Mike Hermsen
Advisory Partner
As Advisory Partner at Fort Point, Mike provides insight to the firm on strategic and organizational development matters, and sits on the firm's Investment Committee. Mike has over 30 years of senior investment management experience in the private debt and equity sectors, and has served roles in corporate governance, general management, business development and fundamental analysis. He is currently on the Board of Directors of a number of private equity backed companies. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of Babson Capital Finance and Head of the Global Private Finance Group of its affiliate. Babson is a subsidiary of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. In these roles, Mike was responsible for the general management of the firm's approximately $25 billion of private debt and equity investment activities across North America and developed Asia Pacific and Europe. During his career, Mike helped establish and develop the firm's capabilities in mezzanine and private equity investing in North America and Asia Pacific as well as its direct lending and energy finance capabilities in North America.
Mike holds a BA from Bowdoin College and an MBA from Columbia University. He is an avid cyclist and skier, and is active on a number of community service boards.
Questions & answers
What's the most important thing when it comes to making the private equity firm-management team relationship work?
Like many things in life, successful investing in private equity is about people. At Fort Point, we are very particular about who we pick for our partners, which includes the principals at the firm, the management teams of our portfolio companies and those who provide us capital. Likewise, we try to be the best partner we can be by acting with integrity, intelligence and a high level of energy.
What makes Fort Point Capital a unique private equity firm?
Fort Point is unique in the private equity world because it brings a large company level of sophistication and resources to smaller companies. We do this through the experience and knowledge of our own people as well as access to high-quality advisors and professional firms with which we have established deep and meaningful relationships over many years.
Describe your role and responsibilities at Fort Point Capital.
I am a member of the firm’s Investment Committee and sit on a number of portfolio company boards. My role at Fort Point is to advise in areas where my nearly 40 years in middle market finance and investing are helpful and to assist in special projects such as finance, strategic planning and organizational development.
How did you become interested in private equity? What drew you to it?
I’ve been involved in financing and investing in private equity companies in the middle market since the 1980s. It has been fantastic to participate in a sector that has consistently produced results for investors and managers that exceed nearly all other asset classes in terms of return for risk. I can’t imagine a better place to have spent a career and made investments.
What do you like best about your job?
I have always enjoyed learning about new companies, their products and services and how they bring them to market. It’s been intellectually rewarding to explore these things and to be inside the companies, assisting them and their management teams improve.
When you're not at the office, what are you usually doing?
When I’m not in the office, on airplanes to meetings or on Zoom calls, I spend much of my time cycling, skiing and traveling the world. I’ve been fortunate to have visited over 60 countries and will have set foot on all seven continents by the end of 2024. Best of all, I’ve done this with my wife and two adult children who are also avid skiers, cyclists and travelers.