Buy, Build & Transform

GDA Luma is a US investment firm specialized in distressed and special situations investments

HISTORY & LEADERSHIP

With a focus on distressed-for-control and special situations investments, GDA Luma seeks opportunities with significant asymmetric risk-reward potential, leveraging upside catalysts such as cost-saving initiatives, technological advancements, and other operational enhancements.

GDA Luma’s investment team, led by Gabriel de Alba, boasts over 75 years of combined experience in distressed-for-control investing, having managed investments across five prior funds. GDA Luma’s extensive relationship networks and strong market reputation consistently provide access to new potential opportunities.

WHITE KNIGHT STRATEGY

Asymmetric Returns

GDA Luma’s distressed-for-control strategy targets positions in senior secured debt in middle-market companies with historically strong businesses but over-levered balance sheets. We acquire debt at a discount to par, emphasizing downside protection through overcollateralization. Following execution of a recapitalization, our investments generate equity-like returns while maintaining credit-like risk.

STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT

Our strategy involves taking a lead role in restructuring to organize creditors (CLOs, regional banks, insurance companies, and sponsors) who lack the expertise or face portfolio / new money / structural limitations to drive deleveraging, reduce process costs, renegotiate key contracts, and position companies for long-term success.

OPERATIONAL TURNAROUND

GDA Luma executes on its operational turnaround and digital transformation plan, working in collaboration with management and board members with enhanced governance and cultural alignment. We seek to maximize value through orderly exit processes with natural buyers who seek to capitalize on remaining growth trajectories and cleansed balance sheets.

Differentiating Factors

GDA Luma’s background drives investment and business transformation strategy focusing on:

Differentiating Factors

GDA Luma’s background drives investment and business transformation strategy focusing on:

VALUE ORIENTED & BELOW RADAR

We target middle-market companies with predictable earnings, strong free cash flow, and defensible market positions facing unsustainable capital structures. We acquire the senior secured debt at a meaningful discount to intrinsic value in companies in which we are often the only non-original lender, which uniquely positions us to lead the restructuring process.

OPERATIONS DRIVEN

As a part of our investment, GDA Luma emphasizes the company’s cash flow generation and growth trajectory through optimization of operations, improvement to capital allocation, rationalization of costs, and improving competitiveness via changes in strategy, digital & tech systems, and governance.

SECTOR FOCUS

GDA Luma has substantial and proven experience leading restructuring in the media & entertainment, telecom, technology, banking & financial services, hospitality, and pharma / healthcare industries, where companies command high exit multiples and attract interest from financial sponsors, strategics, or sovereigns.

STRONG REPUTATION & NETWORK

The GDA Luma team is composed of seasoned leaders with an average of 25 years of restructuring and/or operating experience. Additionally, our deep bench of world-class operating partners and advisors lend their expertise and network in our targeted sectors.

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Transactions Completed by Investment Team
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Countries Worldwide