Judges

Aysha Gilmore

Aysha Gilmore is the news editor of Alternative Credit Investor. She is a history graduate with a postgraduate degree in journalism and an NCTJ diploma. Before joining Alternative Credit Investor, she worked for trade publications in the financial sector, including Net Zero Investor and Room151. Prior to that, she gained experience at various local newspapers. Aysha writes the news, features and profile interviews at Alternative Credit Investor, with particular interests in investor allocations, portfolio movements and partnerships. 

Chris Acito

Chris is the chief executive of Gapstow Capital Partners, a registered investment advisor based in New York City, which he founded in 2009. From its inception, Gapstow has specialized in managing fund-of-funds products focused on alternative credit opportunities. Prior to Gapstow, Chris was the global chief operating officer for Investcorp’s hedge fund group. 

Prior to Investcorp, Chris enjoyed a 10-year career as a management consultant, beginning with Booz-Allen & Hamilton and with Casey, Quirk & Acito (now Casey Quirk a Deloitte business). Chris began his career as an economist, serving on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers in both the Bush and Clinton administrations. Chris holds a B.A. in Economics from Duke University and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago. He is Board Chair Emeritus Trustee of The Peddie School in Hightstown, NJ and serves on the investment committees of Peddie and The New York Community Trust.

Dan Sondhelm

Dan Sondhelm is the founder and chief executive of Sondhelm Partners. The firm helps boutique asset managers, wealth managers, and other financial companies grow their business. Some clients seek to increase AUM and strengthen their market position, while others want to amplify their success. Dan and his team provide integrated solutions that deliver measurable, lasting results.

Dan frequently contributes insights to financial news media, presents at industry conferences, and guides corporate boards. Through Sondhelm Partners’ Insights page, he shares articles on industry trends and best practices. His professional affiliations include serving on the board of directors for the Global Asset Management Marketing Association (2023-present). Earlier in his career, Dan was a senior partner at SunStar Strategic, where he developed client strategy, grew new business, and led the team. During his tenure, SunStar earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list for five consecutive years.

Shrimanth R. Adla

Shrimanth R. Adla is an accomplished credit risk professional and analytics leader with over 15 years of experience in leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance risk management and financial innovation. As the Senior Director of Credit Risk Analytics at Comcast, he oversees implementation of AI-driven credit strategies for Xfinity Mobile and Business Mobile portfolios, focusing on credit decisioning. Shrimanth has been a jury member for prestigious international and U.S. award programs, evaluating innovative consumer finance initiatives and products. His career spans pivotal roles at institutions like TransUnion, MUFG Union Bank, Barclays, and Citi Bank, where he developed predictive models to mitigate risks effectively. Shrimanth holds a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Oklahoma State University.

Suzie Neuwirth

Suzie Neuwirth is the founder and editor-in-chief of Alternative Credit Investor magazine, having seen a gap in the market for good quality, focused coverage of the fast-growing alternative credit sector. She is an experienced journalist who has edited the business sections of two national newspapers and worked at London freesheet City AM. She has been interviewed on various broadcasting outlets including Sky News and Share Radio. Earlier in her career, she worked for a number of trade magazines and edited a Middle East-focused insurance publication for two years.