Celina Kuoch’s business acumen and leadership achievements in the private lending industry are a testament to her resilience and perseverance. At an early age, she broke barriers and paved her own way in a male-dominated industry. After winning a scholarship to attend the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, she graduated with a BA in Economics. She was high-achieving and motivated, and this was only the beginning.

With a focus on finance, real estate, and marketing, she was prepared for her first role as a real estate (RE) investment banking analyst at Deutsche Bank. From there, she entered the RE private equity sector, working for Wafra to lead their asset management team. “Having grit and perseverance are very important to succeed as a woman and a person in general in our business. The desire to keep learning, whether it’s from a junior colleague or more senior colleague, and the desire to take on more responsibilities are necessary motivations to have in order to further yourself in the business.”

Celina Kuoch’s experience as a woman in the male-dominated RE private lending industry was marked by her unwavering competence and resilience. Often the only woman in the room, she was always prepared, ready to contribute valuable insights and answer questions. Her expertise and knowledge matched, if not exceeded, that of her male counterparts. Her ability to build rapport with team members, borrowers, and investors further earned her respect from colleagues and leadership.

In 2007, Kuoch ventured into a new phase of her career by relocating to Hong Kong to spearhead Urban Land Capital as their Head of Acquisition and Asset Management for RE equity investments. Leaving behind a secure and successful position at Wafra, Kuoch embraced the challenge of leading a start-up. With her partner, she assembled a team and took charge of acquiring commercial properties in India and China. The firm’s investments were promising; however, the unforeseen global financial crisis impacted the investors’ mindset. They redeemed their investments in Asia to support their struggling North American investments. She initially saw this venture as a failure.

But now, Kuoch deems her time in Hong Kong a success. “Though it felt like a failure as we were unable to continue and raise future funds, I acquired valuable business acumen, having navigated investing in commercial real estate in foreign countries, built up my professional skills set in building lasting relationships, and gained a global view of the world as I lived abroad as an expatriate for five years. At the end, I believe it’s better to have taken risks than not to have tried at all.”

Kuoch packed up her bags in Hong Kong and returned to New York, where she worked in high yield lending at Barings for several years. A couple of years ago, she joined Man Group and is now Head of US Residential Debt Asset Management.

At Man Group, she leads the asset management team tasked with executing business strategies for their residential and multi-family debt portfolios. Her team’s efforts are focused on enhancing the long-term value of the residential properties. Kuoch’s team is integral to Man Group’s extensive $25 billion private credit lending business. Man Group is a prominent entity in the hedge fund sector and is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange and managing assets totaling approximately $175 billion. Her team is driving the expansion of the firm’s senior secured residential lending strategy.

Looking ahead, Kuoch is optimistic about increasing gender diversity in finance. “I feel gender diversity is starting to take hold in this decade in the finance world. For firms that are in the private lending industry, I hope they can start to recruit women from universities, as that is the start of professional awareness of our industry.” Combining the unique skills of men and women working together in private lending will only increase the industry’s success.

Kuoch offers advice to women starting out in the industry: “For a young woman who has an interest in private lending, I would suggest having a passion to be in real estate and learning and applying good technical finance skills. Technical skills are one side of the coin, and people skills are the other side in attaining business acumen. And always ask questions when you’re not sure of something, so you can learn from your colleagues.” There are so many aspects of the industry, including brokerage, legal, and servicing and they all need strong women leadership at the helm.

Kuoch is committed to fostering inclusion within the industry and works to leave a lasting mark. “In a small way, I hope to champion the inclusion of minorities in my involvement as an Executive Committee Member with Minorities in Restructuring and Alternative Investments through the events we host. In addition, I volunteer for the Wharton School as Co-Chair of The Wharton Real Estate Investment Group, where we put together educational seminars in which we value women speakers.” By championing diversity and inclusion, Kuoch is sure to make a lasting impression on those desiring to follow in her footsteps and break their own glass ceilings.

Celina Kuoch’s career is a powerful illustration of what women can achieve in the private lending sector, an area once perceived as an unlikely place for female leadership. Her success not only challenges traditional gender roles but also sets a significant precedent for what diverse leadership can accomplish in finance.