Aki Kudo

Deep expertise in U.S. commercial banking and Japanese financial institutions, bridging cultures, building trusted relationships, and exercising disciplined credit judgment across complex lending and investment transactions.

Credit

Risk & Portfolio Management Executive with 15 years of experience helping financial institutions make disciplined lending and investment decisions across commercial banking, private credit, structured finance, project finance, equipment finance, and portfolio management. Recognized for sound credit judgment, analytical rigor, and the ability to translate complex financial risks into practical business decisions.

Experience includes managing approximately $1 billion in private credit portfolio exposure, exercising $5 million individual lending authority, leading underwriting for a $75 million syndicated commitment within a $250 million hyperscale data center financing, underwriting more than 75 commercial finance transactions annually, managing a $300 million commercial portfolio, and authoring a Project Finance Credit Policy that established underwriting standards for future infrastructure transactions.

Native

Japanese speaker with extensive experience working across Japanese and U.S. financial institutions. Brings a unique ability to bridge cultural, communication, and business practice differences, serving as a trusted liaison between stakeholders to support cross-border lending, investment, and strategic decision-making.

Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management - JA Mitsui Capital

(2025-10 - 2026-06)

Oversaw portfolio management activities for a global venture capital and private equity platform. Position concluded following a company-wide reduction in force that eliminated the Portfolio Management team.

• Managed approximately $1 billion in sponsor-backed private credit investments, providing portfolio surveillance, valuation oversight, financial performance analysis, and risk assessments that informed executive investment decisions.
• Led executive portfolio reviews, communicating portfolio performance, valuation trends, emerging risks, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Partnered with investment, legal, finance, and operations teams throughout the investment lifecycle to strengthen governance, enhance reporting, and support portfolio value creation.
• Collaborated across Japanese and U.S. investment professionals, leveraging cross-cultural business expertise to align stakeholders and support informed investment decisions.

Vice President, Credit Officer - Sumitomo Mitsui Finance & Leasing

(2025-01 - 2025-10)

Provided independent credit leadership for commercial finance, equipment finance, structured lending, and project finance transactions while helping establish the firm's infrastructure finance underwriting framework.

• Led underwriting for the firm's $75 million syndicated commitment within a $250 million hyperscale data center project financing, evaluating sponsor strength, transaction structure, projected cash flows, collateral support, and long-term project risk.
• Authored the firm's Project Finance Credit Policy, establishing underwriting standards, governance procedures, and analytical frameworks supporting future infrastructure finance transactions.
• Underwrote more than 75 commercial finance transactions annually across equipment finance, structured lending, and project finance, delivering independent credit analysis and recommendations on complex financing opportunities.
• Challenged transaction structures and front-office recommendations while balancing commercial objectives with disciplined credit risk management.
• Partnered with Japanese executive leadership and U.S. business teams to support complex financing transactions while bridging differences in business culture, communication, and credit philosophy.
• Mentored junior credit professionals and collaborated with Relationship Management, Risk Management, Legal, Operations, and senior leadership throughout the approval process.

Vice President, Senior Credit Approval Officer - NBH Bank

(2021-07 - 2025-01)

Provided independent credit approval for middle-market lending relationships, advising business bankers and balancing prudent credit risk management with commercial growth objectives.

• Exercised individual commercial lending authority of up to $5 million, independently approving complex commercial and industrial, owner-occupied, and commercial real estate credit facilities.
• Evaluated new loan requests, renewals, modifications, and annual reviews through comprehensive analysis of borrower performance, cash flow, collateral, guarantor support, industry trends, and repayment capacity.
• Partnered with Relationship Managers from prescreen through final approval, structuring financing solutions aligned with client objectives, bank policy, and risk appetite.
• Conducted client meetings and site visits to assess management quality, validate operations, and strengthen underwriting decisions.
• Structured loan terms, covenant packages, collateral requirements, lien positions, and borrowing base provisions to mitigate credit risk.
• Reviewed UCC filings, collateral documentation, appraisal support, and legal documentation to confirm appropriate collateral position and sound credit administration.
• Mentored business bankers, interns, and junior credit professionals on credit analysis, policy interpretation, underwriting standards, and transaction structure.

Commercial Underwriter / Banking Officer - BOK Financial

(2019-05 - 2021-06)

Managed underwriting and portfolio risk for middle-market commercial banking relationships, partnering with Relationship Managers, Capital Markets, and senior credit leadership to structure sound lending solutions.

• Managed an approximately $300 million commercial portfolio spanning contractor, Commercial & Industrial, and public finance relationships.
• Underwrote commercial credit transactions ranging from approximately $100 thousand to $30 million, performing financial statement analysis, cash flow modeling, collateral evaluation, and repayment capacity assessment.
• Presented complex credit recommendations to loan committees and senior credit officers, communicating transaction risks, mitigants, industry dynamics, and borrower performance.
• Reviewed and negotiated legal documents, amendments, commitment letters, financing terms, and closing conditions with borrowers, counsel, and internal stakeholders.
• Collaborated with Capital Markets on interest rate swap transactions, early prepayments, and sophisticated financing solutions for middle-market borrowers.
• Monitored portfolio quality through annual reviews, covenant compliance, financial performance analysis, policy exception tracking, and proactive identification of emerging credit concerns.

Commercial Underwriter / Credit Analyst III - Bank of the West

(2015-07 - 2019-04)

Developed deep technical expertise in commercial credit underwriting, portfolio monitoring, and relationship-manager support for middle-market and business banking relationships.

• Underwrote commercial lending opportunities through detailed analysis of business and personal tax returns, fiscal-year and interim financial statements, personal financial statements, collateral, industry trends, and repayment capacity.
• Performed Uniform Credit Analysis (UCA), global cash flow analysis, guarantor analysis, covenant structuring, borrowing base review, and sensitivity analysis to support sound credit decisions.
• Prepared comprehensive credit memoranda for new loan requests, renewals, modifications, annual reviews, covenant waivers, and risk rating recommendations.
• Partnered with Relationship Managers and Credit Managers to address transaction structure, credit strengths and weaknesses, problem-loan indicators, and borrower questions.
• Monitored portfolio quality through covenant testing, annual reviews, renewals, stress tests, FDIC/REIF forms, financial ticklers, and collateral reporting requirements.
• Maintained accurate credit documentation and supported internal risk management by escalating covenant violations and emerging credit concerns in a timely manner.

Tax Reporting Analyst / Government Reporting - Robert W. Baird

(2012-09 - 2015-07)

Developed a strong analytical foundation in investment operations, tax reporting, data management, and process improvement for a national investment and wealth management firm.

• Analyzed and resolved daily tax reporting exception reports, improving accuracy of Form 1099 and cost-basis reporting across multiple source systems.
• Leveraged SQL Server, Microsoft Access, Excel macros, and data-mining techniques to analyze large financial datasets and automate recurring reporting processes.
• Reconciled multiple systems to support accurate client tax statements, backup withholding, IRA withholding, and IRS deposit processes.
• Partnered with Operations, Technology, vendors, and client-facing teams to resolve reporting issues, improve procedures, and strengthen audit controls.
• Documented reporting processes and contributed to special projects involving regulatory updates, annual IRS changes, and operational efficiency improvements.

Cash Management Analyst - MUFG Union Bank / Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ

(2010-05 - 2012-08)

Delivered treasury management and cash management support for commercial clients while partnering with Relationship Managers to strengthen client relationships and service delivery.

• Coordinated implementation of cash management products and services, supporting onboarding, client service, and technical support needs.
• Served as a trusted liaison between Japanese and U.S. corporate clients and internal stakeholders, leveraging cross-cultural business expertise.