 10th day following the day
on which public announcement of such meeting date is made.
COMPENSATION
OF DIRECTORS
The
following table shows information regarding the compensation earned or actually received by the Company’s directors, none of whom is
an employee of the Company, for service as a director for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024. No compensation is paid by the
Company to Interested Directors.
|
|
Fees
Earned or Paid |
|
|
|
|
|
|
in
Cash(1) (2) |
|
|
Total |
|
Interested
Directors: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Philip
Tseng |
|
— |
|
|
— |
|
Independent
Directors: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eric
J. Draut |
|
$ |
183,000 |
|
|
$ |
183,000 |
|
Karen
L. Leets |
|
$ |
160,000 |
|
|
$ |
160,000 |
|
Andrea
L. Petro |
|
$ |
162,000 |
|
|
$ |
162,000 |
|
John
R. Baron |
|
$ |
80,000 |
|
|
$ |
80,000 |
|
Maureen
K. Usifer |
|
$ |
88,000 |
|
|
$ |
88,000 |
|
| (1) | For
a discussion of the Independent Directors’ compensation, see below. |
| (2) | The
Company does not maintain a stock or option plan, non-equity incentive plan or pension plan
for its directors. |
The
Company is authorized to pay each Independent Director the following amounts for serving as a Director: (i) $110,000 a year; (ii) $5,000
for each meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof attended physically or virtually by Webex by such Director; (iii) $5,000
for each regular meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof attended via telephone by such Director; and (iv) $1,000 for
each special meeting of the Board of Directors or a committee thereof attended via telephone by such Director. The Lead Independent Director
receives $20,000 per year. The Chair of the Audit Committee receives $15,000 per year and the Chair of the Governance and Compensation
Committee receives $5,000 per year. Each Director is also entitled to reimbursement for all out-of-pocket expenses of such person in
attending each meeting of the Board of Directors and any committee thereof.
COMPENSATION
OF OFFICERS
None
of the officers receive compensation from the Company. The compensation of the officers is paid by the Advisor or an affiliate of the
Advisor or through distributions from the Administrator. A portion of such compensation may be reimbursed by the Company for the cost
to the Advisor or the Administrator of administrative services rendered by him or her on behalf of the Company.
INDEMNIFICATION
OF BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
The
governing documents of the Company generally provide that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company will indemnify its
Directors and officers against liabilities and expenses incurred in connection with litigation in which they may be involved because
of their offices with the Company unless, as to liability to the Company or its investors, it is finally adjudicated that they engaged
in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in their offices. In addition, the Company
will not indemnify Directors with respect to any matter as to which Directors did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief that
his or her action was in the best interest of the Company or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which the Directors had reasonable
cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful. Indemnification provisions contained in the Company’s governing documents are subject
to any limitations imposed by applicable law.
CERTAIN
RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
We
have entered into a number of business relationships with affiliated or related parties, including the following:
| • | We
have entered into an investment management agreement with the Advisor. |
| • | The
Administrator provides us with administrative services necessary to conduct our day-to-day
operations. For providing these services, facilities and personnel, the Administrator may
be reimbursed by us for expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its obligations
under the administration agreement, including our allocable portion of the cost of certain
of our officers and the Administrator’s administrative staff and providing, at our request
and on our behalf, significant managerial assistance to portfolio companies to which we are
required to provide such assistance. |
| • | We
have entered into a royalty-free license agreement with the Advisor and BlackRock, Inc.,
pursuant to which the Advisor and BlackRock have agreed to grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free
license to use the name “TCP” and “BlackRock.” |
The
Advisor and its affiliates, employees and associates currently do and in the future may manage other funds and accounts. The Advisor
and its affiliates may determine that an investment is appropriate for us and for one or more of those other funds or accounts. Accordingly,
conflicts may arise regarding the allocation of investments or opportunities among us and those accounts. In general, the Advisor will
allocate investment opportunities pro rata among us and the other funds and accounts (assuming the investment satisfies the objectives
of each) based on the amount of committed capital each then has available. The allocation of certain investment opportunities in private
placements will continue to be subject to Independent Director approval pursuant to the terms of the co-investment exemptive order applicable
to us. In certain cases, investment opportunities may be made other than on a pro rata basis. For example, we may desire to retain an
asset at the same time that one or more other funds or accounts desire to sell it or we may not have additional capital to invest at
a time the other funds or accounts do. If the Advisor is unable to manage our investments effectively, we may be unable to achieve our
investment objective. In addition, the Advisor may face conflicts in allocating investment opportunities between us and certain other
entities that could impact our investment returns.
While
our ability to enter into transactions with our affiliates is restricted under the 1940 Act, we have received co-investment exemptive
relief from the Commission permitting certain affiliated investments subject to certain conditions. The exemptive relief may enable us
to participate in certain transactions that we could not invest in without the relief. However, as a result, we may face conflicts of
interest on investments made pursuant to the exemptive relief conditions which could in certain circumstances affect adversely the price
paid or received by us or the availability or size of the position purchased or sold by us.
DELINQUENT
SECTION 16(A) REPORTS
Pursuant
to Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, the Company’s Directors and executive officers, and any persons holding 10% or more of its
common stock, are required to report their beneficial ownership and any changes therein to the SEC and the Company. Specific due dates
for those reports have been established, and the Company is required to report herein any failure to file such reports by those due dates.
Based solely upon a review of Forms 3, 4 and 5 filed by such persons, the Company believes that each of its officers and directors
and any persons holding 10% or more of its common stock complied with all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to them during
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, except that, as a result of administrative oversight, Ariel Hazzard was late in filing
a Form 3 related to her appointment.
Proposal
II: Authorization of the Company to Sell Shares of its Common Stock at a Price below its Then
Current Net Asset Value per Share
We
are a closed-end investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company (“BDC”) under the 1940
Act. Generally, the 1940 Act prohibits us from selling shares of our common stock at a price below the current net asset value, or NAV,
per share of such stock. However, certain provisions of the 1940 Act permit such
a sale if approved by our stockholders and, in certain cases, if our Board of Directors makes certain determinations.
Pursuant
to this provision, we are seeking the approval of our common stockholders so that we may, in one or more public or private offerings
of our common stock, sell shares of our common stock at a price below our then current NAV per share, subject to certain conditions discussed
below (including, without limitation, that the number of shares sold on any given date does not exceed 25% of our then outstanding common
stock immediately prior to such sale). The authorization would include offerings in connection with acquisitions of portfolio companies
or other BDCs. If approved, the authorization would be effective for a 12-month period expiring on the anniversary of the date the Annual
Meeting is concluded.
The
Board of Directors of the Company, including a majority of the Independent Directors who have no financial interest in this proposal,
has approved this proposal as in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and recommends it to the stockholders for their
approval. Upon obtaining the requisite stockholder approval, the Company will comply with the conditions described below in connection
with any financing undertaken pursuant to this proposal. There is no maximum level of discount from NAV at which we may sell shares pursuant
to this authority. See below for a discussion and examples of the dilutive effect of the sale of shares below NAV.
Reasons
to Offer Common Stock Below NAV Per Share
Global
capital markets have periodically experienced periods of disruption evidenced by a lack of liquidity in the debt capital markets, write-offs
in the financial services sector, the re-pricing of credit risk, the failure of certain major financial institutions and general concerns
about the state of the U.S. economy. Many investors sold assets because they had to repay debt and/or meet equity redemption requirements,
which created an environment of forced selling. These sales created a negative pressure on valuations that led to unprecedented declines
in prices in the corporate debt markets. The effect of all of these factors was an increase in realized and unrealized losses on debt
and equity investments of many finance companies.
The
current economic situation, including high interest rates and inflationary pricing, as well as various social, political and psychological
tensions in the United States and around the world, may continue to contribute to severe market disruptions and volatility and reduced
economic activity, may have long-term negative effects on the U.S. and worldwide financial markets and economy and may cause further
economic uncertainties in the U.S. and worldwide. It is difficult to predict how long the financial markets and economic activity will
continue to be impacted by these events and the Company cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S.
economy and securities markets. However, these events could have a significant negative impact on the Company’s performance, net asset
value, liquidity, income, operating results and ability to pay distributions and service debt, as well as the performance, income, operating
results and viability of companies in which it invests. If adverse conditions continue, the Company and other companies in the financial
services sector may not have access to sufficient debt and equity capital to take advantage of favorable investment opportunities. Capital
may not be available to the Company on favorable terms, or at all, in light of the inherent uncertainty and volatility of the financial
markets.
In
adverse economic environments, companies that have access to capital have a significant advantage. The Company believes that such market
conditions may create opportunities to invest in assets at prices that are at discounts to their economic or intrinsic fair value. For
firms that continue to have access to capital, adverse economic environments may provide investment opportunities on more favorable terms
than in other periods, including more reasonable pricing of risk and more advantageous contractual provisions. To capitalize on these
investment opportunities as they arise, the Company needs to be able to maintain consistent access to capital.
Additionally,
if inflation rates increase or the Federal Reserve raises key benchmark interest rates, our cost of raising new debt or preferred equity
capital could also increase such that debt or preferred equity capital may not be available to the Company on favorable terms, or at
all. Moreover, these dynamics may at the same time cause the value of the Company’s existing portfolio investments to decrease, particularly
if a recession occurs, thereby exacerbating the Company’s need to access equity capital markets to maintain a healthy balance sheet and
required regulatory asset coverage ratios.
Stockholder
approval of Proposal II will provide the Company with flexibility. In addition to using a portion of net proceeds from an offering of
the Company’s shares at a price below NAV to make investments in accordance with the Company’s investment objective, the Company may
use a portion of the net proceeds from any such offering to repay outstanding borrowings.
Many
BDCs have sought and received authorization from their stockholders to sell shares of common stock at prices below NAV for many of the
same reasons discussed above. Several of those BDCs have over time completed offerings of common stock at prices per share below their
respective NAV. If the Company issues additional shares, the Company’s market capitalization and the amount of publicly tradable common
stock will increase, which may afford all holders of our common stock greater liquidity. A larger market capitalization may make the
Company’s stock more attractive to a larger number of investors who have limitations on the size of companies in which they invest. Furthermore,
a larger number of shares outstanding may increase trading volume, which could decrease the volatility in the price of the Company’s
common stock in the secondary market.
As
a BDC and a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code (a “Tax RIC”), we are dependent on
our ability to raise capital through the issuance of common stock. Tax RICs generally must distribute substantially all of their earnings
to stockholders as dividends in order to avoid being subject to U.S. federal income tax, which prevents us from using those earnings
to support new investments. Further, the Company currently must maintain an asset coverage ratio (the ratio of total assets less total
liabilities other than indebtedness to total indebtedness) of not less than 150% (a 2:1 debt to equity ratio), in order to incur debt
or to issue other senior securities.
To
the extent that the Company is unable to raise capital through the issuance of equity, its ability to raise capital through the issuance
of debt or senior securities may be inhibited by the asset coverage ratio requirement. Failure to maintain an asset coverage ratio of
not less than 150% could have severe negative consequences for a BDC, including the inability to pay dividends, breaching debt covenants
and failure to qualify for tax treatment as a Tax RIC. Although the Company does not currently expect that its asset coverage ratio will
fall below 150%, the markets in which it operates and the general economy remain volatile and uncertain. Volatility in the capital markets
could result in negative pressure on debt investment valuations, potentially impacting the Company’s asset valuations, stockholder equity
and the Company’s asset coverage ratio. In addition, the debt capital that will be available, if at all, to the Company may be at a higher
cost and on less favorable terms and conditions in the future. The issuance of additional stock would enable the Company to increase
the dollar amount of its leverage.
We
maintain sources of liquidity through our maintenance of a credit facility and other means, but generally attempt to remain close to
fully invested and do not hold substantial cash for the purpose of making new investments. Therefore, to continue to build our investment
portfolio, and thereby support maintenance and growth of our dividends, we endeavor to maintain continuing access to capital through
the public and private equity markets enabling us to take advantage of investment opportunities as they arise.
Shares
of BDCs may trade at a market price that is less than the value of the net assets attributable to those shares, regardless of the performance
of the BDC’s investments. Recently our shares of common stock have traded at both a discount to and a premium over the net assets attributable
to those shares. The possibility that our shares of common stock will trade at discounts from NAV or at premiums that are unsustainable
over the long term is a risk separate and distinct from the risk that our NAV will decrease. It is not possible to predict whether the
shares that may be offered pursuant to this approval will trade at, above, or below NAV. The following table lists the high and low closing
sales prices for our common stock, and the sales price as a percentage of NAV per share. On March 26, 2025, the last reported closing
sale price of our common stock was $[●] per share, which represented a discount of approximately [●]% to our last reported
NAV per share as of December 31, 2024 of $9.23.
|
|
Stock
Price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAV(1) |
|
|
High(2) |
|
|
Low(2) |
|
|
Premium/
Discount of
High Sales
Price to
NAV(3) |
|
|
Premium/
(Discount) of
Low Sales
Price to
NAV(3) |
|
Fiscal
year ended December 31, 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First
Quarter |
|
$ |
13.00 |
|
|
$ |
13.37 |
|
|
$ |
9.73 |
|
|
|
2.8 |
% |
|
|
(25.2 |
)% |
Second
Quarter |
|
|
12.94 |
|
|
|
11.42 |
|
|
|
9.76 |
|
|
|
(11.7 |
)% |
|
|
(24.6 |
)% |
Third
Quarter |
|
|
12.72 |
|
|
|
12.89 |
|
|
|
11.00 |
|
|
|
1.3 |
% |
|
|
(13.5 |
)% |
Fourth
Quarter |
|
|
11.90 |
|
|
|
12.41 |
|
|
|
10.37 |
|
|
|
4.3 |
% |
|
|
(12.9 |
)% |
Fiscal
year ended December 31, 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First
Quarter |
|
$ |
11.14 |
|
|
$ |
11.99 |
|
|
$ |
9.90 |
|
|
|
7.6 |
% |
|
|
(11.1) |
% |
Second
Quarter |
|
|
10.20 |
|
|
|
11.48 |
|
|
|
9.93 |
|
|
|
12.5 |
% |
|
|
(2.7) |
% |
Third
Quarter |
|
|
10.11 |
|
|
|
11.02 |
|
|
|
8.08 |
|
|
|
9.0 |
% |
|
|
(20.1) |
% |
Fourth
Quarter |
|
|
9.23 |
|
|
|
9.54 |
|
|
|
7.80 |
|
|
|
3.4 |
% |
|
|
(15.5) |
% |
Fiscal
year ended December 31, 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
First
Quarter (to March 26, 2025) |
|
$ |
[●] |
(4) |
|
[●] |
|
|
[●] |
|
|
[●] |
%(4) |
|
[●] |
%(4) |
| (1) | NAV
per share is determined as of the last day in the relevant quarter and therefore may not
reflect the NAV per share on the date of the high and low sales prices. The NAVs shown are
based on outstanding shares at the end of each period. |
| (2) | The
High/Low Stock Price is calculated as of the closing price on a given day in the applicable
quarter. |
| (3) | Calculated
as of the respective High/Low Stock Price divided by the quarter end NAV. |
| (4) | NAV
has not yet been finally determined for any day after December 31, 2024. |
The
Board of Directors believes that having the flexibility to issue our common stock below NAV per share in certain instances is in the
best interests of stockholders. If we were unable to access the capital markets as attractive investment opportunities arise, our ability
to grow over time and continue to pay steady or increasing dividends to stockholders could be adversely affected. It could also have
the effect of forcing us to sell assets that we would not otherwise sell, and such sales could occur at times that are disadvantageous
to sell. We could also expend considerable time and resources on a capital raise advantageous for stockholders, but be forced to abandon
it solely due to stock market activity causing our stock price to dip temporarily below our NAV per share plus selling costs. Even if
we are able to access the capital markets, there is no guarantee that we will grow over time and continue to pay steady or increasing
dividends. The Board of Directors believes that sales of common stock at less than NAV per share in the future could have either a positive
or negative effect on the Company’s stock price depending on a variety of factors, including the Company’s use of the proceeds of such
sales.
Conditions
to Sales Below NAV Per Share
If
this proposal is approved, we will only sell shares of our common stock pursuant to such authority at a price below NAV per share if
the following conditions are met:
| • | a
majority of our Independent Directors and a majority of the Company’s Directors who have
no financial interest in the sale have approved the sale as in the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders; |
| • | a
majority of such Directors, who are not interested persons of us, in consultation with the
underwriter or underwriters of the offering if it is to be underwritten, or a sales manager
or sales managers, have determined in good faith, and as of a time immediately prior to the
first solicitation by or on behalf of us of firm commitments to purchase such securities
or immediately prior to the issuance of such shares of our common stock, that the price at
which such shares of our common stock are to be sold is not less than a price which closely
approximates the market value of those shares of our common stock, less any underwriting
commission or discount, which could be substantial; and |
| • | the
number of shares to be sold on any given date pursuant to such authority does not exceed
25% of the Company’s then outstanding common stock immediately prior to each such sale. |
Key
Stockholder Considerations and Risk Factors
Before
voting on this proposal or giving proxies with regard to this matter, stockholders should consider the potentially dilutive effect of
the issuance of shares of our common stock at a price that is less than the NAV per share and the expenses associated with such issuance
on the NAV per outstanding share of our common stock (which, as with all issuances, will be indirectly borne by stockholders irrespective
of whether such stockholder participates in the offering). Any sale of common stock at a price below NAV per share would result in an
immediate dilution to existing common stockholders. This dilution would include reduction in the NAV per share as a result of the issuance
of shares at a price below the NAV per share and a disproportionately greater decrease in a stockholder’s interest in our earnings and
assets and their voting interests than the increase in our assets resulting from such issuance. Such an issuance may also impact distributions
per share. Our Board of Directors will consider the potential dilutive effect of the issuance of shares at a price below the NAV per
share and the level of offering expenses (which, as with all issuances, are indirectly borne by stockholders irrespective of whether
such stockholder participates in the offering) when considering whether to authorize any such issuance. Our Board of Directors also will
consider, among other things, the fact that sales of common stock at a discount to net asset value will benefit the Advisor as the Advisor
will earn additional investment management fees on the proceeds of such offerings, as it would from the offering of any other securities
of the Company or from the offering of common stock at a premium to NAV per share. It should be noted that the maximum number of shares
salable below NAV on any given date pursuant to this authority that could result in such dilution is limited to 25% of the Company’s
then outstanding common stock immediately prior to such sale. However, pursuant to this authority, there is no limit on the number of
offerings below NAV that the Company may make during the period this authorization is in effect. No further authorization from stockholders
will be solicited even if the dilution resulting from any such offering or offerings is significant.
The
1940 Act establishes a connection between common stock sale price and NAV per share because, when stock is sold at a sale price below
NAV per share, the resulting increase in the number of outstanding shares reduces NAV per share. Stockholders should also consider that
they will have no subscription, preferential or preemptive rights to additional shares of the common stock proposed to be authorized
for issuance, and thus any future issuance of common stock will dilute such stockholders’ holdings of common stock as a percentage of
shares outstanding to the extent stockholders do not purchase sufficient shares in the offering or otherwise to maintain their percentage
interest. Further, if our current stockholders do not purchase sufficient shares to maintain their percentage interest, regardless of
whether such offering is above or below the then current NAV per share, their voting power will be diluted.
In
addition, if in the future we are not successful with this proposal, we may utilize a rights offering in order to access the equity markets
if our common stock trades below NAV per share. A rights offering may be at a greater discount to NAV per share than an offering of our
common stock at a price below our NAV per share because, among other things, a rights offering requires a long marketing period which
might result in greater share price erosion. As such, we believe that having the ability to issue our common stock below NAV per share
in accordance with the terms of this proposal could, in many instances, be preferable to such an issuance pursuant to a rights offering.
Stockholders
should also be aware that we have previously obtained stockholder approval to sell warrants, options or rights to subscribe to, convert
or to purchase our voting securities if the issuance of such securities is approved by a majority of our Directors who have no financial
interest in such issuance and a majority of our Independent Directors. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the price of such voting securities
upon issuance may be less than NAV per share at that time. This authority does not have an expiration date. Shares of common stock sold
at prices below then current NAV upon exercise or conversion of any warrants or other securities issued under any authority other than
that sought under this Proposal II will not be treated as having been sold at less than NAV per share for purposes of the authority being
requested under this Proposal II.
Selling
common stock pursuant to the authority under Proposal II may be preferable to selling warrants, options, or rights to subscribe to, convert
or purchase our common stock because warrants, options and rights may have very low prices in relation to the stock price and may not
be exercised at the time of sale. Accordingly, their sale may result in low proceeds to us, which may not be an optimal method of raising
capital for additional investments. Our Directors who have no financial interest in such issuance, including a majority of our Independent
Directors, will assess our capital needs and choose whether to issue common stock pursuant to Proposal II or pursuant to warrants, options,
or rights to subscribe to, convert or purchase our common stock.
Examples
of Dilutive Effect of the Issuance of Shares Below NAV Per Share
The
following table illustrates the level of net asset value dilution that would be experienced by a nonparticipating stockholder in four
different hypothetical offerings of different sizes and levels of discount from net asset value per share, although it is not possible
to predict the level of market price decline that may occur in an actual offering. Actual sales prices and discounts may differ from
the presentation below. There is no maximum level of discount from NAV at which we may sell shares pursuant to this authority.
The
examples assume hypothetically that the issuer has 85,080,000 common shares outstanding, $1,923,031,000 in total assets and $1,137,908,000
in total liabilities. The hypothetical NAV and NAV per share are thus $785,123,000 and $9.23, respectively. Using these hypothetical
numbers, the chart below illustrates the dilutive effect on Stockholder A of (1) an offering of 4,254,000 shares of common stock (5%
of the outstanding shares of common stock) at $8.77 per share after offering expenses and commission (a 5% discount from NAV), (2) an
offering of 8,508,000 shares of common stock (10% of the outstanding shares of common stock) at $8.31 per share after offering expenses
and commissions (a 10% discount from NAV), (3) an offering of 21,270,000 shares of common stock (25% of the outstanding shares of common
stock) at $6.92 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 25% discount from NAV), and (4) an offering of 21,270,000 shares
of common stock (25% of the outstanding shares of common stock) at $0.00 per share after offering expenses and commissions (a 100% discount
from NAV).
|
|
|
|
|
Example
1
5% Offering
at 5% Discount |
|
|
Example
2
10% Offering
at 10% Discount |
|
|
Example
3
25% Offering
at 25% Discount |
|
|
Example
4
25% Offering
at 100% Discount |
|
|
|
Prior
to Sale
Below NAV |
|
|
Following
Sale |
|
|
%
Change |
|
|
Following
Sale |
|
|
%
Change |
|
|
Following
Sale |
|
|
%
Change |
|
|
Following
Sale |
|
|
%
Change |
|
Offering
Price |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Price
per Share to Public |
|
|
|
|
$ |
9.23 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
8.74 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
7.29 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
Net
Proceeds per Share to Issuer |
|
|
|
|
$ |
8.77 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
8.31 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
6.92 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
- |
|
|
|
|
Decrease
to NAV |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Shares Outstanding |
|
|
85,080,000 |
|
|
|
89,334,000 |
|
|
|
5.00 |
% |
|
|
93,588,000 |
|
|
|
10.00 |
% |
|
|
106,350,000 |
|
|
|
25.00 |
% |
|
|
106,350,000 |
|
|
|
25.00 |
% |
NAV
per Share |
|
$ |
9.23 |
|
|
$ |
9.21 |
|
|
|
(0.24) |
% |
|
$ |
9.14 |
|
|
|
(0.91) |
% |
|
$ |
8.77 |
|
|
|
(5.00) |
% |
|
$ |
7.38 |
|
|
|
(20.00) |
% |
Dilution
to Stockholder |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares
Held by Stockholder A |
|
|
850,800 |
|
|
|
850,800 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
850,800 |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
850,800 |
|
|
— |
|
|
850,800 |
|
|
— |
|
Percentage
Held by Stockholder A |
|
|
1.0 |
% |
|
|
0.95 |
% |
|
|
(4.76) |
% |
|
|
0.91 |
% |
|
|
(9.09) |
% |
|
|
0.80 |
% |
|
|
(20.00) |
% |
|
|
0.80 |
% |
|
|
(20.00) |
% |
Total
Asset Values |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
NAV Held by Stockholder A |
|
$ |
7,851,230 |
|
|
$ |
7,832,537 |
|
|
|
(0.24) |
% |
|
$ |
7,779,855 |
|
|
|
(0.91 |
)% |
|
$ |
7,458,669 |
|
|
|
(5.00) |
% |
|
$ |
6,280,984 |
|
|
|
(20.00) |
% |
Total
Investment by Stockholder A (Assumed to be $12.93 per Share) |
|
$ |
7,851,230 |
|
|
$ |
7,851,230 |
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
7,851,230 |
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
7,851,230 |
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
7,851,230 |
|
|
— |
|
Total
Dilution to Stockholder A (Total NAV Less Total Investment) |
|
— |
|
|
$ |
18,693 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
71,375 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
392,562 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
1,570,246 |
|
|
|
|
Per
Share Amounts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAV
per Share Held by Stockholder A |
|
|
|
|
$ |
9.21 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
9.14 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
8.77 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
7.38 |
|
|
|
|
Investment
per Share Held by Stockholder A (Assumed to be $12.93 per Share on Shares Held Prior to Sale) |
|
$ |
9.23 |
|
|
$ |
9.23 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
9.23 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
9.23 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
9.23 |
|
|
|
|
Dilution
per Share Held by Stockholder A (NAV per Share Less Investment per Share) |
|
|
|
|
$ |
(0.02) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(0.08) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(0.46) |
|
|
|
|
|
$ |
(1.85) |
|
|
|
|
Percentage
Dilution to Stockholder A (Dilution per Share Divided by Investment per Share) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(0.24) |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
(0.91 |
)% |
|
|
|
|
|
(5.00) |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
(20.00) |
% |
Impact
on Existing Stockholders Who Do Not Participate in the Offering
Our
existing stockholders who do not participate in an offering below NAV per share or who do not buy additional shares in the secondary
market at the same or lower price we obtain in the offering (after expenses and commissions) face the greatest potential risks. These
stockholders will experience an immediate decrease (often called dilution) in the NAV of the shares they hold and their NAV per share.
These stockholders will also experience a disproportionately greater decrease in their participation in our earnings and assets and their
voting power than the increase we will experience in our assets, potential earning power and voting interests due to the offering. These
stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which often reflects to some degree announced or potential
increases and decreases in NAV. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of the offering
and level of discounts increase. There is no maximum level of discount from NAV at which we may sell shares pursuant to this authority.
Impact
on Existing Stockholders Who Do Participate in the Offering
Our
existing stockholders who participate in the offering or who buy additional shares in the secondary market at the same or lower price
as we obtain in the offering (after expenses and commissions) will experience the same types of NAV per share dilution as the nonparticipating
stockholders, albeit at a lower level, to the extent they purchase less than the same percentage of the discounted offering as their
interest in our shares immediately prior to the offering. The level of NAV per share dilution will decrease as the number of shares such
stockholders purchase increases. Existing stockholders who buy more than such percentage will experience NAV per share dilution on their
existing shares but will, in contrast to existing stockholders who purchase less than their proportionate share of the offering, experience
an increase (often called accretion) in average NAV per share over their investment per share and will also experience a disproportionately
greater increase in their participation in our earnings and assets and their voting power than our increase in assets, potential earning
power and voting interests due to the offering. The level of accretion will increase as the excess number of shares such stockholder
purchases increases. Even a stockholder who over participates will, however, be subject to the risk that we may make additional discounted
offerings in which such stockholder does not participate, in which case such a stockholder will experience NAV per share dilution as
described above in such subsequent offerings. These stockholders may also experience a decline in the market price of their shares, which
often reflects to some degree announced or potential decreases in NAV per share. This decrease could be more pronounced as the size of
the offering and level of discounts increases. There is no maximum level of discount from NAV at which we may sell shares pursuant to
this authority.
Required
Vote
Approval
of this proposal may be obtained by the affirmative vote of (1) a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote
at the Annual Meeting; and (2) a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting that are not
held by affiliated persons of the Company, which includes Directors, officers, employees, and 5% stockholders. For purposes of this proposal,
the 1940 Act defines “a majority of the outstanding shares” as: (i) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting
if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of a company are present or represented by proxy; or (ii) 50% of
the outstanding voting securities of the company, whichever is less. This proposal will also be approved if we receive approval from
a majority of the number of beneficial holders of our common stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, without regard to whether
a majority of our shares of common stock are voted in favor of the proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes on the proposal will have
the same effect as votes against the proposal.
The
Board of Directors recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposal to authorize the Company, with approval of its Board of Directors,
to sell shares of its common stock at a price or prices below the Company’s then current net asset value per share in one or more offerings.
INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Deloitte
& Touche LLP (“D&T”) has been selected as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the financial
statements of the Company as of and for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. D&T was selected by the Audit Committee
of the Company and that selection was ratified by the Company’s Board, including all of the Independent Directors, by a vote cast at
an in-person meeting. The Company does not know of any direct or indirect financial interest of D&T in the Company. A representative
of D&T will attend the Annual Meeting, will have the opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so and will be available
to answer questions.
|
|
2024 |
|
|
2023 |
|
Audit
Fees |
|
$ |
857,259 |
|
|
$ |
664,740 |
|
Audit-Related
Fees |
|
|
140,000 |
|
|
|
22,500 |
|
All
Other Fees |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
Total |
|
$ |
997,259 |
|
|
$ |
687,240 |
|
Audit
Fees.
Audit
fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end consolidated financial statements and reviews
of the condensed consolidated financial statements filed with the SEC on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, as well as work generally only the
independent registered public accounting firm can be reasonably expected to provide, such as comfort letters, consents and review of
documents filed with the SEC, including certain 8-K filings. Audit fees also include fees for the audit opinion rendered regarding the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting.
Audit-Related
Fees.
Audit-related
fees consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review
of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required
by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. The amounts reported also include
fees related to the filing and maintenance of the Company’s registration statement on Form N-2.
Tax
Fees.
Tax
services fees consist of fees billed for professional services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm’s tax personnel
for tax compliance. These services include assistance regarding federal, state and local tax compliance, except those services specifically
related to the audit and review of financial statements.
All
Other Fees.
All
other fees would include fees for products and services other than the services reported above.
Audit
Committee Policies and Procedures
The
Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board. Management is responsible for the Company’s internal controls
and the financial reporting process. The Audit Committee is required to approve all audit engagement fees and terms for the Company.
The Audit Committee also is required to consider and act upon (i) the provision by the Company’s independent accountant of any non-audit
services to the Company, and (ii) the provision by the Company’s independent accountant of non-audit services to the Company and any
entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company that provide ongoing services to the Company (“Affiliated
Service Providers”) to the extent that such approval (in the case of this clause (ii)) is required under applicable regulations
of the Commission.
The
Audit Committee pre-approves all audit, review and attest engagements required under the securities laws and regulations provided by
the Company’s independent auditors. The Audit Committee also approves all non-audit services, including tax services, provided to the
Company by the Company’s independent auditors and verifies, at the time of pre-approval, that such pre-approved non-audit services would
not be prohibited services under securities regulations. The Audit Committee pre-approves all non-audit services provided by the Company’s
independent auditors to the Company’s investment advisor and to affiliates of the investment advisor that provide ongoing services to
the Company, but only if the non-audit services have a direct impact on the operations or financial reporting of the Company.
Audit
Committee Report
The
Audit Committee has reviewed the Company’s audited financial statements and met and held discussions with management and with D&T,
with and without management present, regarding the audited financial statements. Management has represented to the Audit Committee that
the Company’s financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The
Audit Committee has discussed with D&T the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company
Accounting
Oversight
Board (“PCAOB”) and the Commission. The Audit Committee has also received the written disclosures and the letter from D&T
required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding D&T’s communications with the audit committee concerning independence,
and has discussed with D&T its independence.
Based
on the Audit Committee’s review and discussions referred to above, including its discussions with management and the independent registered
public accounting firm, the Audit Committee’s review of the audited financial statements, the representations of management and the report
of the D&T to the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee recommended that the Board include the audited financial statements in the
Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 for filing with the SEC. It is anticipated
that the Audit Committee will also recommend and the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, will approve, selecting
D&T to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2025.
John
R. Baron;
Eric
J. Draut;
Karen
L. Leets;
Andrea
L. Petro;
Maureen
K. Usifer (Chair).
STOCKHOLDER
COMMUNICATIONS
Stockholders
who want to communicate with the Board of Directors or any individual member of the Board of Directors should email Investor.Relations@TCPCapital.com,
send a fax to 310-566-1010 or write the Company to the attention of Investor Relations at 2951 28th Street, Suite 1000, Santa Monica,
California 90405. The communication should indicate that you are a Company stockholder. If the communication is intended for a specific
member of the Board of Directors and so indicates, it will be sent only to that member. If a communication does not indicate a specific
member of the Board of Directors, it will be sent to the Chair of the Company’s Governance and Compensation Committee and the outside
counsel to the Independent Directors for further distribution as deemed appropriate by such persons.
Additionally,
stockholders with complaints or concerns regarding accounting matters may email Investor.Relations@TCPCapital.com, send a fax to 310-566-1010
or address letters to Investor Relations at 2951 28th Street, Suite 1000, Santa Monica, California 90405. Stockholders who are uncomfortable
submitting complaints to Investor Relations may address letters directly to the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors
at 2951 28th Street, Suite 1000, Santa Monica, California 90405. Such letters may be submitted on an anonymous basis.
STOCKHOLDER
NOMINATIONS AND PROPOSALS FOR THE 2026 ANNUAL MEETING
Stockholders
may present proper nominations of candidates for Director or other proposals for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement and proxy
card for consideration at the next annual meeting of stockholders by submitting such nominations or proposals in writing to the Secretary
of the Company in a timely manner, calculated in the manner provided in Rule 14a-8(e) of the Exchange Act, applicable state law
and the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company. The Company expects that the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the
Company will be held in May 2026, but the exact date, time and location of such meeting have yet to be determined.
Deadlines
for Submitting Stockholder Proposals for Inclusion in the Company’s Proxy Statement and Proxy Card
To
be considered timely under Rule 14a-8(e) of the Exchange Act for inclusion in the Company’s proxy statement and proxy card for a
regularly scheduled annual meeting, a stockholder’s nomination of a candidate for Director or other proposal must be received at the
Company’s principal executive offices not less than 120 calendar days before the anniversary of the date the Company’s proxy statement
was released to stockholders for the previous year’s annual meeting. Accordingly, a stockholder’s nomination of a candidate for Director
or other proposal must be received no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2025 in order to be included in the Company’s proxy statement
and proxy card for the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company.
Deadlines
for Submitting Notice of Stockholder Proposals for Consideration at the Company’s Annual Meeting
The
deadline for submitting notice of a stockholder’s nomination of a candidate for Director or other proposal for consideration at the 2026
Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, under the Company’s current Bylaws, is not earlier than the 150th day prior to the first
anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day prior to
the first anniversary of the date of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual
meeting is not within 25 days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be so received
not later than the close of business on the 10th day following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed
or such public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting was made, whichever first occurs. Accordingly, a stockholder’s nomination
of a candidate for Director or other proposal must be received no earlier than Tuesday, December 23, 2025 and no later than 5:00 p.m.,
Eastern Time, on Thursday, January 22, 2026 in order to be considered at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company. In order
to be considered timely, such notice will be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Company and will set
forth all information required under Sections 4 and 5, as applicable, of Article II of the Company’s current Bylaws.
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS AVAILABLE
A
copy of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 containing audited financial statements
accompanies this proxy statement.
Along
with this proxy statement, the Company will provide to each stockholder a copy (without exhibits, unless otherwise requested) of its
Annual Report on Form 10-K required to be filed with the Commission for the year ended December 31, 2024. Copies of these documents
may also be accessed electronically by means of the Commission’s home page on the internet at http://www.sec.gov.
INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
We
hereby incorporate by reference our disclosure from the following sections of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2024: (i) “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations;”
(ii) “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk;” and (iii) “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.”
Other than the foregoing information and our financial statements incorporated by reference above, no portion of our Form 10-K is
part of these proxy solicitation materials.
PRIVACY
PRINCIPLES OF THE COMPANY
The
Company is committed to maintaining the privacy of stockholders and to safeguarding our nonpublic personal information. The following
information is provided to help you understand what personal information the Company collects, how the Company protects that information
and why, in certain cases, the Company may share information with select other parties.
Generally,
the Company does not receive any nonpublic personal information relating to their stockholders, although certain nonpublic personal information
of stockholders may become available to the Company. The Company does not disclose any nonpublic personal information about their stockholders
or former stockholders to anyone, except as permitted by law or as is necessary in order to service stockholder accounts (for example,
to a transfer agent or third-party administrator).
The
Company restricts access to nonpublic personal information about its stockholders to its investment advisor’s employees with a legitimate
business need for the information. The Company maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to protect the nonpublic
personal information of its stockholders.
HOUSEHOLDING
OF PROXY MATERIALS
The
Commission has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for proxy
statements and annual reports with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single proxy statement
and annual report addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as “householding,” potentially
means extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies.
This
year a number of brokers with account holders who are the Company’s stockholders will be “householding” its proxy materials.
A single proxy statement will be delivered to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received
from the affected stockholders. If you have received notice from your broker that it will be “householding” communications
to your address, “householding” will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. We will promptly
deliver a separate copy of these documents to you upon written or oral request to our Global Investor Relations team at Tennenbaum Capital
Partners, LLC, 2951 28th Street, Suite 1000, Santa Monica, California 90405 or Investor.Relations@TCPCapital.com
or 310-566-1003. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in “householding” and would prefer to receive
a separate proxy statement and annual report, please notify your broker. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the proxy
statement and annual report at their addresses and would like to request “householding” of their communications should contact
their brokers.
OTHER
MATTERS
The
Board of Directors is not aware of any other matters to be presented at the Annual Meeting. Should any other matter requiring a vote
of stockholders arise, it is the intention of the persons named in the proxy to vote in accordance with their discretion on such matters.
You
are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting in person via webcast. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, you are
requested to complete, date, sign and promptly return the accompanying proxy card in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.
By
Order of the Board of Directors,
Chairman
of the Board of Directors and
Chief
Executive Officer
March
20, 2025


BlackRock TCP Capital (NASDAQ:TCPC)
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BlackRock TCP Capital (NASDAQ:TCPC)
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