Hilltop Opportunity Partners LLC
Hilltop Opportunity Partners (“HOP”) is a merchant banking business launched by Dallas-based Hilltop Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTH) to pursue investment opportunities outside of the banking industry across a variety of sectors and capital structures. As part of Hilltop Holdings, HOP will focus on long- and short-term, non-control investments.
Hilltop Opportunity Partners utilizes excess capital at HTH to employ a flexible investment strategy and address a variety of capital needs, targeting non-bank middle market investments that range from $5 million to $25 million. Larger or smaller opportunities are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Leadership
HOP is led by Hilltop Holdings Executive Vice President Mark Plunkett, who serves as chief investment officer and head of Hilltop Opportunity Partners. He is joined by Phil Eckian and Chris Micheal.
About Mark Plunkett
Before joining Hilltop, Plunkett co-founded and ran Hilliard Street Capital, a Blackstone and Bridger seeded long/short equity fund and served as a partner with Atlas Capital. He has also worked for the Washington, D.C.-based Carlyle Group, with Hicks, Muse, Tate, and Furst in Mexico City, and with Cardinal Investment Company in Dallas. He currently serves as a senior advisor to the New York-based private equity fund Argand Capital and as a director of a Dallas-based bakery company and a Hong Kong-based global toy company. Plunkett earned a B.B.A. and B.S. from Southern Methodist University, graduating magna cum laude with honors and received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School where he served as co-president of his class. He is also a U.S. Fulbright Scholar.
About Phil Eckian
Before joining Hilltop, Mr. Eckian co-founded Longhorn Capital Partners, a Dallas-based investment management firm seeded by Tiger Management, and served as a vice president in the Special Situations Group with Goldman Sachs. He has also worked for The Beneficient Company Group and started his career in the financial services industry with Barrington Associates and Alex. Brown & Sons. Mr. Eckian earned a B.S. from Yale University and received his M.B.A from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
About Chris Micheal
Before joining Hilltop, Mr. Micheal served as a vice president in the Credit and Opportunistic Strategies Group with Crestline Investors. Prior to Crestline, Mr. Micheal worked as an investment banking analyst for Houlihan Lokey in their Healthcare Group. Mr. Micheal earned a B.S. from Texas Christian University.
News
Hilltop Opportunity Partners Completes Investment in Moser Energy Systems
Hilltop Holdings Launches New Merchant Bank, Completes First Transaction
Hilltop Opportunity Partners Successfully Completes Preferred Equity Transactions
Contact Us
Hilltop Opportunity Partners LLC
2323 Victory Ave., Suite 1400
Dallas, TX 75219
