UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTIONProxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) OF THEof the Securities

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OFExchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.         )

Filed by the Registrant  ☒                            

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

Check the appropriate box:

 

 Preliminary Proxy Statement
 Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
 Definitive Proxy Statement
 Definitive Additional Materials
 Soliciting Material under§240.14a-12

Portman Ridge Finance Corporation

BC Partners Lending Corporation

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box)all boxes that apply):

 No fee required.
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules14a-6(i)(1) and0-11.
(1)

Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

(2)

Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

(3)

Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

(4)

Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

(5)

Total fee paid:

required
 Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.materials
 Check box if any part of the fee is offset as providedFee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act RuleRules 0-11(a)(2)14a-6(i)(1) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
(1)

Amount Previously Paid:

(2)

Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

(3)

Filing Party:

(4)

Date Filed:

0-11

 

 

 


Portman Ridge Finance Corporation

BC Partners Lending Corporation

650 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Dear Stockholders:

You are cordially invited to attend the 2020 Joint2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“PTMN”), and BC Partners Lending Corporation, a Maryland corporation (“BCPL,” and each of PTMN and BCPL, aBCPL” or the “Company”), to be held virtually on June 24, 2020,22, 2023, at 9:12:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time at the following websites:website: www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020 for PTMN stockholders and www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020 for BCPL stockholders.BCPLPR2023. Stockholders of record of common stock of PTMN, par value $0.01 per share, and/or stockholders of record of common stock of BCPL, par value $0.001 per share, at the close of business on April 27, 202025, 2023 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof. Details of the business to be conducted at the Annual Meeting are given in the accompanying Notice of Joint Annual Meeting and joint proxy statement. The joint proxy statement and eachthe Company’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20192022 are being made available to the respective stockholders thereof via the Internet on or about April 29, 2020.28, 2023. Your vote is very important to us.

Your BoardThe board of Directorsdirectors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) unanimously recommends that you (i) vote “FOR” the election of each of the nominees proposed by yourthe Board of Directors and described in the accompanying joint proxy statement and (ii) vote “FOR” the proposal to ratify the appointment of KPMGDeloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) as the independent registered public accounting firm for yourthe Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020 and (iii) for PTMN stockholders only, vote “FOR” the advisory proposal to approve, in anon-binding vote, the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 as described in the accompanying joint proxy statement.2023. You can vote for yourthe Board of Directors’Director’s nominees and on the other matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting by following the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and voting by Internet or telephone.

It is important that your shares be represented at the Annual Meeting.Please follow the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and authorize a proxy via the Internet or telephone to vote your shares. We encourage you to vote via the Internet as it saves us significant time and processing costs. However, the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials includes instructions on how to request a hard copy of the joint proxy statement and proxy card for the Annual Meeting free of charge, and you may vote your proxy by returning your proxy card to us after you request the hard copy materials. If you are the beneficial owner of your shares, you will need to follow the instructions provided by your broker, bank trustee or nominee regarding how to instruct your broker, bank, trustee or nominee to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting. Voting by proxy does not deprive you of your right to participate in the virtual Annual Meeting.

No matter how many or few shares in athe Company you own, your vote and participation are very important to us.

 

Sincerely,

/s/ Ted Goldthorpe

Ted Goldthorpe
PTMN and BCPL Chief Executive Officer

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Joint Annual Meeting of Stockholders to Be Held on June 24, 2020.22, 2023.

The accompanying joint proxy statement and PTMN’sBCPL’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 20192022 are available at www.PortmanRidge.com and in the case of BCPL, at www.proxyvote.com.www.sec.gov.


PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORPORATION

BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION

650 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

 

 

NOTICE OF VIRTUAL 2020 JOINT2023 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

Online Meeting Only – No Physical Meeting Location

PTMN: www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020

BCPL: www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020BCPLPR2023

June 24, 2020, 9:22, 2023, 12:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time

 

 

Dear Stockholders:

The 2020 Joint2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“PTMN”), and BC Partners Lending Corporation, a Maryland corporation (“BCPL,” and each of PTMN and BCPL, aBCPL” or the “Company”), will be conducted virtually, solely by the means of remote communication, on June 24, 2020,22, 2023, at 9:12:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time at the following websites:website:

www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020 for PTMN stockholders; and

www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020 for BCPL stockholders.BCPLPR2023

At the Annual Meeting, in addition to transacting such other business as may properly come before the meeting and any postponements or adjournments thereof, the respective stockholders of eachthe Company will consider and vote on the following proposals as to suchthe Company:

 

 (1)

The election of two directors, who will each serve until the 20232026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualifies; and

 

 (2)

To ratify the appointment of KPMGDeloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) as the independent registered public accounting firm for suchthe Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020.2023.

In addition to the aforementioned proposals, PTMN stockholders only will also consider and vote on the following proposal:

(3)

To approve, in anon-binding vote, the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 as described in the accompanying joint proxy statement.

EACHTHE COMPANY’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE APPLICABLE COMPANY’S DIRECTOR NOMINEES DESCRIBED IN THE ACCOMPANYING JOINT PROXY STATEMENT AND “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLPDELOITTE AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR SUCHTHE COMPANY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2020 AND FOR PTMN STOCKHOLDERS ONLY, THE PTMN BOARD RECOMMENDS YOU VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE, IN ANON-BINDING VOTE, THE COMPENSATION PAID TO PTMN’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.2023.


You have the right to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting as to the PTMN proposals if you were a stockholder of record of common stock of PTMN, par value $0.01 per share, at the close of business on April 27, 2020 and as to the BCPL proposals if you were a stockholder of record of common stock of BCPL, par value $0.001 per share, at the close of business on April 27, 2020. A list of these stockholders will be open for examination by any stockholder for any purpose germane to the Annual Meeting for a period of 10 days prior to the Annual Meeting at each company’s principal executive offices at 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, and electronically during the Annual Meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020 for PTMN stockholders and www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020 for BCPL stockholders when you enter your16-Digit control number. Each25, 2023. The Company is furnishing a proxy statement and proxy card to its respective stockholders on the Internet, rather than mailing printed copies of those materials to each of its stockholders. If you received a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials by mail, you will not receive a printed copy of the proxy statement and proxy card unless you request them. Instead, the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials will instruct you as to how you may access and review the proxy statement, and vote your proxy, on the Internet.

Whether or not you plan to participate in the Annual Meeting, we encourage you to vote your shares by following the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.

We are not aware of any other business, or any other nominees for election as directors of eitherthe Company, that may properly be brought before the Annual Meeting.


Thank you for your continued support of PTMN and BCPL.

 

By order of the BoardsBoard of Directors,

/s/ Ted GilpinJason Roos

Ted Gilpin

Jason Roos

PTMN and BCPL Secretary

New York, New York

April 29, 202028, 2023

To ensure proper representation at the Annual Meeting, please follow the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to authorize a proxy to vote your shares via the Internet or telephone, or by requesting, signing, dating and returning a proxy card. Even if you vote your shares prior to the Annual Meeting, you still may participate in the virtual Annual Meeting.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

JOINT PROXY STATEMENT

   1 

General

   1 

Annual Meeting Information

   1 

Availability of Proxy and Annual Meeting Materials

   21 

Purpose of Annual Meeting

   21 

Voting Information

   2 

General

   2 

Voting Securities

   2 

Quorum Required

   2 

Submitting Voting Instructions for Shares Held Through a Broker, Bank, Trustee or Nominee

   32 

Discretionary Voting

   32 

Authorizing a Proxy for Shares Held in Your Name

   3 

Receipt of Multiple Proxy Cards

   3 

Revoking Your Proxy

   43 

Votes Required

   43 

Information Regarding This Solicitation

   4 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

   65 

PROPOSAL 1 — ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

   98

Required Vote

8 

Director and Executive Officer Information

   109 

Directors

   109 

Executive Officers

   1311 

Biographical Information

   13

Explanatory Note Regarding the Externalization of PTMN

1611 

Board Leadership Structure

   1713 

Boards’Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

   1815 

Transactions with Related Persons

   1916 

Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons

   2319 

Material Conflicts of Interest

   2419 

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

   2520 

Corporate Governance

   2520 

Corporate Governance Documents

   2520 

Director Independence

   2520 

Evaluation

   2620 

Communications with Directors

   2620 

Board Meetings and Committees

   2621 

Audit Committees

26

Compensation Committee

   2721 

Nominating and Corporate Governance CommitteesCommittee

   2721 

Code of Business Conduct

   29

Securities Trading Policy

29

Executive Compensation

2923 

Director Compensation

   4023 

PROPOSAL 2 — RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLPDELOITTE AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE 20202023 FISCAL YEAR

   4224 

Independent Auditor’s Fees

   4224 

Required Vote

   4325 

Audit Committee Report

   43

PROPOSAL 3 — ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION (PTMN ONLY)

4625 

OTHER MATTERS

   4727 

Stockholder Proposals Pursuant to Rule14a-8

   4727 

Stockholder Proposals Other than Pursuant to Rule14a-8

   4727 

Other Business

   4727 

Delivery of Proxy Materials

   4828 

Available Information

   4828 


PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORPORATION

BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION

650 Madison Avenue

New York, New York 10022

JOINT PROXY STATEMENT

Virtual 2020 Joint2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

General

We are furnishing you this joint proxy statement in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the BoardsBoard of Directors (each, a(the “Board” and together, the “Boards”) of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“PTMN”), and BC Partners Lending Corporation, a Maryland corporation (“BCPL,”BCPL” and PTMN and BCPL, each, a “Company” and together, the “Companies,“Company,” “we,” “us,” or“us” and “our”), for use at the Companies’Company’s virtual 2020 Joint2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) that will be held solely by means of remote communication. This joint proxy statement and eachthe Company’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 20192022 are being made available to its respectivethe Company’s stockholders via the Internet on or about April 29, 2020.28, 2023.

We encourage you to vote your shares by following the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials and granting a proxy (i.e.(i.e., authorizing someone to vote your shares). If you provide voting instructions, either via the Internet, by telephone or by requesting, signing, dating and returning a proxy card, and the Company receives them in time for the Annual Meeting, the persons named as proxies will vote your shares in the manner that you specified.

Although each Company is a separate business development company and stockholders of each Company will vote separately on the applicable proposals contained herein, the Companies are soliciting votes through this joint proxy statement to reduce expenses to the Companies in connection with soliciting proxies for the Annual Meeting.

Annual Meeting Information

The Annual Meeting will be a completely virtual meeting that will be held solely by means of remote communication. There will be no physical meeting location and the meetingMeeting will only be conducted via live webcast. The virtual Annual Meeting will be held on June 24, 202022, 2023 at 9:12:00 a.m.p.m., Eastern Time. To participate in the Annual Meeting, visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020 if you are a PTMN stockholder and/or www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020if you are a BCPL stockholderBCPLPR2023 and in each case, enter the16-digit control number included in your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, on the proxy card you received, or in the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials for the applicable Company. If you hold shares of athe Company’s common stock through a broker, bank, trustee or nominee and want to participate in the virtual Annual Meeting, you must follow the instructions you receive from your broker, bank, trustee or nominee. Onlinecheck-in will begin at 8:11:45 a.m., Eastern Time. Please allow time for onlinecheck-in procedures.

You are entitled to attend and participate in the virtual Annual Meeting only if you are a record stockholder of common stock of PTMN, par value $0.01 per share, or a stockholder of common stock of BCPL, par value $0.001 per share, as of the close of business on the record date for the Annual Meeting, which is April 27, 202025, 2023 (the “Record Date”), or you hold a valid proxy for the Annual Meeting.

Availability of Proxy and Annual Meeting Materials

This joint proxy statement and PTMN’sBCPL’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 20192022 are available at www.PortmanRidge.com, and in the case of BCPL, at www.proxyvote.com.www.sec.gov.

Purpose of Annual Meeting

In addition to transacting such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any postponements or adjournments thereof, at the Annual Meeting, the respective stockholders of eachthe Company will be asked to consider and vote on the following proposals as to such Company:proposals:

1. The election of two directors, who will each serve until the 20232026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualifies;qualified; and

2. The ratification of the selection of KPMGDeloitte & Touche LLP (“KPMG”Deloitte”) to serve as suchthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December  31, 2020.

In addition to the aforementioned proposals, PTMN stockholders will also consider and vote on the following proposal:

3. Solely with respect to PTMN, the approval, in anon-binding vote, the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as described in this joint proxy statement.2023.

Voting Information

General

EACHTHE COMPANY’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE APPLICABLE COMPANY’S DIRECTOR NOMINEES DESCRIBED IN THIS JOINT PROXY STATEMENT AND “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLPDELOITTE AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR SUCHTHE COMPANY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2020; AND FOR PTMN STOCKHOLDERS ONLY, THE PTMN BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE, IN ANON-BINDING VOTE, THE COMPENSATION PAID TO PTMN’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019.2023.

Voting Securities

You may cast one vote for each share of common stock of the applicable Company that you owned as of the Record Date for each matter submitted for a vote at the Annual Meeting. Each share of athe Company’s common stock has equal voting rights with all other shares of suchthe Company’s common stock, which is the only class of voting securities outstanding of eachthe Company. Stockholders can vote only on matters affecting a Company in which they hold shares of common stock. As of the close of business on the April 27, 202025, 2023 Record Date, PTMN had 44,725,872 shares of common stock outstanding and BCPL had 1,140,5402,761,194 shares of common stock outstanding.

Quorum Required

For athe Company to conduct business at the Annual Meeting, a quorum of stockholders of that Company must be present at the Annual Meeting. The presence at the Annual Meeting, in person (virtually) or by proxy, of the holders entitled to cast a majority of the shares of athe Company’s common stock outstanding on the Record Date will constitute a quorum of such Company.quorum. Abstentions will be treated as shares present for quorum purposes.

Shares for which brokers have not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner of the shares and do not have discretionary authority to vote on certain proposals (which are considered “brokernon-votes” with respect to such proposals) will be treated as shares present for quorum purposes.

The Chairman of the Annual Meeting for eachthe Company shall have the power to adjourn such Company’sthe Annual Meeting, whether or not a quorum is present, from time to time for any reason and without notice other than announcement at the Annual Meeting.

Submitting Voting Instructions for Shares Held Through a Broker, Bank, Trustee or Nominee

If you hold shares of athe Company’s common stock through a broker, bank, trustee or nominee, you must direct your intermediary regarding how you would like your shares voted by following the voting instructions you receive from your broker, bank, trustee or nominee. If you hold shares of athe Company’s common stock through a broker, bank, trustee or nominee and want to participate in the virtual Annual Meeting, you must follow the instructions you receive from your broker, bank, trustee or nominee.Please instruct your broker, bank, trustee or nominee regarding how you would like your shares voted so your vote can be counted.

Discretionary Voting

Brokers, banks, trustees and nominees have discretionary authority to vote on “routine” matters, but not on“non-routine” matters.The “routine” matter being considered by eachthe Company at this Annual Meeting is the ratification of the appointment of suchthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, and the“non-routine” matters being considered by eachthe Company at this Annual Meeting is the election of directors and, solely with respect to PTMN, to approve, in anon-binding vote, the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.directors. If you hold your shares in street name (or “nominee name”) and do not provide your broker, bank, trustee or nominee who holds such shares of record with specific instructions regarding how to vote on eachthe Company’s proposal to elect directors and, solely with respect to PTMN, to approve the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers, your broker will not be permitted to vote your shares on such“non-routine” proposals.directors.

Please note that to be sure your vote is counted on athe Company’s proposal to elect directors, you should instruct your broker, bank, trustee or nominee how to vote your shares by following the voting instructions provided by your broker, bank, trustee or nominee. If you do not provide voting instructions, votes may not be cast on your behalf with respect to such proposals.

Authorizing a Proxy for Shares Held in Your Name

If you are a record holder of shares of athe Company’s common stock, you may authorize a proxy to vote on your behalf by following the instructions provided on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.Authorizing your proxy will not limit your right to participate in the virtual Annual Meeting and vote your shares online. A properly completed and submitted proxy will be voted in accordance with your instructions unless you subsequently revoke your instructions. If you authorize a proxy without indicating your voting instructions, the proxyholder will vote your shares according to the applicable Board’s recommendations. Internet and telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate the stockholder’s identity and to allow stockholders to vote their shares and confirm that their instructions have been properly recorded. Your Internet or telephone vote authorizes the named proxies to vote your shares in the same manner as if you had marked, signed and returned a proxy card.

Receipt of Multiple Proxy Cards

Some of eachthe Company’s stockholders hold their shares in more than one account and may receive a separate Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials for each of those accounts. To ensure that all of your shares are represented at the Annual Meeting, we recommend that you vote by following the instructions in each Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials you receive.

Revoking Your Proxy

If you are a stockholder of record of PTMN and/or BCPL, you can revoke your proxy as to either or both Companies at any time before it is exercised by: (i) delivering a written revocation notice that is received prior to the Annual Meeting to Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation, as applicable, at 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Secretary; (ii) submitting a later-dated proxy that we receive before the conclusion of voting at the Annual Meeting; or (iii) participating in the virtual Annual Meeting and voting online. If you hold shares of athe Company’s common stock through a broker, bank, trustee or nominee, you must follow the instructions you receive from them in order to revoke your voting instructions. Participating in the virtual Annual Meeting does not revoke your proxy unless you also vote online at the Annual Meeting.

Appraisal Rights

Stockholders have no dissenters’ or appraisal rights in connection with any of the proposals described herein.

Votes Required

Election of directors.directors For PTMN, the affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares of PTMN’s common stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon at the Annual Meeting is required to elect each director nominee of that Company (i.e., the two candidates receiving the most “for” votes will win each election). For BCPL, theThe affirmative vote of a plurality of all the votes cast in the election of directors at the Annual Meeting is required to elect eachthe director nomineenominees of thatthe Company (i.e., the two candidatescandidate receiving the most “for” votes will win eachthe election). Stockholders may not cumulate their votes. Abstentions, votes to “withhold authority” and brokernon-votes will have no effect on this proposal, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.

Ratification of independent registered public accounting firm.firm. The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting with respect to each Company is required to ratify the appointment of KPMGDeloitte to serve as suchthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (i.e., the number of shares voted “for” the ratification of the appointment of KPMGDeloitte exceeds the number of votes “against” the ratification of the appointment of KPMG)Deloitte).

Abstentions and brokernon-votes, if any, will not be included in determining the number of votes cast and, as a result, will have no effect on this proposal, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.

Approval, in anon-binding vote, of the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers.The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock of PTMN represented at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy is required for the approval of thenon-binding resolution in this proposal. Pursuant to applicable broker rules, brokers will not have discretionary authority to vote on this proposal and, therefore, brokernon-votes will not be included in vote totals and will not affect the outcome of the vote on this proposal, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum. Abstentions will have the same effect as a “no” vote on the approval of the resolution in this proposal. Unless otherwise indicated, the persons named in the proxy will vote all proxies in favor of this proposal. As an advisory vote, this proposal is not binding upon PTMN. Additionally, the Compensation Committee of PTMN’s Board of Directors (the “Compensation Committee”) is no longer responsible for designing and administering PTMN’s executive compensation program as a result of the Externalization, as defined under “Explanatory Note Regarding the Externalization.”

Information Regarding This Solicitation

EachThe Company will bear its allocable portion of the expenses of the solicitation of proxies. In addition to mail ande-mail, proxies may be solicited personally, via the Internet or by telephone or facsimile, by regular employees of the Companies’Company’s adviser or administrator, and its affiliates and/or a paid solicitor. No additional compensation will be paid to such regular employees for such services. Neither Company currently intends to engage a paid solicitor in connection withIf the Annual Meeting. If a Company retains a solicitor, it estimates that it will pay an aggregate of approximately $5,000$7,500 plusout-of-pocket expenses for such services and you could be

contacted by telephone on behalf of suchthe Company and be urged to vote. If the Companies engageCompany engages a solicitor, you could be contacted by telephone on behalf of the Company of which you hold shares of common stock and be urged to vote. The solicitor will not attempt to influence how you vote your shares, but will only ask that you take the time to cast a vote. EachThe Company will reimburse brokers and other persons holding suchthe Company’s common stock in their names, or in the names of nominees, for their expenses for forwarding proxy materials to principals and beneficial owners and obtaining their proxies. The principal address of PTMN’s investment adviser, Sierra Crest Investment Management LLC (“Sierra Crest”), and BCPL’s investment adviser, BC Partners Advisors L.P. (“BC Partners Advisors” and each anthe “Adviser”), and together with Sierra Crest, the “Advisers”BCPL’s administrator, BC Partners Management LLC (the “Administrator”), is 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth, as of April 27, 2020,25, 2023, the beneficial ownership information of each current director, including the nominees for director, of both Companies,the Company, as well as eachthe Company’s executive officers, each person known to it to beneficially own 5% or more of the outstanding shares of its common stock, and the executive officers and directors as a group. Percentage of beneficial ownership is based on 44,725,872 shares of PTMN’s common stock and 1,140,5402,761,194 shares of BCPL’s common stock outstanding as of April 27, 2020.25, 2023.

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and includes voting or investment power with respect to the securities. Ownership information for those persons who beneficially own 5% or more of the shares of athe Company’s common stock is based upon filings by such persons with the SEC and other information obtained from such persons, if available.

Unless otherwise indicated, the Companies believeCompany believes that each beneficial owner set forth in the table below has sole voting and investment power over the shares beneficially owned by such beneficial owner. The directors are divided into two groups — interested directors and independent directors. Each interested director is an “interested person” of suchthe Company as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The address of all executive officers and directors is c/o Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or c/o BC Partners Lending Corporation, as applicable, at 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

 

   Number of Shares(1)   Percentage
of Class
 

Name and Address

   BCPL    PTMN    BCPL   PTMN 

Directors and Executive Officers:

       

Independent Directors

       

Alexander Duka (PTMN; BCPL)

   12,000    —      1.052  —   

George Grunebaum (PTMN; BCPL)

   8,000    —      0.701  —   

Christopher Lacovara(2) (PTMN)

   N/A    212,634    N/A   0.475

Dean C. Kehler(3) (PTMN)

   N/A    1,674,000    N/A   3.743

Robert Warshauer (PTMN; BCPL)

   12,000    —      1.052  —   

Interested Directors

       

Graeme Dell (PTMN; BCPL)

   3,000    —      0.263  —   

Ted Goldthorpe (PTMN; BCPL)

   100,000    96,182    8.768  0.215

David Moffitt (PTMN)

   N/A    —      N/A   —   

Executive Officers

       

Edward U. Gilpin (PTMN; BCPL)

   4,000    108,755    0.351  0.243

Andrew Devine (PTMN; BCPL)

   —      —      —     —   

Patrick Schafer (PTMN)

   N/A    24,500    N/A   0.055%

Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (11 persons (PTMN); 8 persons (BCPL))

   139,000    2,116,071    12.187  4.731

5% Holders

       

Credit Suisse AG(4)

   —      3,260,514    —     7.290

Callodine Capital Management, LP(5)

   —      2,339,415    —     5.231

BC Partners Holdings Limited(6)

   204,000    —      17.886  —   

Haymarket Insurance Company(7)

   200,000    —      17.536  —   

Raymond Svider(8)

   80,000    —      7.014  —   

Forethought Life Insurance Company(9)

   210,554.33    —      18.461  —   
   Number of Shares(1)   Percentage
of Class
2
 

Name and Address

    

Directors and Executive Officers:

    

Independent Directors

    

Alexander Duka

   12,000.0    * 

George Grunebaum

   9,966.3    * 

Robert Warshauer

   12,000.0    * 

Interested Directors

    

Ted Goldthorpe

   124,577.3    4.51

Executive Officers

    

Jason Roos

   —      —   

David Held

   —      —   

Directors and Executive Officers as a Group

   158,143.5    5.74

5% Holders

    

BC Partners Holdings Limited(2)

   404,561.6    14.65

Haymarket Insurance Company(3)

   303,050.3    10.98

KKR Group Partnership L.P.(4)

   414,949.3    14.99

BCPLC Access Fund, LP(5)

   361,032.0    13.08

First Trust Alternative Opportunities Fund

   338,600.5    12.26

 

*

Represents less than 1%.

(1)

Beneficial ownership has been determined in accordance with Rule16a-1(a)(2) of the Exchange Act.

(2)

ExcludesAs reported on Form 4 filed by BC Partners Co-Investment Holdings Limited on October 2, 2020, of the 200,562 additional shares of BCPL common stock held by KKAT Acquisition Company III, LLC, KKAT Acquisition Company IV, LLC, KKAT Acquisition Company V, LLC, KKAT Acquisition Company VII, LLCover which BC Partners Holdings Limited has shared voting and KKAT Acquisition Company VIII, LLC (the “KKAT Entities”). Mr. Lacovara is a member of the KKAT Entities and therefore may have a pecuniary interest in certain of the shares held by the KKAT Entities. Mr. Lacovara disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by the KKAT Entities except to the extent of their respective pecuniary interests therein.

(3)

Includes 1,800,000 shares acquired by Mr. Kehlerdispositive power. Also, as consideration for his indirect sale of certain property and limited liability company interests in Trimaran Advisors, L.L.C. to PTMN on February 29, 2012. Mr. Kehler indicated that he has sole dispositive and voting power over 725,000 of such shares which were delivered at the closing of the transaction.

(4)

Based on a Schedule 13G/A filed by Credit Suisse AG/ on February 13, 2020 (the “CS Statement”). In accordance with SEC ReleaseNo. 34-39538 (January 12, 1998), the CS Statement was filed by Credit Suisse AG (the “Bank”), a Swiss bank, on behalf of its subsidiaries to the extent that they conduct business as the Swiss Universal Bank, Asia Pacific, International Wealth Management, Global Markets, Investment Banking & Capital Markets and the Strategic Resolution Unit operating divisions (collectively, the “Divisions” and together with the Bank and its subsidiaries, the “Reporting Person”). The address of the principal business and office of the Bank is Uetlibergstrasse 231, P.O. Box 900, CH 8070 Zurich, Switzerland. The address of the principal business and office of the Reporting Person in the United States is Eleven Madison Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, New York 10010. The ultimate parent company of the Bank is Credit Suisse Group AG (“CSG”), a corporation formed under the laws of Switzerland. CSG is a global financial services company, active in all major financial centers and providing a comprehensive range of banking products.

The Bank is comprised of three regionally focused divisions: Swiss Universal Bank, Asia Pacific and International Wealth Management serving Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. Two other divisions—Global Markets as well as Investment Banking & Capital Markets—sit alongside these regional businesses. The Strategic Resolution Unit consolidates, as of December 31, 2018, the Bank’s remaining portfolios from the formernon-strategic units plus additional businesses and positions that do not fit with its strategic direction. The business address of CSG is Paradeplatz 8, P.O. Box 1, CH 8070 Zurich, Switzerland. CSG, for purposes of the federal securities laws, may be deemed ultimately to control the Bank and the Reporting Person. CSG, its executive officers and directors, and its direct and indirect subsidiaries may beneficially own securities to which the CS Statement relates (the “Shares”) and such Shares are not reported in the CS Statement. CSG disclaims beneficial ownership of Shares beneficially owned by its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including the Reporting Person. Each of the Divisions disclaims beneficial ownership of Shares beneficially owned by the Reporting Person. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of Shares beneficially owned by CSG and each of the Divisions.

(5)

Based on a Schedule 13G filed jointly by Callodine Capital Management, LP and James S. Morrow on February 5, 2020. The address for Callodine Capital Management, LP and James S. Morrow is Two International Place, Suite 1830, Boston, MA 02110. Shares reported for Callodine Capital Management, LP (“Callodine”) represent shares held for the benefit of investment advisory clients of Callodine. Shares reported Mr. Morrow represent the above referenced shares reported for Callodine, Mr. Morrow is the managing member of the general partner of Callodine. Each of the reporting persons disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares reported except to the extent of its or his pecuniary interest herein.

(6)

As reported on a Schedule 13D filed by BC Partners Holdings Limited on October 28, 2019, of the 204,000 shares of BCPL common stock over which BC Partners Holdings Limited has shared voting and dispositive power: (i) 200,000 shares of BCPL common stock are held by InvestmentBC Partners Co-Investment Holdings Limited directly; and (ii) 4,000 shares of BCPL common stock are held by BC Partners InvestmentGroup Holdings Limited. The sole owner of the voting shares of InvestmentBC Partners Co-Investment Holdings Limited is FeeBC Partners Group Holdings Limited. Each of BC Partners Investment Holdings Limited and FeeGroup Holdings Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BC Partners Holdings Limited.

(7)(3)

As reported on a Schedule 13G filed by Haymarket Insurance Company (“Haymarket”) on January 28, 2020 of the 200,000 shares of BCPL over which Haymarket has the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of and the sole power to vote or to direct the vote. The principal address of Haymarket is 415 Bedford Road, Suite 102, Pleasantville, NY 10570.

(8)(4)

As reported on a Schedule 13DForm 4 filed by Raymond SviderKKR Group Partnership L.P. (“KKR”) on October 28, 2019April 26, 2021, of the 80,00011,432.927 additional shares of BCPL common stock beneficially owned by KKR and held by Forethought Life Insurance Company (“Forethought”), a subsidiary of KKR, over which Mr. SviderForethought has the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of and the sole power to vote or to direct the vote. Mr. Svider is a partner and the chairman of BC Partners Holdings Limited, an affiliate of BC Partners Advisors L.P., BCPL’s investment adviser.

(9)

AsAlso, as reported on athe Schedule 13D filed by Forethought Life Insurance Company (“Forethought”) on October 28, 2019February 11, 2021 of the 210,554.33 shares402,516.387 of BCPL over which Forethought has the sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of and the sole power to vote or to direct the vote. Pursuant to a letter agreement executed between BCPL and Forethought, Forethought may only exercise its voting power up to a total of 9.9% of BCPL’s outstanding voting securities. Certain terms of such letter agreement may represent a granting of a voting proxy in respect of the voting interest above 9.9%. The principal address for Forethought is 10 West Market Street, Suite 2300, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

(5)

As reported on the Schedule 13G filed with the SEC on February 15, 2023. The principal address of BCPLC Access Fund, LP is 125 East Elm Street, Suite 200, Conshocken, PA, 19427.

The following table sets forth, as of April 27, 2020,25, 2023, the dollar range of our equity securities that is beneficially owned by each of the current directors of eachthe Company.

 

Name  Dollar Range of Equity Securities
Beneficially Owned(1)(2)
  Aggregate Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in All
Funds Overseen or
to be Overseen by
Director or
Nominee in Family
of Investment
Companies(1)(2)
Name (Company or Companies)PTMNBCPL

Independent Directors

  

Alexander Duka (PTMN; BCPL)

None  >$100,000  >$100,000

George Grunebaum (PTMN; BCPL)

None  >$100,000  >$100,000

Christopher Lacovara(2) (PTMN)Robert Warshauer

  >$100,000  N/A>$100,000

Dean C. Kehler(3) (PTMN)

>$100,000N/A>$100,000

Robert Warshauer (PTMN; BCPL)

None>$100,000>$100,000

Interested Directors

  

Graeme Dell (PTMN; BCPL)

None$50,001-$100,00050,001-$100,000

Ted Goldthorpe (PTMN; BCPL)

$50,001-$100,000  >$100,000  >$100,000

David Moffitt (PTMN)

NoneN/ANone

 

(1)

Beneficial ownership has been determined in accordance with Rule16a-1(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

(2)

The dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned for PTMN is based on the closing price per share for PTMN’s common stock of $0.98 on The Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”). The dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned for BCPL is calculated by multiplying the current net asset value per share, as of December 31, 2019,2022, of $25.11$21.85 per share by the number of equity securities beneficially owned. The dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned are: none, $1 – $10,000, $10,001 – $50,000, $50,001 – $100,000, or > $100,000.

The following table sets forth the dollar range of limited partnership interests in other private funds advised by and beneficially owned by any of our independent directors and his or her immediate family as of December 31, 2019.2022.

 

Name of Director

 

Name of Owners

 

Name of Investment

 

Title of Class

 

Value of


Securities(1)

Percent of
Class

Alexander Duka Alexander Duka and Barbara Duka (spouse) BC PartnersBCP Special Opportunities Fund I LP Limited Partnership > $100,000$100,0000.5%
Alexander DukaAlexander Duka and Barbara Duka (spouse)Portman Ridge Finance CorporationCommon Stock$10,001 – $50,000  
Alexander DukaAlexander DukaBC Partners Fund XILimited Partnership>$100,0000.0025%
Robert WarshauerRobert WarshauerBCP Special Opportunities Fund I LLPLimited Partnership>$100,000
Robert WarshauerRobert WarshauerPortman Ridge Finance CorporationCommon Stock$10,001 – $50,000  

(1)

Dollar ranges are as follows: none, $1 – $10,000, $10,001 – $50,000, $50,001 – $100,000, or >$100,000.

PROPOSAL 1 — ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

The business and affairs of eachthe Company is managed under the oversight of its Board. PTMN’sBCPL’s Board currently consists of 84 members, of whom fivethree are not “interested persons,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, and BCPL’s Board currently consists of five members, of whom three are not “interested persons.” EachAct. The Board may modify the number of its members in accordance with the applicable Company’s bylaws, except that no decrease in the number of directors will shorten the term of any incumbent director. Nasdaq requires that PTMN maintain a majority of independent directors on its Board and provides that a director of a business development company is considered to be independent if he or she is not an “interested person,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Therefore, under both the 1940 Act and applicable Nasdaq rules, a majority of the directors of PTMN’s Board is independent. Similarly, a majority of the directors of BCPL’s Board is not an “interested person,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act and therefore independent.

Under the certificate of incorporation, as amended, of PTMN, and the charter of BCPL, directors are divided into three classes. At each annual meeting of stockholders of eachthe Company, the successors to the directors whose terms expire at such meeting will be elected to serve until the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of his or her election and until his or her successor has been duly elected and qualifies or any director’s earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity.

Each of Messrs. WarshauerGoldthorpe and DellGrunebaum has been nominated forre-election to the Board of PTMN and each of Messrs. Grunebaum and Goldthorpe has been nominated forre-election to the Board of BCPL, for a three-year term expiring at the 20232026 annual meeting of stockholders of suchthe Company. Each of Messrs. WarshauerGoldthorpe and Dell joined PTMN’s Board in April 2019 in connection with the Externalization. Each of Messrs. Grunebaum and Goldthorpe was elected to BCPL’s Board for a term commencing on April 9, 2018.

No person being nominated by eitherthe Company as a director is being proposed for election pursuant to any agreement or understanding between any such person and that Company.

Required Vote

For PTMN, the affirmative vote of a plurality of the shares of PTMN’s common stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon at the Annual Meeting is required to elect each director nominee of that Company (i.e., the two candidates receiving the most “for” votes will win each election). For BCPL, aA plurality of all of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting duly called and at which a quorum is present is necessary to elect a director. Any stockholder of PTMN or BCPL as of the Record Date can vote for or withhold authority on each of the director nominees of PTMN or BCPL, respectively.nominee. Abstentions, votes to “withhold authority” and brokernon-votes will have no effect on the election of anythe director nominee,nominees, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum.In the absence of instructions to the contrary, it is the intention of the persons named as proxies to vote such proxy “FOR” the election of the nominees named above.above.If a nominee should be unable to serve or for good cause will not serve as a director, it is intended that the proxy will be voted for the election of such person nominated by the applicable Board as a replacement. NeitherThe Board hasdoes not have any reason to believe that anythe director nomineenominees named will be unable or unwilling to serve.

EachThe Company’s Board unanimously recommends a vote “FOReach of the applicable Company’s director nominees described in this joint proxy statement.

Director and Executive Officer Information

Directors

Information regarding eachthe Company’s nominees for election as a directordirectors at the Annual Meeting and eachthe Company’s continuing directors is set forth below. We have divided the directors into two groups — independent directors and interested directors. Each interested director is an “interested person” of suchthe Company, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

 

Name, Address and
Age(1)

  

Company
Served

Company – Company—Length
of Time Served;Served:
Term of Office

  

Principal
Occupation(s) During
the Past Five Years

  

Number of
Portfolios in
the Fund
Complex(2)
Overseen by
the Director
or Nominee
for Director

  

Other Directorships Held
by Director or Nominee
for Director During the
Past Five Years(3)(3)

Interested Directors

        
Graeme Dell* (54)Ted Goldthorpe* (46)  PTMN and BCPL

PTMN–Director since April 2019; term expires, if elected, in 2023

BCPL–Director since 2018; term expires in 2022

Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer of BC Partners LLP since May 2014. Previously, Mr. Dell was Group Finance Director at Ashmore Group plc from 2008 to 2014.2A member of the board of directors of Mount Logan Capital Inc. since October 2018.
Ted Goldthorpe+ (43)PTMN and BCPL

PTMN–Director since April 2019; term expires in 2021

BCPL–Director since April 2018; term expires if elected, in 2023

  President and CEO of PTMNLogan Ridge Finance Corporation since July 2021, Portman Ridge Finance Corporation since April 2019, and BCPL since April 2018.2018, Alternative Credit Income Fund since October 2020 and and Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund since 2022. Mr. Goldthorpe also currently serves as the CEO and Chairman of Mount Logan Capital Inc. Executive Officer of Sierra Crest and Managing Partner of BC Partners Credit since 2017. Mr. Goldthorpe was President of Apollo Investment Corporation and Chief Investment Officer of Apollo Investment Management from 2012 to 2016.  25  A member of the board of directorsDirector of Mount Logan Capital Inc. since October 2018.2018; Director of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation since 2019; Trustee of Alternative Credit Income Fund since 2020; Director of Logan Ridge Finance Corporation since 2021; Trustee of Opportunistic Credit Interval Since 2022

Independent Directors

Alexander Duka (56)Director since April 2018; term expires, if elected, in 2025Independent Director, Trade Arcade Inc. from September 2021 to present and Senior Advisor to Corporate5Director of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation since 2019; Trustee of Alternative Credit

Name, Address and
Age(1)

  

Company
Served

Company – Company—Length
of Time Served;Served:
Term of Office

  

Principal
Occupation(s) During
the Past Five Years

  

Number of
Portfolios in
the Fund
Complex(2)
Overseen by
the Director
or Nominee
for Director

  

Other Directorships Held
Held by Director
or Nominee
for
Director During the
the Past Five Years(3)(3)

David Moffitt (57)PTMNDirector since April 2019; term expires in 2022Head of Tactical Investment Opportunities and member of the investment committee of LibreMax Capital, LLC since September 2017. Prior to that, he was a Managing Director and Partner at J.C. Flowers & Co. from September 2014 to August 2017.1

Independent Directors

    
Alexander Duka (53)PTMN and BCPL

PTMN–Director since April 2019; term expires in 2021

BCPL–Director since April 2018; term expires in 2022

Development of Acceleration Bay, LLC from December 2019 to Present. Executive Vice President of Corporate Development of Acceleration Bay, LLC from September 2017 to SeptemberDecember 2019. Mr. Duka also held various positions at Citigroup, Inc. from 1992 to 2017.  2  Income Fund since 2020; Director of Logan Ridge Finance Corporation since 2021; Trustee of Opportunistic Credit Interval Since 2022; Former Trustee of Bondhouse Investment Trust from 2019 to 2021
George Grunebaum+ (57)Grunebaum* (60)  PTMN and BCPL

PTMN–Director since April 2019; term expires in 2022

BCPL–Director since April 2018; term expires if elected, in 2023

  Mr. Grunebaum joined Ashmore in 2008. He is Chief Executive Officer of Ashmore Investment Management (US) Corp andsince 2008; President of Ashmore Funds, a series of U.S. registered mutual funds.funds, since 2010; and Director and President of Gordonstoun American Foundation, a non-profit organization, since 2000.  25  A member of the board of directorsDirector of Ashmore Funds since December 2010.2010; Director of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation since 2019; Trustee of Alternative Credit Income Fund since 2020; Director of Logan Ridge Finance Corporation since 2021; Trustee of Opportunistic Credit Interval Since 2022
Robert Warshauer (65)Director since April 2018; term expires in 2024Chief Executive Officer of BLST Holdings, LLC from 2020 to present. Board Member, Icon Parking Holdings, LLC from 2020 to present. Former Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking — NY, Imperial Capital (an investment banking company) from 2007 to 2020; Former5Director of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation since 2019; Trustee of Alternative Credit Income Fund since 2020; Director of Logan Ridge Finance Corporation since 2021; Trustee of Opportunistic Credit Interval Since 2022

Name, Address and
Age(1)

  

Company
Served

Company – Company—Length
of Time Served;Served:
Term of Office

  

Principal
Occupation(s) During
the Past Five Years

  

Number of
Portfolios in
the Fund
Complex(2)
Overseen by
the Director
or Nominee
for Director

  

Other Directorships Held
Held by Director
or Nominee
for
Director During the
the Past Five Years(3)(3)

Dean C. Kehler (63)PTMNDirector since February 2012; term expires in 2022Managing Partner of Trimaran Capital Partners since 1993 andCo-Chairman andCo-CEO of GX Acquisition Corp since August 2018.1A member of the board of directors of GX Acquisition Corp., El Pollo Loco, Inc. and Security First Corp.
Christopher Lacovara (55)PTMNDirector since December 2006; term expires in 2021Director of Finance and Legal Affairs of Community Access, Inc. since August 2015. Prior to that, Mr. Lacovara was held several positions, most recentlyco-managing partner of Kohlberg & Co., L.L.C. from 1988 to February 2015.1  
Robert Warshauer* (62)Board Member, Global Knowledge (education service), 2020 to 2021; MD American (energy company), 2020; and Estrella Broadcasting (Spanish language media), 2019 to 2021.  PTMN and BCPL

PTMN–Director since April 2019; term expires, if elected, in 2023

BCPL–Director since April 2018; term expires in 2021

Head of the Investment Banking Group – New York andCo-Head of the Restructuring Practice in Imperial Capital’s New York Investment Banking Group since April 2006.2  

 

*

Director nominee of PTMN.

+

Director nominee of BCPLnominees

(1)

The address of all directors is c/o Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation, as applicable, 650 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022.

(2)

“Fund Complex” includes PTMNBCPL, Logan Ridge Finance Corporation, Portman Ridge Finance Corporation, Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund and BCPL.Alternative Credit Income Fund.

(3)

Except as set forth in this table, no current director of eitherthe Company otherwise serves, or has served during the past five years, as a director of an investment company registered under the 1940 Act or of a company with a class of securities registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act or subject to the requirements of Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

Executive Officers

The following persons serve in the following capacities for eachthe Company:

 

Name

  Age   

PTMN Position

BCPL Position

Ted Goldthorpe

   4346 President and Chief Executive Officer  President and Chief Executive Officer

Ted GilpinJason Roos

   5944 Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer  Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer

Andrew DevineDavid Held

   4252   Chief Compliance OfficerChief Compliance Officer

Patrick Schafer

35Chief Investment OfficerN/A

Biographical Information

Additional biographical information regarding eachthe Company’s current directors, nominees for directorelection as directors and officers is set forth below.

Interested Directors

Graeme Dell.Mr. Dell is a Partner and Chief Operating Officer Director of BC Partners LLP. Mr. Dell joined BC Partners in London in 2014 to further develop the support functions within the organization including fund administration, compliance, finance, information technology, human resources and risk. Previously, Mr. Dell spent six years at Ashmore Group plc, a UK listed asset management firm, principally investing in emerging markets debt, where he was Group Finance Director. Prior to this, he was Group Finance Director for six years at Evolution Group plc, another UK listed financial services organization. He initially qualified as a chartered accountant at Coopers & Lybrand before performing roles in operations and finance at Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank.

Through his board experience as an officer of several listed companies, in addition to skills acquired with firms engaged in financial services, Mr. Dell brings extensive business and financial expertise to his Board service. The foregoing qualifications led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Dell should serve as a member of the Board.

Ted Goldthorpe. Mr. Goldthorpe is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Goldthorpe is an executive officer of Sierra Crestthe Adviser and Managing Partner of BC Partners Credit (“BCP Credit”), an integrated credit platform operating within the BC Partners organization. He joined BC Partners LLP to open BCP Credit in 2017. He was previously President of Apollo Investment Corporation and the Chief Investment Officer of Apollo Investment Management where he was the head of its U.S. Opportunistic Platform and also oversaw the Private Origination business from 2012 to 2016. He was also a member of Apollo’s firm-wide Senior Management Committee. Prior to Apollo, Mr. Goldthorpe worked at Goldman Sachs for 13 years where he most recently ran the bank loan distressed investing desk. He was previously the head of Principal Capital Investing for the Special Situations Group. Mr. Goldthorpe launched BC Partners’ credit business in 2017 and oversees a team of experienced credit professionals. As a Managing Partner of BC Partners, LLP, Mr. Goldthorpe is also a member of the Investment Committee of the private equity business.

Mr. Goldthorpe’s prior credit and investment experience, including his experience as an officer of a publicly-traded business development company, led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Goldthorpe should serve as a member of the Board.

David Moffitt. Mr. Moffitt is the Head of Tactical Investment Opportunities and a member of the investment committee at LibreMax Capital, LLC (“LibreMax”). Prior to joining LibreMax, Mr. Moffitt was a Managing Director and Partner at J.C. Flowers & Co. At Flowers, he was responsible for the firm’s investments in fixed

income assets as well as the head of J.C. Flowers Asset Management, the firm’s dedicated fixed income platform. Prior to Flowers, Mr. Moffitt was a founding member of Mead Park Asset Management LLC where he was a portfolio manager for regulatory capital investing andCo-President of the firm’s CLO management platform. Prior to Mead Park, Mr. Moffitt was a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley and global head of the firm’s securitization, asset finance business and structured solutions banking business. While at Morgan Stanley, he served on the firm’s Capital Markets Operating Committee. Mr. Moffitt has held similar positions at MatlinPatterson Global Advisors (Senior Advisor), Merrill Lynch & Co. (Head Structured Products Distribution – Americas), RBS Greenwich Capital and Credit Suisse. Prior to banking, Mr. Moffitt practiced law with Brown Rudnick in Boston and is a member of the Massachusetts, New York and United States Supreme Court bars. He served a term as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is a graduate of Syracuse University College of Law (magna cum laude, order of the Coif) and Binghamton University.

Through Mr. Moffit’s prior investment experience, as well as his experience as a managing director of several companies and leader of investment teams, Mr. Moffit brings business expertise and finance and industry skills to his Board service. The foregoing qualifications led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Moffit should serve as a member of the Board.

Independent Directors

Alexander Duka. Mr. Duka is the chairman of the Compensation Committee of the Board of PTMN. Mr. Duka also serves on the Audit Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of PTMN.Board. Mr. Duka was the Executive Vice President of Corporate Development for Acceleration Bay LLC, a patent investment and technology acceleration business headquartered in San Mateo, CA until December 2019, and remains a senior advisor for the firm. Mr. Duka was responsible for Finance, Investor Relations, Strategic Relationships, New Ventures and Acquisitions. He joined the firm in September 2017. Mr. Duka previously spent 20 years at Citigroup, a global banking institution, and was a Managing Director in the Financial Institutions group in Global Banking, retiring in February 2017. Mr. Duka was the senior banker responsible for managing Citibank’s banking relationships with a number of high profile traditional and alternative asset management companies. Mr. Duka oversaw all financings, capital markets activity, M&A and the provision of other banking services and advice for this client base. Mr. Duka also worked with these asset managers to develop a new generation of permanent capital vehicles, including Business Development Companies, REITs, Closed End Funds, and European Listed Vehicles. Prior to Citibank, Mr. Duka has served on the Board of Directors of Trade Arcade Inc. since September 2021 and was a member of the Board of Trustees of BondHouse Investment Trust from September 2019 to February 2021 where he is now an advisor to the sponsor. Mr. Duka also worked at Bank of New York and United Jersey Bank. Mr. Duka received his B.A. from Rutgers College and his MBA from Rutgers Graduate School of Management.

Through his prior experiences as an executive vice president and managing director at several companies, Mr. Duka brings business expertise and finance and industry skills to his Board service. The foregoing qualifications led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Duka should serve as a member of the Board.

George Grunebaum. Mr. Grunebaum is the chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board. Mr. Grunebaum also serves on the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee of the Board of PTMN.the Company. Mr. Grunebaum is Chief Executive Officer of Ashmore Investment Management (US) Corp, which he joined in 2008. He is President of Ashmore Funds, a series of U.S. registered mutual funds. Prior to that, he wasco-Managing Partner of Dolomite Capital Management and one of the founding partners of the firm. He began his career in finance in 1986, joining Chase Investment Banks’ Latin America corporate finance division. In 1987, he was asked to join the newly formed Debt Arbitrage Group and from 1988 to 1995, worked in various capacities as an Emerging Markets trader. In 1995, he was asked to run global client trading for the Emerging Markets group and in 1998, was given additional responsibility for global principal risk taking in Emerging Market credit, and for local interest rates and Emerging Market equities in 2001. Mr. Grunebaum continued to work at the firm and its successor institutions and was electedco-chairman of the Emerging Markets Traders Association (EMTA) in 2001, until his retirement from JPMorgan Chase in May 2005. He received his BA from Hamilton College. He is licensed as a Series 7, Series 24, and Series 63 Registered Representative.

Mr. Grunebaum’s executive experience brings extensive business and financial expertise to his Board service. Moreover, due to Mr. Grunebaum’s knowledge of, and experience in, finance and accounting, the Board determined that Mr. Grunebaum is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under SEC rules. The foregoing qualifications led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Grunebaum should serve as a member of the Board.

Dean C. Kehler. Mr. Kehler also serves on the Compensation Committee of the Board of PTMN. Mr. Kehler is a Managing Partner of Trimaran Capital Partners, a manager of private investment funds, and isCo-Chairman andCo-CEO of GX Acquisition Corp. Prior toco-founding Trimaran, Mr. Kehler was a vice chairman of CIBC World Markets Corp. andco-head of the CIBC Argosy Merchant Banking Funds. Prior to joining CIBC World Markets Corp. in 1995, Mr. Kehler was a founder and Managing Director of The Argosy Group L.P. Before Argosy, Mr. Kehler was a Managing Director at Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated and also worked at Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb Incorporated. Mr. Kehler currently serves on the Board of Directors of El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. and Security First Corporation. Mr. Kehler previously served as a director of various public and private companies. Mr. Kehler also serves as a member of the Board of Overseers of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. Mr. Kehler earned his B.S. from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Kehler possesses particular knowledge and experience in corporate finance, investment management, financial analysis and corporate governance that strengthen the Board’s collective qualifications, skills and experience. The foregoing qualifications led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Kehler should serve as a member of the Board.

Christopher Lacovara, Esq. Mr. Lacovara serves on the Audit Committee of the Board of PTMN. Mr. Lacovara is the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of Community Access, Inc., anon-profit organization that develops, builds and operates rental housing for formerly homeless individuals andlow-income families in New York City. Prior to joining Community Access, Mr. Lacovara was an associate at the law firm of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, and worked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and for the New York State Court of Appeals. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Lacovara was aco-managing partner of Kohlberg & Co., L.L.C., a leading middle market private equity firm, which he joined in 1988. Mr. Lacovara received an A.B. from Harvard College, an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and a J.D. from the Columbia University School of Law. Mr. Lacovara has served on the boards of directors of more than 20 privately-held and publicly-listed companies.

As a result of these and other professional experiences, Mr. Lacovara possesses particular knowledge and experience in corporate finance, corporate governance, strategic planning, business evaluation and oversight and financial analysis that strengthen the Board’s collective qualifications, skills and experience. The foregoing qualifications led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Lacovara should serve as a member of the Board.

Robert Warshauer. Mr. Warshauer is the chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board of PTMN.Board. Mr. Warshauer also serves on the Nominating and Governance Committee and Compensation Committee of the Board of PTMN.Board. Warshauer is Chief Executive Officer of BLST Holdings, LLC and a Board Member of Icon Parking Holdings, LLC. Formerly, Mr. Warshauer was Managing Director and Head of the Investment Banking Group – New York andCo-Headof Imperial Capital (an investment banking company) and has served on the Restructuring Practice in Imperial Capital’s New York Investment Banking Group.boards of directors of Global Knowledge (an education service), MD

American (an energy company) and Estrella Broadcasting (a Spanish language media company). He has over 25 years of experience in financings, mergers and acquisitions, and restructurings. Prior to joining Imperial Capital, he was a Managing Director at Kroll Zolfo Cooper, where he advised clients on operational issues, acquisitions and recapitalizations. He was a Managing Director and member of the Board of Directors and the Commitment Committee of Giuliani Capital Advisors LLC, and its predecessor firm, Ernst & Young Corporate Finance LLC. He has also held the position of CEO and President of a branded retail business with over 500 locations and 5,000 employees, been the CEO of an international business services and manufacturing company with operations in 16 countries, and served as President and a member of the Board of Directors of a publicly traded technology company. He is a former member of the Boardboard of Directorsdirectors of the American Bankruptcy Institute and currently serves on several corporate and charitable Boardsboards of Director.directors. Mr. Warshauer received his M.B.A. from New York University and his B.S.B.A. from Bucknell University.

Through his broad experience as an officer and director of several companies, in addition to skills acquired with firms engaged in investment banking and financial services, Mr. Warshauer brings extensive business and financial expertise to his Board service. Moreover, due to Mr. Warshauer’s knowledge of, and experience in, finance and accounting, the Board determined that Mr. Warshauer is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under SEC rules, and that he is qualified to serve as chairman of the Audit Committee of the Board. The foregoing qualifications led to the Board’s conclusion that Mr. Warshauer should serve as a member of the Board.

Executive Officers Who are not Directors

Andrew DevineDavid Held. Mr. Devine joined PTMNHeld has served as Chief Compliance Officer in May 2019of the Company since July 1, 2021. Mr. Held also serves as the Chief Compliance Officer for Portman Ridge Finance Corporation, Logan Ridge Finance Corporation, Alternative Credit Income Fund and joined BCPL in the same position in April 2018.Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund. Since 2015, heJune 2021, Mr. Held has been the Head ofserved as Chief Compliance Officer, Credit for BC Partners LLP in LondonNew York City and has served as Chief Compliance Officer of BC Partners Lending Corporation since April 2018. Mr. Devine startedMount Logan Management LLC. Between 2015 and 2021, he served as Chief Compliance Officer of Lyxor Asset Management Inc. Prior to his role at Lyxor Asset Management Inc., between 2012 and 2014 he served as Senior Compliance Officer at American Securities LLC in New York City and between 2008 and 2012 he served as Chief Compliance Officer at AXA Investment Managers Inc. in Greenwich, CT. Prior to his career at the UK Financial Conduct Authority in their Enforcement Division, wherecompliance, he spent five years from 2001 to 2007.was a securities and regulatory attorney in private practice. Mr. Devine then worked at Standard and Poor’s from 2007 to 2008, PwC Legal from 2008 to 2009, Apax Partners 2010 to 2013 and Partners Capital from 2014 to 2015, before joining BC Partners LLP. Mr. DevineHeld holds a degree in lawJ.D. from LancasterGeorgetown University and is a qualified UK regulatory lawyer.Law Center.

Ted Gilpin.Jason Roos. Mr. Gilpin joined PTMN in June 2012 and joined BCPLRoos has served as Chief Financial Officer, in May 2019Secretary and became Secretary in August 2019. Mr. Gilpin has more than 30 years of experience. He joined Sierra Crest in April 2019 and has been a memberTreasurer of the BCP Credit TeamCompany since 2019. Prior to joining PTMN,March 2021. Mr. GilpinRoos has served as the Chief Financial Officer, at Associated Renewable Inc., anend-to-end full service energy consulting since December 2010. From January 2008 to May 2010, heSecretary and Treasurer of Portman Ridge Finance Corporation. He also has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ram Holdings, Ltd., a providerLogan Ridge Finance Corporation since 2021, Alternative Credit Income Fund since 2021 and Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund since 2022. Mr. Roos joined BC Partners in May 2020 and brings nearly 20 years of experience in financial roles, most recently as Credit Product CFO, where he is responsible for the integrity and accuracy of financial guaranty reinsurance,reporting and prior to that he was the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Directoroverall control environment of ACA Capital Holdings, Inc., a holding company that provided asset management services andthe credit protection products, from December 2000 to January 2008.business. Prior to joining ACA Capital,BC Partners, Mr. Gilpin was Vice President in the Financial Institutions Group at Prudential Securities, Inc.’s investment banking division. From 1998 to 2000, Mr. GilpinRoos served in the capacity of Chief Financial Officervarious roles with Wells Fargo & Company from 2011 to 2020, including serving as Controller for an ACA Capital affiliatedstart-up venture, developing the financial plansWells Fargo’s investment bank and spearheading the capital raising process. From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Gilpin was with MBIA, Inc., a holding company whose subsidiaries provide financial guarantee insurance, fixed-income asset management, and other specialized financial services, where he held various positions in the finance area. His most recent position with MBIA was Director, Chief of Staff for MBIA Insurance Company’s President. Mr. Gilpin began his career as an Assistant Vice President in the Mutual Funds Department of BHC Securities, Inc. Mr. Gilpin holds an M.B.A. from Columbia University and a B.S. from St. Lawrence University.

Patrick Schafer. Mr. Schafer has served as Chief Investment Officer of PTMN since April 2019. He joined BCP Credit in May 2018, having previously worked at Apollo Global Management. Mr. Schafer spent seven years at Apollo in the Opportunistic Credit group, most recently as a Managing Director in Direct Originations.institutional broker dealer, Wells Fargo Securities. Prior to Apollo, he spent three yearsthat, from 2002 to 2011, Mr. Roos provided audit and advisory services to financial institutions at Deutsche Bank SecuritiesPricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Mr. Roos earned his B.A. in the Investment Banking Division. Mr. Schafer holds a BBAaccounting and finance from the University of Notre Dame.

Explanatory Note Regarding the Externalization of PTMN

On April 1, 2019, PTMN entered into an investment advisory agreement with Sierra Crest (the “Advisory Agreement”)Northern Iowa and an administration agreement with BC Partners Management LLC (the “Administration Agreement”) (the “Externalization”). PTMN’s then-current Board approved the Advisory Agreementis a Certified Public Accountant registered in New York, Iowa, and the Administration Agreement at a meeting on December 12, 2018 and the Company’s stockholders approved the Advisory Agreement at a special meeting of stockholders held on February 19, 2019. In connection with the Externalization, on April 1, 2019, all of PTMN’s then-current directors resigned from their positions on the Board, with the exceptions of Dean C. Kehler and Christopher Lacovara. Throughout this proxy statement, the

board members that served prior to the Externalization are referred to as the “PTMN Prior Board” and the board members that were appointed on April 1, 2019, or otherwise served on the Board after April 1, 2019, are referred to as the “Board” or “PTMN Board.”

In addition, in connection with the Externalization, each of the Company’s then-current executive officers, Dayl Pearson, Edward U. Gilpin, R. Jon Corless and Daniel Gilligan, resigned effective as of the date of the Externalization and the following executive officers were appointed, Ted Goldthorpe, Edward U. Gilpin, Daniel Gilligan and Patrick Schafer. In May 2019, Mr. Gilligan resigned and Mr. Devine was appointed as Chief Compliance Officer.Minnesota.

Board Leadership Structure

EachThe Board monitors and performs oversight roles with respect to the applicable Company’s business and affairs, including with respect to investment practices and performance, compliance with regulatory requirements and the services, expenses and performance of service providers. Among other things, eachthe Board approves the appointment of the applicable Company’s investment adviser and officers, reviews and monitors the services and activities

performed by eachthe Company’s investment adviser and officers and approves the engagement of, and reviews the performance of, the independent registered public accounting firm.

Under the respectiveCompany’s bylaws, of PTMN and BCPL, eachthe Board may designate a chairman to preside over the meetings of suchthe Board and to perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the respective Board. NeitherThe Company hasdoes not have a fixed policy as to whether the chairman of the Board should be an independent director; eachthe Company believes that it should maintain the flexibility to select the chairman and reorganize its leadership structure, from time to time, based on the criteria that is in suchthe Company’s best interests and the best interests of suchthe Company’s stockholders at such times. EachThe Board has established corporate governance procedures to guard against, among other things, an improperly constituted Board. EachThe Company has appointed a lead independent director who acts as the presiding independent director at meetings of the“Non-Management Directors” (which will include the independent directors and other directors who are not officers of suchthe Company even though they may have another relationship with thatthe Company or its management that prevents them from being independent directors). Currently, Mr. Duka serves as the designated lead independent director of eachthe Board.

Presently, Mr. Goldthorpe serves as both Chairman of the Board and President and Chief Executive Officer of eachthe Company. The Board believes that while independent oversight of management is an important component of an effective board of directors, the most effective leadership structure for eachthe Company at the present time is for Mr. Goldthorpe to serve as the principal executive officer of the Company and also serve as Chairman of the Board. The independent directors believe that because Mr. Goldthorpe and his affiliates are ultimately responsible for theday-to-day operation of the Company and for executing the Company’s strategy, and because the performance of the Company is an integral part of Board deliberations, Mr. Goldthorpe is the director best qualified to act as Chairman of the Board. The Board retains the authority to modify this structure to best address the Company’s unique circumstances, and to advance the best interests of all stockholders, as and when appropriate.

The Board also believes, for the reasons set forth below, that its existing corporate governance practices achieve independent oversight and management accountability, which is the goal that many companies seek to achieve. EachThe Company’s governance practices provide for strong independent leadership, independent discussion among directors and for independent evaluation of, and communication with, our executive officers and officers and key personnel of our Adviser. Some of the relevant processes and other corporate governance practices include:

 

A majority of eachthe Board’s directors are independent directors. Each director is an equal participant in decisions made by the full Board. In addition, all matters that relate to the AdvisersAdviser or any of theirits affiliates must be approved by a majority of the independent directors. EachThe Audit Committee is comprised entirely of independent directors.

The investment advisory agreement by and between eachthe Company and its respective Adviser (the “Advisory Agreements”) havehas an initialtwo-year term, with an annual review subsequent to the initialtwo-year term by, and renewal subject to, the approval of the Board, including a majority of the independent directors. The fees paid to each respectivethe Adviser must be deemed reasonable, as determined by our independent directors, on an annual basis.

 

EachThe Board meets regularly, and materials are distributed to participants in advance of such meetings, which provides an opportunity for the Board to review materials and hold comprehensive and productive discussions.

EachThe Company’s corporate governance practices include regular meetings of its independent directors in executive session without the presence of interested directors and management, the establishment of an Audit Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Compensation Committee in the case of PTMN and an Audit Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, in the case of BCPL, comprised solely of independent directors and the appointment of a chief compliance officer, with whom the independent directors of suchthe Company meet with in executive session at least once a year, for administering the Company’s compliance policies and procedures. While certainnon-management members of eachthe Board may participate on the boards of directors of

other public companies, eachthe Company monitors such participation to ensure it is not excessive and does not interfere with their duties to suchthe Company.

Boards’Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

The PTMN Board and BCPL Board perform their risk oversight function primarily through (i) three and two standing committees, respectively, which report to the applicable Board and are comprised solely of independent directors, and (ii) active monitoring by suchthe Company’s chief compliance officer and its compliance policies and procedures.

The Board’s role in risk management is one of oversight. Oversight of investment activities extends to oversight of the risk management processes employed by eachthe Adviser as part of itsday-to-day management of investment activities. EachThe Board reviews risk management processes at both regular and special Board meetings throughout the year, consulting with appropriate representatives of the respective adviserAdviser as necessary and periodically requesting the production of risk management reports or presentations. The goal of the Board’s risk oversight function is to ensure that the risks associated with investment activities are accurately identified, thoroughly investigated and responsibly addressed. The Board’s oversight function cannot, however, eliminate all risks or ensure that particular events do not adversely affect the value of our investments. In particular, eachthe Board may determine at any time to terminate the respective advisory agreement of either PTMN or BCPL,Advisory Agreement, without the payment of any penalty, upon 60 days’ written notice, and must evaluate the performance of the adviser, andre-authorize the advisory agreement on an annual basis. EachThe Board also has primary responsibility for the valuation of eachthe Company’s assets.

Although the Board as a whole has retained oversight over eachthe Company’s risk assessment and risk management efforts, much of the Board’s oversight efforts are conducted through the various Committees of eachthe Board. Each Committee then regularly reports back to the full Board on the conduct of the Committee’s functions. The Board, as well as the individual Board Committees, also regularly hear directly from key officers and employees of eachthe Company involved in risk assessment and risk management.

In particular, eachthe Audit Committee assists the applicable Board in risk oversight for eachthe Company by reviewing and discussing with management and the independent auditors of eachthe Company the significant financial and other exposures, and guidelines and policies relating to enterprise risk assessment and risk management, including the Company’s procedures for monitoring and controlling such risks. In addition to exercising oversight over key financial and business risks, eachthe Audit Committee oversees, on behalf of the applicable Board, valuation, financial reporting, tax, and accounting matters, as well as the Company’s internal

controls over financial reporting. EachThe Audit Committee also plays a key role in oversight of eachthe Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, including eachthe Company’s Code of Ethics and, in the case of PTMN, the Compliance Hotline.

The Portman Ridge Hotline may be accessed at:1-844-668-0632 or visiting the hotline website at bcpartners.ethicspoint.com.Ethics.

The full Board of eachthe Company regularly reviews the efforts of each of its Committees and discusses, at the level of the full Board, the key strategic, financial, business, legal and other risks facing eachthe Company, as well as eachthe Company’s efforts to manage those risks. EachThe Board also performs its risk oversight responsibilities with the assistance of suchthe Company’s chief compliance officer. EachThe Board annually reviews a written report from the Company’s chief compliance officer discussing the adequacy and effectiveness of the compliance policies and procedures of each respectivethe Company. The chief compliance officer’s annual report addresses: (i) the operation of the compliance policies and procedures of the Company, its investment adviser and certain other entities since the last report; (ii) any material changes to such policies and procedures since the last report; (iii) any recommendations for material changes to such policies and procedures as a result of the chief compliance officer’s annual review; and (iv) any compliance matter that has occurred since the date of the last report about which the Board would reasonably need to know to oversee compliance. In addition, eachthe Company’s chief compliance officer meets in executive session with the applicable Board’s independent directors at least once a year. EachThe Company believes that the role of the Board in risk oversight is effective and appropriate given the extensive regulation to which it is already subject as a business development company. As a business development companies,company, the Companies areCompany is required to comply with certain regulatory requirements that control the levels of risk in their respective businessesits business and operations.

Transactions with Related Persons

Investment Advisory Agreements and Administrative AgreementsAgreement

PTMN is externally managed by Sierra Crest, an affiliate of BC Partners, and BCPL is externally managed by BC Partners Advisors, an affiliate of BC Partners, pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (each, an(the “Investment Advisory Agreement” and together, the “Investment Advisory Agreements”). Each of Mr. Goldthorpe, and Mr. Dell,an interested membersmember of eachthe Board, has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in BC Partners Advisors and Sierra Crest. Mr. Moffit, an interested member of PTMN, has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in Sierra Crest. Each of the AdvisersAdvisors. The Adviser is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). Sierra Crest is partially and indirectly owned by BC Partners and by LibreMax. BC Partners Advisors is indirectly owned by BC Partners.

PTMN’s Investment Advisory Agreement

Under PTMN’s Investment Advisory Agreement, fees payable to Sierra Crest equal (i) a base management fee (the “Base Management Fee”) and (ii) an incentive fee (the “Incentive Fee”). For the period from the date of the Investment Advisory Agreement, or April 1, 2019, (the “Effective Date”) through the end of the first calendar quarter after the Effective Date, the Base Management Fee was calculated at an annual rate of 1.50% of PTMN’s gross assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents, but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts, as of the end of such calendar quarter. Subsequently, the Base Management Fee has been 1.50% of PTMN’s average gross assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents, but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts, at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters; provided, however, that the Base Management Fee will be 1.00% of PTMN’s average gross assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents, but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts, that exceed the product of (i) 200% and (ii) the value of PTMN’s net asset value at the end of the most recently completed calendar quarter.

Pre-incentive fee net investment income means dividends (including reinvested dividends), interest and fee income accrued by PTMN during the calendar quarter, minus operating expenses for the quarter (including the management fee, expenses payable under the administration agreement, and any interest expense and dividends paid on any issued and outstanding preferred stock, but excluding the incentive fee).Pre-incentive fee net investment income includes, in the case of investments with a deferred interest feature (such as original issue discount, debt instruments withpayment-in-kind (“PIK”) interest and zero coupon securities), accrued income that PTMN may not have received in cash. Sierra Crest is not obligated to return the Incentive Fee it receives on PIK interest that is later determined to be uncollectible in cash.Pre-incentive fee net investment income does not include any realized capital gains, realized capital losses or unrealized capital appreciation or depreciation.

To determine the income incentive fee,pre-incentive fee net investment income is expressed as a rate of return on the value of PTMN’s net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter. Because of the structure of the Incentive Fee, it is possible that PTMN may pay an Incentive Fee in a calendar quarter in which PTMN incurs a loss. For example, if PTMN receivespre-incentive fee net investment income in excess of the quarterly hurdle rate, PTMN will pay the applicable Incentive Fee even if PTMN has incurred a loss in that calendar quarter due to realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation. In addition, because the quarterly hurdle rate is calculated based on our net assets, decreases in PTMN’s net assets due to realized capital losses or unrealized capital depreciation in any given calendar quarter may increase the likelihood that the hurdle rate is reached and therefore the likelihood of PTMN paying an incentive fee for the subsequent quarter. PTMN’s net investment income used to calculate this component of the Incentive Fee is also included in the amount of PTMN’s gross assets used to calculate the management fee because gross assets are total assets (including cash received) before deducting liabilities (such as declared dividend payments).

The second component of the Incentive Fee, the capital gains incentive fee, payable at the end of each calendar year in arrears, equals 17.50% of cumulative realized capital gains through the end of such calendar year commencing with the calendar year ending December 31, 2019, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, in each case calculated from the Effective Date, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital gains incentive fee for prior periods. PTMN will accrue, but will not pay, a capital gains incentive fee with respect to unrealized appreciation because a capital gains incentive fee would be owed to Sierra Crest if PTMN were to sell the relevant investment and realize a capital gain. In no event will the capital gains incentive fee payable pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement be in excess of the amount permitted by the Advisers Act, including Section 205 thereof.

For the year ended December 31, 2019, Base Management Fees were approximately $3.3 million and no Incentive Fees were accrued. Unless earlier terminated as described below, the Investment Advisory Agreement will remain in effect until April 1, 2021, a period of two years from the date it first became effective and will remain in effect fromyear-to-year thereafter if approved annually by a majority of the Board or by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares, and, in each case, a majority of the independent directors.

BCPL’s Investment Advisory Agreement

Under BCPL’sCompany’s Investment Advisory Agreement, fees payable to BC Partners Advisors equal (a) a base management fee of 1.00% (1.50% if an exchange listing occurs) of the value of BCPL’s average gross assets, excluding cash and cash equivalents but including assets purchased with borrowed amounts, at the end of the two most recently completed calendar quarters (b) an incentive fee based on BCPL’s performance.

The incentive fee consists of two parts, as follows:

(i) The first component, the income incentive fee, payable at the end of each quarter in arrears, equals 100% of thepre-incentive fee net investment income in excess of a 1.50% quarterly preferred return but less than 1.76% (1.818% if an exchange listing occurs), the upper level breakpoint, and 15% (17.50% if an exchange listing occurs) of the amount ofpre-incentive fee net investment income that exceeds 1.76% (1.818% if an

exchange listing occurs) in any calendar quarter. For purposes of determining whetherpre-incentive fee net investment income exceeds the hurdle rate,pre-incentive fee net investment income is expressed as a rate of return on the value of the Company’s net assets at the end of the immediately preceding calendar quarter.

(ii) The second component, the capital gains incentive fee, payable at the end of each calendar year in arrears, equals 15.0% of cumulative realized capital gains from inception through the end of such calendar year, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation on a cumulative basis, less the aggregate amount of any previously paid capital gains incentive fee for prior periods. BCPL accrues, but does not pay, a capital gains incentive fee with respect to unrealized capital appreciation because a capital gains incentive fee would be owed to BC Partners Advisors if BCPL were to sell the relevant investment and realize a capital gain.

On August 20, 2019, BCPL entered into a letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) with BC Partners Advisors pursuant to which, for the period ending December 31, 2019, the Adviser waived 50% of the base management fee to be paid by BCPL under the Investment Advisory Agreement. The waiver was prorated for any partial month or quarter. Management fees waived are not subject to recoupment by BC Partners Advisors.

For the period ended December 31, 2019,2022, BCPL incurred management fees, net of waivers, of $21,800$1.0 million and incentive fees of $13,400.$0.7 million.

BC Partners Advisors may, from time to time, pay amounts owed by BCPL to third-party providers of goods or services, including the Board, and BCPL will subsequently reimburse BC Partners Advisors for such amounts paid on its behalf. Amounts payable to the Adviser are settled in the normal course of business without formal payment terms. Prior to BCPL’s commencement of operations, BC Partners Advisors and its affiliates have incurred operating expenses on behalf of BCPL in the amount of $1.2 million, including audit fees of $0.2 million, legal fees of $0.5 million, professional fees of $22.3 thousand, directors’ fees of $0.2 million, insurance of $0.2 million and other expenses of $62.4 thousand. BCPL will have no responsibility for such costs until BC Partners Advisors submits such costs, or a portion thereof, for reimbursement. For the period ended December 31, 2019, BCPL recognized operating expenses of $1.2 million. For the periods ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Adviser paid operating expenses on behalf of the Company in the amount of $1.2 million and $1.7 million, respectively.

Each

The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated without penalty, upon 60 days’ written notice, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable Company or by the vote of the applicable Company’s directors or by the applicable adviser.

Administration Agreement

EachThe Company has entered into an administration agreement with BC Partners Management LLC (the “Administrator”) (each, an(the “Administration Agreement” and together, the “Administration Agreements”), which is an affiliate of BC Partners LLP and of BC Partners Advisors. Pursuant to the Administration Agreements,Agreement, the Administrator provides administrative services to eachthe Company necessary for the operations of suchthe Company, which include providing to eachthe Company office facilities, equipment and clerical, bookkeeping and record keeping services at such facilities and such other services as the Administrator, subject to review by the applicable Board, shall from time to time deem to be necessary or useful to perform its obligations under the applicable Administration Agreement. The Administrator also provides to eachthe Company portfolio collection functions for and is responsible for the financial and other records that eachthe Company is required to maintain and prepares, prints and disseminates reports to eachthe Company’s stockholders and reports and all other materials filed with the SEC.

For providing these services, facilities and personnel, eachthe Company reimburses the Administrator the allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its obligations under the applicable Administration Agreement, including eachthe Company’s \allocableallocable portion of the costs of compensation and related expenses of its chief financial officer and chief compliance officer and their respective.

respective staffs. Such reimbursement is at cost, with no profit to, or markup by, the Administrator. EachThe Administration Agreement may be terminated without penalty, upon 60 days’ written notice, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable Company or by the vote of the applicable Company’s directors or by the Administrator. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, PTMN incurred approximately $1.2 million of administration services expenses under its Administration Agreement. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019,2022, BCPL incurred administrative fees of $0.1$0.5 million and operating expenses of $0.2$1.2 million under its Administration Agreement, which were paid by BC Partners Advisors on behalf of BCPL.

Organization and Offering Costs

Under BCPL’s Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administrative Agreement, BCPL, either directly or through reimbursements to BC Partners Advisors or its affiliates, is responsible for its organization and offering costs in an amount up to 1.50% of total capital commitments. Prior to BCPL’s commencement of operations in October 2019, BC Partners Advisors funded BCPL’s organization and offering costs in the amount of $1.4 million. BCPL will have no responsibility for such costs until BC Partners Advisors submits such costs, or a portion thereof, for reimbursement, subject to a cap of 1.50% of BCPL’s total commitments and provided further that BCPL or its affiliates may not be reimbursed for payment of excess organization and offering expenses that were incurred more than three years prior to the proposed reimbursement. For the period ended December 31, 2019,2022, BCPL accrued organization and offering costs of $0.4$0.2 million.

Amounts due to BCPL for the expected recoveries of organization, offering and operating expenses incurred on behalf of BCPL, and amounts due from BC Partners Advisors under the Expense Support Agreement for such amounts are reflected on a net basis in amounts due to/from affiliates on the consolidated statements of assets and liabilities.

Expense Support and Conditional Reimbursement Agreement (BCPL)

On August 22, 2019, BCPL entered into an Expense Support and Conditional Reimbursement Agreement (the “Expense Support Agreement”) with BC Partners Advisors, the purpose of which is to ensure that no portion of distributions made to BCPL’s stockholders will be paid from BCPL’s offering proceeds or borrowings (the “Distribution Objective”).

Commencing with the fourth quarter of 2019 and on a quarterly basis thereafter, BC Partners Advisors will reimburse BCPL for operating expenses in an amount sufficient to meet the Distribution Objective. Any payment so required to be made by BC Partners Advisors is referred to herein as an “Expense Payment.”

BC Partners Advisor’s obligation to make an Expense Payment becomes a liability of BC Partners Advisor’s, and the right to such Expense Payment becomes an asset of BCPL, no later than the last business day of the applicable calendar quarter. The Expense Payment for any calendar quarter shall, as promptly as possible, be: (i) paid by BC Partners Advisor’s to BCPL in any combination of cash or other immediately available funds, and/or (ii) offset against amounts due from BCPL to BC Partners Advisor’s.

Pursuant to the Expense Support Agreement, “Available Operating Funds” means the sum of (i) the BCPL’s net investment company taxable income (including net short-term capital gains reduced by net long-term capital losses), (ii) BCPL’s net capital gains (including the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), and (iii) dividends and other distributions paid to or otherwise earned by BCPL on account of investments in portfolio companies (to the extent such amounts listed in clause (iii) are not included under clauses (i) and (ii) above.)

Following any calendar quarter in which Available Operating Funds exceed the cumulative distributions paid to BCPL’s stockholders in such calendar quarter (the amount of such excess being hereinafter referred to as “Excess Operating funds”), BCPL shall pay such Excess Operating Funds, or a portion thereof in accordance

with the stipulation below, as applicable, to BC Partners Advisors until such time as all Expense Payments made by BC Partners Advisors to BCPL within three years prior to the last business day of such calendar quarter have been reimbursed or waived. Any payments required to be made by BCPL pursuant to the preceding sentence are referred to herein as a “Reimbursement Payment.”

The amount of the Reimbursement Payment for any calendar quarter will be equal to the lesser of (i) the Excess Operating Funds in such calendar quarter, and (ii) the aggregate amount of all Expense Payments made by BC Partners Advisor to BCPL within three years prior to the last business day of such calendar quarter that have not been previously reimbursed by BCPL to BC Partners Advisors.

BCPL’s obligation to make a Reimbursement Payment becomes a liability to BCPL, and the right to such Reimbursement Payment becomes an asset of BC Partners Advisors, no later than the last business day of the applicable calendar quarter. The Reimbursement Payment for any calendar quarter shall, as promptly as possible, be paid by BCPL to BC Partners Advisors in any combination of cash or other immediately available funds. Any Reimbursement Payments shall be deemed to have reimbursed BC Partners Advisors for Expense Payments in chronological order beginning with the oldest Expense Payment eligible for reimbursement.

The Expense Support Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by BCPL or BC Partner’s Advisors, with or without notice. The Expense Support Agreement automatically terminates in the event of (a) the termination by BCPL of the Investment Advisory Agreement, or (b) the Board determines to dissolve or liquidate BCPL. Upon termination of the Expense Support Agreement, BCPL will be required to pay BC Partners Advisors an amount equal to all Expense Payments paid by BC Partners Advisors to BCPL within three years prior to the date of such termination and that have not been previously reimbursed by BCPL to BC Partners Advisors. Such repayment shall be made to BC Partners Advisors no later than 30 days after such date of termination or the date of such event, as applicable.

As of December 31, 2019,2022, total Expense Payment provided to BCPL by BC Partners Advisors was $2.2 million, which includes the accrual of $1.6 million of eligible recoveries from BC Partners Advisors under the Expense Support Agreement for organization and offering costs and operating expenses paid on behalf of BCPL prior to commencement of operations.$0. Management believes that the Reimbursement Payments by BCPL to the Adviser are not probable under the terms of the Expense Support Agreement as of December 31, 2019.2022. The following table reflects the Expense Payments that may be subject to reimbursement pursuant to the Expense Support Agreement:

 

Quarter Ended

  Expense Payment
Received from
Adviser (1)
   Reimbursement
Payment made to
Adviser
   Unreimbursed
Expense
Payment (1)
   

Eligible for

Reimbursement

through (2)

  Expense Payment
Received from
Adviser (1)
   Reimbursement
Payment made
to Adviser
   Unreimbursed
Expense
Payment (1)
   

Eligible for

Reimbursement

through (1)

December 31, 2019

  $2,165,309   $—     $2,165,309   December 31, 2022  $2,165,309   $1,446,000   $719,000   December 31, 2022

March 31, 2020

   345,503    —      345,503   March 31, 2023

June 30, 2020

   752,142    —      752,142   June 30, 2023

September 30, 2020

   67,783    —      67,783   September 30, 2023

March 31, 2021

   216,726    —      216,726   March 31, 2024
  

 

   

 

   

 

     

 

   

 

   

 

   
  $2,165,309   $—     $2,165,309     $3,547,463   $1,446,000   $2,102,000   
  

 

   

 

   

 

     

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

(1)

Includes $1.6 million of eligible recoveries from the Adviser under the Expense Support Agreement for organization and offering costs and operating expenses paid on behalf of BCPL prior to commencement of operations.

(2)

The actual date that the estimated Expense Payment is eligible for reimbursement will be determined when such Expense Payment is actually made by BC Partners Advisors.

Review, Approval or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons

The independent directors of eachthe Company are required to review, approve or ratify any transactions with related persons (as such term is defined in Item 404 of RegulationS-K).

Material Conflicts of Interest

EachThe Company’s executive officers, directors and certain members of the AdvisersAdviser serve or may serve as officers, directors or principals of entities that operate in the same or a related line of business as we do or of investment funds managed by BC Partners or its affiliates. Almost allAll of theBCPL’s executive officers of PTMN serve in similar capacities for BCPL, and all of BCPL’s independent directors serve as executive officers or independent directors of PTMN. PTMN has historically invested in secured term loans, bonds or notesPortman Ridge Finance Corporation and mezzanine debt primarily in privately-held middle market companies along with joint ventures and debt and subordinated securities issued by collateralized loan obligation funds, similar to the investments targeted by BCPL. In addition, PTMN’s investments also include floating rate senior secured loans.Logan Ridge Finance Corporation. BCPL invests in secured debt of private middle-market companies, that pay interest at rates which are determined periodically on the basis of a floating base lending rate, made to private middle-market companies whose debt is rated below investment grade, similar to those that PTMN targetsPortman Ridge Finance Corporation and Logan Ridge Finance Corporation target for investment. BC Partners and its affiliates also manage andsub-advise private investment funds and accounts, and may manage other such funds and accounts in the future, which have investment mandates that are similar, in whole and in part, with athe Company. Therefore, there may be certain investment opportunities that satisfy the investment criteria for both Companiesthe Company as well as private investment funds and accounts advised orsub-advised by BC Partners and its affiliates. Accordingly, BC Partners and its affiliates may have obligations to investors in those entities, the fulfillment of which might not be in the best interests of us or our stockholders. For example, the personnel of BC Partners may face conflicts of interest in the allocation of investment opportunities to the CompaniesCompany and such other funds and accounts.

Each of the CompaniesThe Company may invest alongside funds and accounts managed orsub-advised by their respectiveits Adviser and its affiliates in certain circumstances where doing so is consistent with applicable law and SEC staff interpretations. For example, each of the CompaniesCompany may invest alongside such accounts consistent with guidance promulgated by the staff of the SEC permitting each suchthe Company and such other accounts to purchase interests in a single class of privately placed securities so long as certain conditions are met, including that suchthe Adviser, acting on behalf of the applicable Company and on behalf of other clients, negotiates no term other than price or terms related to price.

In addition, on October 23, 2018, the SEC issued an order granting BCPL’s application for exemptive relief toco-invest, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, in certain private placement transactions, with other funds managed by the Adviser or its affiliates, including BCP Special Opportunities Fund I LP, BCP Special Opportunities Fund II LP, and any future funds that are advised by the Adviser or its affiliated investment advisers (including PTMN following the Externalization).advisers. Under the terms of the exemptive order, which applies to both Companies, in order for athe Company to participate in aco-investment transaction a “required majority” (as defined in Section 57(o) of the 1940 Act) of the Company’s independent directors must conclude that (i) the terms of the proposed transaction, including the consideration to be paid, are reasonable and fair to the Company and its stockholders and do not involve overreaching with respect of the Company or its stockholders on the part of any person concerned, and (ii) the proposed transaction is consistent with the interests of the Company’s stockholders and is consistent with the Company’s investment objectives and strategies and certain criteria established by the Board.

Although eachthe Adviser will endeavor to allocate investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner, athe Company and its common stockholders could be adversely affected to the extent investment opportunities are allocated among suchthe Company and other investment vehicles managed or sponsored by, or affiliated with, its executive officers, directors and members of eachthe Adviser. EachThe Company might not participate in each individual opportunity, but will, on an overall basis, be entitled to participate equitably with other entities managed by the AdvisersAdviser and theirits affiliates. EachThe Adviser is committed to treating all clients fairly and equitably such that none receive preferential treatmentvis-à-vis the others over time, in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duty to each of them; however, in some instances, especially in instances of limited liquidity, the factors may not result in pro rata allocations or may result in situations where certain funds or accounts receive allocations where others do not.

Pursuant to eachthe Investment Advisory Agreement, eachthe Adviser’s liability is limited and the applicable Company is required to indemnify its Adviser against certain liabilities. This may lead eachthe Adviser to act in a riskier manner

in performing its duties and obligations under the applicable Investment Advisory Agreement than it would if it were acting for its own account, and creates a potential conflict of interest.

Pursuant to eachthe Administration Agreement, the Administrator furnishes the applicable Company with the facilities, including its principal executive office, and administrative services necessary to conduct itsday-to-day operations. EachThe Company pays the Administrator its allocable portion of overhead and other expenses incurred by the Administrator in performing its obligations under the applicable Administration Agreement, including, without limitation, a portion of the rent at market rates and compensation of suchthe Company’s chief financial officer, chief compliance officer, their respective staffs and othernon-investment professionals that perform duties for suchthe Company.

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, requires the Companies’Company’s directors and executive officers, and persons who own 10% or more of the Company’s common stock, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership of its equity securities with the SEC. Based solely on a review of the copies of those forms filed with the SEC, or written representations that no such forms were required, except for a Form 4 for PTMN filed late by Ted Goldthorpe and Form 3s for BCPL filed late by each of Investment Holdings Ltd. And Haymarket Insurance Co., in each case due to an administrative oversight, eachthe Company believes that its directors, executive officers and 10% or more beneficial owners complied with all Section 16(a) filing requirements during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.2022.

Corporate Governance

Corporate Governance Documents

PTMN maintains a corporate governance webpage under the “Corporate Governance” link at www.PortmanRidge.com.

The Corporate Governance Policy, 1940 Act Code of Ethics, Sarbanes-Oxley Code of Ethics, Insider Trading Policy, Whistleblower Policy, Audit Committee Charter, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter and Compensation Committee Charter for PTMN are available at www.PortmanRidge.com and are available to any stockholder who requests them by writing to Portman Ridge Finance Corporation, 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Secretary. The Code of Ethics, Audit Committee Charter, and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter for BCPL are available to any stockholder who requests them by writing to BC Partners Lending Corporation, 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Chief Compliance Officer. Additionally, the Audit Committee Charter is included as Appendix 1 to this Proxy Statement and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is included as Appendix 2 to this Proxy Statement.

Director Independence

In accordance with rules of Nasdaq in the case of PTMN and Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, in the case of both Companies, each Board annually determines the independence of each director. No director is considered independent unless the applicable Board has determined that he or she has no material relationship with the applicable Company. EachThe Company monitors the status of its directors and officers through the activities of suchthe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and through a questionnaire to be completed by each director no less frequently than annually, with updates periodically if information provided in the most recent questionnaire has materially changed.

In order to evaluate the materiality of any such relationship, the PTMN Board uses the definition of director independence set forth in the Nasdaq listing rules. Section 5605 provides that a director of a business

development company shall be considered to be independent if he or she is not an “interested person” of the Company, as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act. Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act defines an “interested person” to include, among other things, any person who has, or within the last two years had, a material business or professional relationship with the Company.

EachThe Board has determined that each of the current directors is, and each director that served during fiscal year 2019,2022, was independent and has no relationship with the Company, except as a director and stockholder of the Company, with the exception of Messrs. Goldthorpe, Dell and Moffitt.Mr. Goldthorpe.

Evaluation

EachThe Company’s directors perform an evaluation, no less frequently than annually, of the effectiveness of suchthe Company’s Board and its committees. This evaluation includes Board and Board committee discussions.

Communications with Directors

Stockholders and other interested parties may contact any member (or all members) of eitherthe Company’s Board by mail. To communicate with eitherthe Board, any individual director or any group or committee of directors, correspondence should be addressed to such Board or any such individual director or group or committee of

directors by either name or title. All such correspondence should be sent to Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation as applicable, at 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Secretary. Any communication to report potential issues regarding accounting, internal controls and other auditing matters will be directed to the applicable Company’s Audit Committee. Appropriate personnel of the applicable Company will review and sort through communications before forwarding them to the addressee(s).

Board Meetings and Committees

PTMN

PTMN’sThe Board met seven (7)four times during fiscal year 2019.2022. Each director (except for Mr. Moffit) attended at least 75% of the total number of meetings of the PTMNBCPL Board and committees during fiscal year 20192022 on which the director served that were held while the director was a member of the Board or such committee, as applicable. The PTMN BoardBoard’s standing committees are described below. Directors are encouraged, but not required, to attend each annual meeting of stockholders. None of PTMN’s then-current directorsOne Director attended its 2019 annual meeting of stockholders.

BCPL

BCPL’s Board met five (5) times during fiscal year 2019. Each director attended at least 75% of the total number of meetings of the BCPL Board and committees during fiscal year 2019 on which the director served that were held while the director was a member of the Board or such committee, as applicable. The BCPL Board standing committees are described below. Directors are encouraged, but not required, to attend each annual meeting of stockholders. BCPL did not hold a 20192022 annual meeting of stockholders.

Audit CommitteesCommittee

EachThe Board has an Audit Committee in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) comprised solely of independent directors. The Company’s Audit Committee is responsible for selecting, engaging and discharging suchthe Company’s independent accountants, reviewing the plans, scope and results of the audit engagement with its independent accountants, approving professional services provided by its independent accountants (including compensation thereof), reviewing the independence of its independent accountants and reviewing the adequacy of its internal control over financial reporting, as well as establishing guidelines and making recommendations to its Board regarding the valuation of its loans and investments.

The current members of PTMN’s Audit Committee are Messrs. Duka, Grunebaum, Lacovara and Warshauer and of BCPL’sthe Company’s Audit Committee are Messrs. Duka, Grunebaum and Warshauer, each of whom is not an interested person of suchthe Company as defined in the 1940 Act and in the case of PTMN is independent for purposes of the Nasdaq listing rules.Act. Mr. Warshauer serves as the Chairman of the PTMN and BCPL Audit Committees. PTMN’sCommittee. The Company’s Board has determined that Mr.Messrs. Grunebaum and Warshauer each is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined under SEC rules. EachThe Company’s Audit Committee met five (5)four times during fiscal year 2019.

Compensation Committee

The PTMN Board has established a Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee is currently composed of Messrs. Duka, Grunebaum, Kehler and Warshauer. Mr. Duka serves as Chairman of the Compensation Committee. The Board has determined that each member of the Compensation Committee is not an interested person of PTMN as defined in the 1940 Act and is independent for purposes of the Nasdaq listing. Prior to the Externalization, the Compensation Committee determined compensation for the Company’s named executive officers, in addition to administering the Company’s equity compensation plans. Currently none of the Company’s executive officers is compensated by the Company and, as a result, the Compensation Committee will no longer produce and/or review a report on executive compensation practices. The Compensation Committee Charter, as approved by the Board, can be found in the Corporate Governance section of PTMN’s website at www.PortmanRidge.com.

Prior to the Externalization, the Compensation Committee’s functions included examining the levels and methods of compensation employed by PTMN with respect to the Chief Executive Officer andnon-CEO officers, making recommendations to the Board with respect tonon-CEO officer compensation, reviewing and approving the compensation package of the Chief Executive Officer, making recommendations to the Board with respect to incentive compensation plans and equity-based plans, reviewing management succession plans, making administrative and compensation decisions under equity compensation plans approved by the Board and making recommendations to the Board with respect to grants thereunder, administering cash bonuses, and implementing and administering the foregoing. PTMN’s Compensation Committee is currently responsible for reviewing and approving the reimbursement by PTMN of the allocable portion of the compensation of its chief financial officer and chief compliance officer and their respective staffs and othernon-investment professionals at Sierra Crest that perform duties for PTMN. In accordance with its Charter, the Compensation Committee may delegate its authority to a subcommittee. PTMN’s Compensation Committee met four (4) times during fiscal year 2019.2022.

Nominating and Corporate Governance CommitteesCommittee

EachThe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for determining criteria for service on the applicable Board, identifying, researching and nominating directors for election by its stockholders, selecting nominees to fill vacancies on suchthe Board or a committee of suchthe Board, developing and recommending to suchthe Board a set of corporate governance principles and overseeing the self-evaluation of suchthe Board and its committees and evaluation of management.

The members of eachthe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are Messrs. Duka, Grunebaum and Warshauer, each of whom is not an interested person of suchthe Company as defined in the 1940 Act and is independent for purposes of the Nasdaq listing rules in the case of PTMN.Act. Mr. Grunebaum serves as the Chairman of the PTMN and BCPL Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees. EachThe Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met three (3) times for PTMN and two (2) times for BPCLone time during fiscal year 2019.2022.

EachThe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers qualified director nominees recommended by stockholders of suchthe Company when such recommendations are submitted in accordance with either suchthe Company’s bylaws and any other applicable law, rule or regulation regarding director nominations. Stockholders of athe Company may submit candidates for nomination for suchthe Company’s Board by writing to: Board of Directors, Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation, as applicable, 650

Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022. When submitting a nomination for consideration, a stockholder must provide certain information about each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election as a director, including: (i) the name, age, business address and residence address of the person; (ii) the principal occupation or employment of the person;

(iii) the class or series and number of shares of Company common stock owned beneficially or of record by the person; and the date such shares were acquired and the investment intent of such acquisition; (iv) whether such stockholder believes the individual is an “interested person” of the Company, as defined in the 1940 Act and (v) any other information relating to the person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Such notice must be accompanied by the proposed nominee’s written consent to be named as a nominee and to serve as a director if elected. NeitherThe Company has not received any recommendations from stockholders requesting consideration of a candidate for inclusion among the Nominating Committee’s slate of nominees in this proxy statement.

In evaluating director nominees, eachthe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers the following factors:

 

availability and commitment of a candidate to attend meetings and to perform his or her responsibilities on the Board;

 

relevant business and related industry experience; educational background; financial expertise;

 

experience with corporate governance matters; an assessment of the candidate’s ability, judgment and expertise;

 

overall diversity of the composition of the Board;

 

the percentage of the Board represented by Independent Directors and whether a candidate would qualify as an Independent Director; and

 

such other factors as the Nominating Committee deems appropriate.

EachThe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s goal is to assemble a Board that brings it a variety of perspectives and skills derived from high quality business and professional experience.

Other than the foregoing, there are no stated minimum criteria for director nominees, although eachthe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may also consider such other factors as it may deem are in the Company’s best interests and those of its stockholders. NeitherThe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assignsdoes not assign specific weights to particular criteria, and no particular criterion is necessarily applicable to all prospective nominees. EachThe Company believes that the backgrounds and qualifications of the directors, considered as a group, should provide a significant composite mix of experience, knowledge and abilities that will allow eachthe Board to fulfill its responsibilities. The BoardsBoard do not have a specific diversity policy, but consider diversity of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, cultural background and professional experiences in evaluating candidates for Board membership.

EachThe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee identifies nominees by first evaluating the current members of the Board willing to continue in service. Current members of the Board with skills and experience that are relevant to the applicable business and who are willing to continue in service are considered forre-nomination, balancing the value of continuity of service by existing members of the Board with that of obtaining a new perspective. If any member of the Board does not wish to continue in service or if the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board decides not tore-nominate a member forre-election or the Board decides to add a new director to the Board, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee would identify the desired skills and experience of a new nominee in light of the criteria above. Current members of eachthe Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Board would

review and discuss, for nomination, the individuals meeting the criteria of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Research may also be performed to identify qualified individuals. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of eachthe Company has not, but may choose to, engage an independent consultant or other third party to identify or evaluate or assist in identifying potential nominees to suchthe Company’s Board.

Hedging Transactions

Our Statement of Policy on Insider Trading prohibits directors, executive officers or employees from purchasing certain financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange funds). Our Statement of Policy on Insider Trading does not expressly prohibit engaging in transactions, that hedge or offset, or are designed to hedge or offset, any decrease in the market value of our equity securities, but strongly discourages such transactions. Additionally, our Statement of Policy on Insider Trading requires that directors, officers and employees first obtain pre-clearance from our Chief Compliance Officer before entering into any hedging transaction involving the Company’s securities. The Statement of Policy on Insider Trading is included as Appendix 3 to this Proxy Statement.

Code of Business Conduct

EachThe Company has adopted a joint Code of Business Conduct which applies to, among others, executive officers, including the principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions and all other officers, employees and directors of the Companies. If PTMN makes any substantive amendment to, or grants a waiver from, a provision of the Code of Business Conduct, PTMN will promptly disclose the nature of the amendment or waiver on its website at www.PortmanRidge.com.Company. BCPL will report any material amendments to or waivers of a required provision of its Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form8-K.

Securities Trading Policy

PTMN has adopted an Insider Trading Policy that, among other things, prohibits directors, officers and other employees from entering into a short sale transaction or transactions in puts, calls or other derivative securities, on an exchange or in any other organized market, with respect to PTMN’s securities or use any other derivative transaction or instrument to take a short position in respect of PTMN’s securities. BCPL does not have any such practices or policies regarding hedging.

Executive Compensation

Generally, the executive officers of the Companies do not receive direct compensation from the applicable Company. The compensation of the principals and other investment professionals of the Advisers are paid by such Adviser or one of its affiliates. Further, each Company is prohibited under the 1940 Act from issuing equity incentive compensation, including stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and stock, to its officers or directors, or any employees it may have in the future. Compensation paid to each Company’s chief financial officer and chief compliance officer and their respective staffs and othernon-investment professionals at the respective Adviser that perform duties for each Company is set by the Administrator and is subject to reimbursement by each Company of an allocable portion of such compensation for services rendered to it.

During fiscal year 2019, the Administrator incurred approximately $1.2 million (for PTMN) and $0.1 million (for BCPL) for the allocable portion of compensation expenses incurred by the Administrator on behalf of the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer and other support personnel of PTMN and BCPL. The Administrator was reimbursed in the amounts of $0 by PTMN and $848,102 by BCPL, pursuant to their respective Administration Agreements.

In the case of PTMN, and prior to the Externalization, the Company employed the executive officers as it was an internally managed BDC. The below is a discussion of PTMN’s compensation practices prior to the Externalization that were taken by the prior PTMN Board (“Prior PTMN Board”) and its Compensation Committee.

PTMN Compensation Committee Report

The Compensation Committee reviewed and discussed with management the foregoing Compensation Discussion and Analysis and, based on such review and discussion, have recommended to the PTMN Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis should be included in this proxy statement.

Respectfully submitted,
Compensation Committee
Alexander Duka (Chair)
George Grunebaum
Dean C. Kehler
Robert Warshauer

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Executive Summary

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis provides you with a detailed description of PTMN’s executive compensation philosophy and programs, the compensation decisions that have been made under those programs, and the factors that have been considered in making those decisions, prior to the Externalization. The Compensation Discussion and Analysis focuses on the compensation of PTMN’s named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2019 (referred to as “named executive officers” in this proxy statement), who were:

Dayl W. Pearson, President and Chief Executive Officer;

Ted Goldthorpe, President and Chief Executive Officer;

Edward U. Gilpin, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary;

R. Jon Corless, Chief Investment Officer; and

Daniel Gilligan, Vice President and Director of Portfolio Administration.

As described in greater detail below, the primary objectives of the PTMN’s executive compensation programs prior to the Externalization were to attract, retain and motivate the best possible executive talent. The table below highlights these executive compensation practices and compensation components for 2019.

TermDefinitionComments
Base SalaryAnnualized Base SalaryRewards individual performance and may vary with Company performance; generally represents approximately 40% to 60% of total compensation for the named executive officer.
Annual BonusCash reward paid to executives on an annual basis; currently based on meeting both Company and individual annual financial targetsRewards achievement of Company and individual annual financial targets that are designed to drive the overall Company business and shareholder value; generally represents approximately 40% to 60% of total compensation of the named executive officer.

TermDefinitionComments
Other BenefitsHealth, life and disability insurance, 401(k) plan, savings plan, and other benefitsBroad-based benefits and perquisites necessary to be competitive in the marketplace.
Termination-Based CompensationCompensation in case of involuntary termination without cause or by the named executive officer for good reasonAn integral part of the Company’s employee retention program; tied tonon-competition andnon-solicitation obligations on the part of the named executive officers.

Overview of Executive Compensation Principles

Unless otherwise indicated, the discussion and analysis below relates to compensation of named executive officers of the Company.

Executive compensation in 2019 reflected PTMN’s forthcoming Externalization, the financial market conditions as well as the Company’s operating performance.

In addition, at the Company’s 2019 Annual Meeting of the Shareholders, PTMN held anon-binding stockholder vote to approve the compensation paid to its named executive officers in 2018, commonly referred to as a“say-on-pay” vote. PTMN’s stockholders approved such compensation by anon-binding, advisory vote with approximately 84% of the votes submitted on the proposal voting in favor of the resolution. The Board considered the results of this vote and views this vote as confirmation that PTMN’s shareholders supported PTMN’s executive compensation policies and decisions prior to the Externalization.

Primary Objectives

The primary objectives of the Prior PTMN Board’s Compensation Committee with respect to executive compensation were to attract, retain and motivate the best possible executive talent. The focus was to tie short- and long-term cash and equity incentives to achievement of measurable corporate and individual performance objectives and to align executives’ incentives with stockholder value creation. To achieve these objectives, the Compensation Committee maintained compensation plans that tie a substantial portion of executives’ overall compensation to the Company’s operational performance. The structure of the executives’ base and incentive compensation was designed to encourage and reward the following:

sourcing and pursuing attractively priced investment opportunities;

participating in comprehensive due diligence with respect to PTMN’s investments;

ensuring the most effective allocation of capital; and

working efficiently and developing relationships with other professionals.

Benchmarking of Compensation

Management prior to the Externalization developed PTMN’s compensation plans by utilizing publicly available compensation data and subscription compensation survey data for national and regional companies in the middle market lending industry and in particular other publicly-traded, internally managed business development companies (“BDCs”). PTMN believed that the practices of this group of companies provided PTMN with appropriate compensation benchmarks because these companies had similar organizational structures and tended to compete with PTMN for executives and other employees. For benchmarking executive

compensation, PTMN typically reviewed the compensation data that was collected from the complete group of companies, as well as a subset of the data from those companies that have a similar number of employees and a similar investment portfolio as PTMN.

Pay-for-Performance Philosophy

Based on management’s analyses and recommendations, the Compensation Committee approved apay-for-performance compensation philosophy. PTMN worked within the framework of thispay-for-performance philosophy to determine each component of an executive’s initial compensation package based on numerous factors, including:

the individual’s particular background and circumstances, including training and prior relevant work experience;

the individual’s role with PTMN and the compensation paid to similar persons in the companies represented in the compensation data that PTMN reviewed;

the demand for individuals with the individual’s specific expertise and experience at the time of hire;

performance goals and other expectations for the position;

comparison to other executives within PTMN having similar levels of expertise and experience; and

uniqueness of industry skills.

Setting and Assessment of Performance Goals; Role of Chief Executive Officer

The Compensation Committee also implemented an annual performance management program, under which, prior to the Externalization, annual performance goals were determined and set forth in writing at the beginning of each calendar year for the Company as a whole and for each individual employee. Annual corporate goals were proposed by management and were approved by the Prior PTMN Board at the end of each calendar year for the following year. These corporate goals targeted the achievement of specific strategic, operational and financial milestones. Annual individual goals focused on contributions which facilitate the achievement of the corporate goals and were set during the first quarter of each calendar year. Individual goals were proposed by each employee and approved by his or her direct supervisor. The Chief Executive Officer’s goals were approved by the Compensation Committee. Annual salary increases, annual bonuses and annual restricted stock awards granted to the Company’s employees were tied to the achievement of these corporate and individual performance goals.

Prior to the Externalization, the performance goals for the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and other executive management were considered in the context of the performance of the broader financial industry and were as follows:

achievement of the Company’s dividend objectives (emphasizing both growth and stability);

growth of the Company’s investment portfolio;

maintenance of the credit quality and financial performance of the Company’s investment portfolio; and

development of the Company’s human resources.

The Company believed that the performance goals were realistic “stretch” goals that should have been reasonably attainable by management.

Prior to the Externalization, during the fourth calendar quarter of each year, the Company evaluated individual and corporate performance against the written goals for the recently completed year. Consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy, each employee’s evaluation began with a written self-assessment, which was submitted to the employee’s supervisor. The supervisor then prepared a written evaluation based on the employee’s self-assessment, the supervisor’s own evaluation of the employee’s performance and input from others within the Company. The Company’s executive officers, other than the Chief Executive Officer, submitted their self-assessments to the Chief Executive Officer, who performed the individual evaluations and submitted recommendations to the Compensation Committee for bonuses. In the case of the Chief Executive Officer, his individual performance evaluation was conducted by the Compensation Committee

In the first quarter of 2019, in connection with the Externalization, the Compensation Committee determined that each named executive officer met their targets and was entitled to a prorated portion of their annual bonus as provided in their Employment Agreements prior to the Externalization.

Our Compensation Policies and Practices as They Relate to Risk Management

In accordance with the applicable disclosure requirements, to the extent that risks may arise from PTMN’s compensation policies and practices that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on PTMN, PTMN is required to discuss those policies and practices for compensating the employees of PTMN (including employees that are not named executive officers) as they relate to PTMN’s risk management practices and the possibility of incentivizing risk-taking.

The Compensation Committee evaluated the policies and practices of compensating PTMN’s employees prior to the Externalization in light of the relevant factors, primarily that compensation was solely comprised of base salary to properly compensate employees prior to the Externalization. Additionally, no cash incentive, annual bonus or equity awards were granted or paid in light of the Externalization transaction.

Based on such evaluation, the Compensation Committee determined that PTMN’s prior policies and practices were not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on PTMN.

Compensation Components

PTMN’s compensation package consisted of the following components in 2019, each of which PTMN deemed instrumental in motivating and retaining its executives:

Base Salary

Base salaries for PTMN’s executives were established based on the scope of their responsibilities and their prior relevant background, training and experience, taking into account competitive market compensation paid by the companies represented in the compensation data PTMN reviews for similar positions and the overall market demand for such executives at the time of hire. An executive’s base salary was also evaluated together with other components of the executive’s compensation to ensure that the executive’s total compensation was in line with the PTMN’s overall compensation philosophy.

Annual Bonus

PTMN’s compensation program included eligibility for an annual performance-based cash bonus in the case of all executives and certain senior,non-executive employees prior to the Externalization. The amount of the cash bonus depended on the level of achievement of the stated corporate and individual performance goals. The terms of any bonus compensation that each of Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless, and Gilligan were entitled to are set forth in each of their respective employment agreements, descriptions of which are set forth below. See “Executive Compensation — Employment Agreements.” In connection with the Externalization and prior to each

of Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless, and Gilligan’s separation from PTMN, the Compensation Committee determined that each officer was entitled to a prorated portion of their annual cash bonus

The annual bonus awards paid to the named executive officers with respect to 2018 (shown in the“Non-Equity Incentive Plan” column of the Summary Compensation Table below) were at their existing target bonus amounts prorated for the length of service prior to their separation from PTMN.

Other Compensation

PTMN maintained broad-based benefits and perquisites that were provided to all employees, including health, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, and a 401(k) plan. In addition, PTMN participated in a defined contribution plan for its executive officers and employees. In particular circumstances, PTMN also utilized cash signing bonuses when certain executives and seniornon-executives joined the Company. Such cash signing bonuses typically either vested during a period of less than a year or were repayable in full to the Company if the employee recipient voluntarily terminated employment with the Company prior to the first anniversary of the date of hire. Whether a signing bonus is paid and the amount thereof are determined on acase-by-case basis under the specific hiring circumstances.

Termination-Based Compensation

Severance. The terms of any severance based compensation that each of Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless and Gilligan received in connection with each of their respective employment agreements and upon their separation from PTMN in connection with the Externalization are set forth below. See “Executive Compensation — Employment Agreements.”

Acceleration of vesting of equity-based awards. In general, all unvested options and unvested shares of restricted common stock held by an employee were forfeited immediately upon that employee’s termination, whether or not for cause. In connection with the Externalization, all equity-based awards were canceled and vested awards were cashed out as previously disclosed.

Change in Control. Upon a change in control followed by certain types of termination of employment, the named executive officers were eligible to receive enhanced severance and equity vesting. See “Executive Compensation — Employment Agreements.”

Summary Compensation Table

The following table shows the compensation paid or accrued during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 to or with respect to the Company’s named executive officers. Effective April 1, 2019, each of Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless and Gilligan ceased to be an employee of PTMN (see “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control”). Mr. Goldthorpe was appointed Chief Executive Officer of PTMN after the Externalization and does not receive any compensation.

Name and Principal
Position
  Year   Salary(4)
($)
   Bonus
($)(5)
   Stock
Awards
($)(1)
   Option
Awards
($)
   Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(2)(4)
  All Other
Compensation
($)(3)(4)
   Total
($)(4)
 

Dayl W. Pearson
President and Chief Executive Officer

   2019    137,500    100,000    —      —      175,000(6)   42,133    454,633 
   2018    550,000    —      —      —      700,000   71,087    1,321,087 
   2017    550,000    —      100,000    —      700,000   87,965    1,437,965 

Name and Principal
Position
  Year   Salary(4)
($)
   Bonus
($)(5)
   Stock
Awards
($)(1)
   Option
Awards
($)
   Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(2)(4)
  All Other
Compensation
($)(3)(4)
   Total
($)(4)
 

Ted Goldthorpe President and Chief Executive Officer

   2019    —      —      —      —      —     —      —   

Edward U. Gilpin(7)
Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

   2019    102,500    75,000    —      —      83,750(6)   37,840    299,090 
   2018    410,000    —      —      —      335,000   51,578    796,578 
   2017    410,000    —      60,000    —      335,000   61,720    866,720 

R. Jon Corless
Chief Investment Officer

   2019    77,500    —      —      —      50,000(6)   32,716    160,216 
   2018    310,000    —      —      —      200,000   50,403    560,403 
   2017    310,000    —      35,000    —      200,000   57,392    602,392 

Daniel P. Gilligan
Vice President, Director of Portfolio Administration and Interim Chief Compliance Officer

   2019    73,750    40,000    —      —      40,000(6)   36,516    190,266 
   2018    295,000    —      —      —      160,000   50,886    505,886 
   2017    285,000    —      65,000    —      160,000   54,623    564,623 

(1)

Represents the grant date fair market value of restricted stock grants in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification — Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718) (January 2010) (“ASC 718”). Grant date fair value is based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant.

(2)

Represents the annual performance-based cash bonus. The annual bonuses of the named executive officers were derived based on the performance of the Company and the individual executive relative topre-established objectives for the year.

(3)

See the 2019 All Other Compensation Table below for a breakdown of these amounts, which consist of:

cash dividends on restricted stock granted, including $4,451 to Mr. Pearson, $1,929 to Mr. Gilpin, $1,723 to Mr. Corless and $2,278 to Mr. Gilligan;

amounts received pursuant to the KCAP Financial, Inc. Employee Savings and Profit Sharing Plan (the “Savings Plan”);

matching contributions received pursuant to the Savings Plan;

disability insurance premiums.

(4)

Represents the total compensation received from PTMN and its affiliates. PTMN may allocate compensation expense between PTMN and one or more of its Asset Manager Affiliates based upon expense allocation agreements.

(5)

Represents additionalone-time cash bonus received for successful completion of the Externalization.

(6)

Represents annual performance-based cash bonus prorated for the first quarter of 2019.

(7)

Mr. Gilpin remained an executive officer of PTMN after the Externalization, but ceased receiving any form of compensation from PTMN as he was no longer employed by PTMN.

The Savings Plan is a 401(k) plan, and PTMN matched an individual’s contribution up to apre-set amount according to a specific formula.

2019 All Other Compensation Table

Name  Dividends on
Restricted
Stock
($)
   Savings
Plan
($)
   401(k) Plan
($)
   Life
Insurance
Premiums
($)
   Disability
Insurance
Premiums
($)
   Total
($)
 

Dayl W. Pearson

   4,451    30,993    —      —      6,688    42,133 

Ted Goldthorpe

   —      —      —      —      —      —   

Edward U. Gilpin

   1,929   30,993   —      —      4,918    37,840 

R. Jon Corless

   1,723   30,993   —      —      —      32,716

Daniel P. Gilligan

   2,278   30,993   —      —      3,245   36,516

Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal Year 2019

The Company did not make any grants of plan-based equity awards to its named executive officers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

Chief Executive Officer Pay Ratio

As required by Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and Item 402(u) of RegulationS-K, we are providing the following information regarding the ratio of the total annual compensation for our principal executive officers to the median of the annual total compensation of all our employees (other than our principal executive officer) (the “CEO Pay Ratio”). As one of our Chief Executive Officers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Mr. Goldthorpe’s total compensation for 2019 was $0 as reflected in the Summary Compensation Table included in this proxy statement. The total compensation of our median employee, excluding our Chief Executive Officer, for 2019 was $0 due to the Externalization and PTMN having no employees as further described below. As a result, we are unable to provide a pay ratio number for 2019.

In 2017, we selected December 31, 2017 as the date used to identify our “median employee” whose annual total compensation was the median of the annual total compensation of all our employees (other than our Chief Executive Officer) for 2017. As of December 31, 2017, our employee population consisted of 24 individuals (excluding our Chief Executive Officer), all located in our New York, New York office. To identify our median employee, we compared the annual total compensation for each of our employees, as determined in accordance with the requirements of Item 402(c)(2)(x) of RegulationS-K, which included salary, bonus, restricted stock awards, employer contributions to employee accounts in our 401(k) plan, and company- paid life insurance premiums. In making this determination, we annualized the compensation of nine employees who were hired in 2017 but did not work for us the entire fiscal year. Given that we had an even number of employees (excluding our Chief Executive Officer) in the employee population for 2017, the calculation of the compensation of the median employee was the average compensation of our 12th and 13th highest paid employees. We used the same employee for our determination for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. However, for 2019 and in light of the changes in our employee population and employee compensation arrangements, we have determined there has been a significant impact on the median employee determination for 2019. Accordingly, we have not used the same median employee we identified in 2017 for purposes of calculating our CEO Pay Ratio for 2019 due to PTMN no longer employing individuals or compensating them as a result of the Externalization. During the last three months of 2019, we had no employees and therefore no median employee.

Employment Agreements

During 2019, the Company was a party to employment agreements with Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless and Gilligan prior to the Externalization. Each of Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless and Gilligan received their salary, bonus, stock awards and benefits pursuant to their employment agreements with the Company.

Employment Agreements, dated May 5, 2015, with Dayl W. Pearson, Edward U. Gilpin, R. Jon Corless and Daniel P. Gilligan

On May 5, 2015, the Company entered into employment agreements with Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless and Gilligan. The employment agreements were effective as of May 5, 2015 and superseded and replaced each executive’s previous employment agreement. The initial term of the employment agreement ended on December 31, 2015, subject to automatic extendedone-year renewals thereafter (unless either party provides prior written notice not later than 30 days’ prior to the expiration of the then current term). As of April 1, 2019, each named executive officer became an employee of BC Partners Advisors. Messrs. Pearson and Corless have since ceased to be employees of BC Partners Advisors.

Under the terms of their employment agreements, Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless and Gilligan were entitled to receive an annual base salary of $550,000, $400,000, $310,000 and $275,000, respectively, (subject to increase from time to time by the Board of Directors) and were eligible to earn annual discretionary performance-based cash bonuses with targeted amounts of $800,000, $400,000, $250,000 and $175,000, respectively, to be paid on or about January 31 of the succeeding calendar year.

Under the terms of the employment agreements, in the event of the termination of the executive’s employment for any reason, the executive was entitled to receive (i) any base salary earned but not paid through the date of termination, (ii) any accrued but unused vacation pay calculated through the date of termination, (iii) any accrued but unpaid expense reimbursements calculated through the date of termination and (iv) any benefits provided under the terms of any Company benefit plan or program.

Under the terms of each employment agreement, in the event of an executive’s termination of employment by the Company without cause (as defined in the employment agreement), by the executive for good reason (as defined in the employment agreement), or due to the executive’s death or disability, the executive will, for a 12 month “severance period” following termination (i) continue to be paid his or her annual base salary, and (ii) receive a monthly payment equal to theafter-tax amount of the executive’s monthly premium for COBRA continuation coverage under our health benefit plan. In addition, the executive will receive aone-time payment equal to the prorated amount of executive’s average annual bonus for the three calendar years preceding termination.

If the executive is terminated without cause or for good reason within 24 months following a change in control of the Company (as defined in the employment agreement), the executive will receive the above-described severance payments, except that the “severance period” will be 24 months instead of 12 months, and the executive will be fully vested in all outstanding equity and equity-based awards.

The employment agreements contained a provision for the protection of our confidential information, and provide for aone-yearnon-compete period and atwo-yearnon-solicit period following the executive’s termination of employment for any reason. In the event of a termination without cause or for good reason, the executive may request that his or herone-yearnon-compete period be shortened, and if the Company grants such request, it will have no further obligation to make the salary continuation and COBRA premium severance payments.

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2019 FiscalYear-End

There were no unvested stock awards outstanding on December 31, 2019, the last day of the Company’s fiscal year, held by each of the named executive officers then in office.

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in Fiscal Year 2019

The named executive officers in office for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 did not hold or exercise any stock options during the fiscal year. The shares of restricted stock held by such named executive officer that vested in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 are set forth in the table below. The shares set forth below vested immediately prior to closing of the Externalization on April 1, 2019.

   Stock Awards 
Name  Number of Shares
Acquired on Vesting
(#)
   Value Realized on
Vesting
($)
 

Dayl W. Pearson

   44,514    161,141 

Ted Goldthorpe

   —      —   

Edward U. Gilpin

   19,292    69,837 

R. Jon Corless

   17,232    62,380 

Daniel P. Gilligan

   22,778    82,456 

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change of Control

Change of Control Arrangements in the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan

Under the KCAP Financial Inc. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Equity Incentive Plan”), which was terminated in connection with the Externalization, in the event of a Covered Transaction (as defined below), all outstanding, unexercised options, restricted stock awards and other stock-based awards granted under the Equity Incentive Plan would have terminated and ceased to be exercisable, and all other awards to the extent not fully vested (including awards subject to conditions not yet satisfied or determined) would have been forfeited, provided that the Board could have in its sole discretion on or prior to the effective date of the Covered Transaction take any (or any combination of) the following actions, as to some or all outstanding awards:

made any outstanding option exercisable in full;

removed any performance or other conditions or restrictions on any award;

in the event of a Covered Transaction under the terms of which holders of the shares of the Company will receive upon consummation thereof a payment for each such share surrendered in the Covered Transaction (whether cash,non-cash or a combination of the foregoing), made or provided for a payment (with respect to some or all of the awards) to the participant equal in the case of each affected award to the difference between (A) the fair market value of a share of common stock times the numbers of shares subject to such outstanding award (to the extent then exercisable at prices not in excess of the fair market value) and (B) the aggregate exercise price of all shares subject to such outstanding award, in each case on such payment terms (which need not be the same as the terms of payment to holders of shares) and other terms, and subject to such conditions, as the Board determines; and

with respect to an outstanding award held by a participant who, following the Covered Transaction, would have been employed by or otherwise providing services to an entity which is a surviving or acquiring entity in the Covered Transaction or any affiliate of such an entity, at or prior to the effective time of the Covered Transaction, in its sole discretion and in lieu of the action described in the three preceding bullets, arranged to have such surviving or acquiring entity or affiliate assume any award held by such participant outstanding hereunder or grant a replacement award which, in the judgment of the Board was substantially equivalent to any award being replaced.

Under the Equity Incentive Plan, a “Covered Transaction” was considered a (i) sale of shares of the Company’s common stock, consolidation, merger, or similar transaction or series of related transactions in which the Company was not the surviving corporation or which results in the acquisition of all or substantially all of the Company’s then outstanding shares of common stock by a single person or entity or by a group of persons and/or entities acting in concert; (ii) a sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; or (iii) a dissolution or liquidation of the Company. Where a Covered Transaction involved a tender offer that was reasonably expected to be followed by a merger described in clause (i) (as determined by the Board), the Covered Transaction would have been deemed to have occurred upon consummation of the tender offer.

Termination of Employment Provisions in the Company’s Equity Incentive Plan

Unless the Board expressly provided otherwise (or except as provided for in an award agreement or employment agreement), immediately upon the cessation of employment or services of a participant in the Equity Incentive Plan in effect prior to the Externalization, all awards to the extent not already vested terminate and all awards requiring exercise ceased to be exercisable and terminate, except that:

When a participant’s employment was, or services were, terminated for Cause (as defined below), all options, vested and unvested, immediately terminated;

All vested options held by a participant immediately prior to his or her death, to the extent then exercisable, would have remained exercisable for the lesser of a period of 180 days following the participant’s death or the period ending on the latest date on which those options could have been exercised had there been no cessation of employment or services; and

In all other cases, all vested options held by a participant immediately prior to the cessation of his or her employment, to the extent then exercisable, remained exercisable for the lesser of a period of 90 days or the period ending on the latest date on which that option could have been exercised had there been no cessation of employment or services.

Under the Equity Incentive Plan, “Cause” has the same meaning as provided in the employment agreement between the participant and the Company or its affiliate, provided that if the participant is not a party to any such agreement, “Cause” meant (i) the participant’s repeated material failure to perform (other than by reason of the participant’s disability), or gross negligence in the performance of, participant’s duties and responsibilities to the Company or any of its affiliates which is not cured within thirty (30) days after written notice; (ii) participant’s material breach of any written employment agreement between participant and the Company or any of its affiliates which is not cured within thirty (30) days after written notice; (iii) commission of a felony involving moral turpitude or fraud with respect to the Company or any of its affiliates; (iv) participant being sanctioned by a federal or state government or agency with violations of federal or state securities laws in any judicial or administrative process or proceeding, or having been found by any court to have committed any such violation; or (v) participant’s failure to comply with (A) any material Company policy, including without limitation, all Company Codes of Ethics, policies, procedures and handbooks, applicable to such participant or (B) any legal or regulatory obligations or requirements of participant, including, without limitation, failure of participant to provide any certifications as may be required by law which is not cured within thirty (30) days after written notice.

The Board may have provided in the case of any award for post-termination exercise provisions different from those set forth above, including, without limitation, terms allowing a later exercise by a former employee (or, in the case of a former employee who is deceased, the person or persons to whom the award is transferred by will or the laws of descent and distribution) as to all or any portion of the award not exercisable immediately prior to termination of employment or other service, but in no case may an award be exercised after the latest date on which it could have been exercised had there been no cessation of employment or services.

In connection with the closing of the Externalization, the Company terminated the Equity Incentive Plan and will no longer make grants pursuant to the plan.

Termination of Employment Provisions in Employment Agreements

The termination provisions in effect prior to the Externalization are set forth in the discussion of the employment agreements above.

In connection with the Externalization, Messrs. Pearson, Gilpin, Corless and Gilligan were paid $500,000, $0, $310,000 and $295,000, respectively, upon the termination of each officer’s Employment Agreement and separation from PTMN. Each also vested in the following number of shares that were subject to outstanding awards: 44,514 with a value of $161,141, 19,292 with a value of $69,837, 17,232 with a value of $62,380, and 22,778 with a value of $82,456, respectively as of April 1, 2019, on which the shares vested

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

No interlocking relationship, as defined by the rules adopted by the SEC, existed during the year ended December 31, 2019 between any member of the Board or the Compensation Committee and an Executive Officer of the Company.

Director Compensation

The following table sets forth compensation of eachthe Company’s directors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (other than Mr. Pearson, who was a named executive officer and whose compensation is reflected in the Summary Compensation Table above):2022:

 

Name (Company or Companies)  Fees Earned or Paid in
Cash(1)(2)
   Total Compensation from Fund and
Complex Paid to Directors
 
  PTMN   BCPL   PTMN(4)   BCPL   Fund
Complex(5)
 

Interested Director:

          

Graeme Dell (PTMN; BCPL) (3)

   —      —      —      —     

Ted Goldthorpe (PTMN;BCPL) (3)

   —      —      —      —     

David Moffitt (PTMN) (3)

   —      —      —      —     

Independent Directors:

          

Alexander Duka (PTMN;BCPL)(3)

  $42,500   $50,000   $42,500   $50,000   $92,500 

George Grunebaum (PTMN;BCPL)(3)

  $40,000   $50,000   $40,000   $50,000   $90,000 

Michael Jacobi (PTMN)*

  $18,250    —     $24,250    —     $24,250 

Dean C. Kehler (PTMN)

  $52,250    —     $58,250    —     $58,250 

Christopher Lacovara (PTMN)

  $60,000    —     $66,000    —     $66,000 

Albert G. Pastino (PTMN)*

  $27,500    —     $33,500    —     $33,500 

C. Turney Stevens (PTMN)*

  $25,000    —     $31,000    —     $31,000 

John A. Ward III (PTMN)*

  $19,500    —     $25,500    —     $25,500 

Robert Warshauer (PTMN; BCPL) (3)

  $40,000   $50,000   $40,000   $50,000   $90,000 
       Total Compensation from Fund and
Complex Paid to Directors
 
Name  Fees Earned or Paid in
Cash(1)(2)
   Fund
Complex(3)
 

Interested Director:

    

Ted Goldthorpe

   —     

Independent Directors:

    

Alexander Duka

  $50,000   $285,000 

George Grunebaum

  $50,000   $275,500 

Robert Warshauer

  $50,000   $285,500 

 

*

Resigned April 1, 2019 in connection with the Externalization.

(1)

For a discussion of eachthe Company’s independent directors’ compensation, see below.

(2)

NeitherThe Company maintainsdoes not maintain a stock or option plan,non-equity incentive plan or pension plan for its directors.

(3)

Joined the PTMN Board on April 1, 2019.

(4)

Reflects cash payments in the amount of $6,000 paid to Messrs. Jacobi, Kehler, Lacovara, Pastino and Stevens, respectively, immediately prior to the closing of the Externalization in exchange for the cancellation of outstanding options to purchase PTMN stock under the 2008Non-Employee Director Plan.

(5)

“Fund Complex” includes PTMNBCPL, Logan Ridge Finance Corporation, Portman Ridge Finance Corporation, Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund and BCPL.Alternative Credit Income Fund.

PTMN

Current Board Fees

Effective April 1, 2019, each independent director of the Current PTMN Board is paid an annual board retainer of $70,000. In addition, the lead independent director will receive $10,000, the Chair of the Company’s Audit Committee will receive $10,000, the Chair of the Company’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will receive $5,000 and the Chair of the Company’s Compensation Committee will receive $5,000. In addition, the Company reimburses independent directors for anyout-of-pocket expenses related to their service as members of the Board of Directors. The independent directors of the Current Board do not receive any stock-based compensation for their service as members of the Board of Directors. The Company’s directors who are employed by BC Partners Advisors do not receive any compensation for their service as members of the Board of Directors.

Prior Board Fees

Prior to the Externalization, as compensation for serving on the Prior PTMN Board, each of the Independent Directors who served in such capacity in 2018 received an annual fee of $60,000 and thenon-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors received an additional annual fee of $40,000. In addition, each of the Independent Directors received $1,500 per Board meeting attended in person and $750 per Board meeting attended telephonically. Employee directors and Interested Directors did not receive compensation for serving on the Board. Independent Directors who served on Board committees received cash compensation in addition to the compensation they received for service on the Board. The chairperson of the Company’s Audit Committee received an additional $10,000 per year, the lead independent director received an additional $5,000 per year, and the chairperson of each other committee of the Board received an additional $5,000 per year and all committee members received an additional $500 for each committee meeting they attended. The Company also reimbursed its directors for their reasonableout-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board.

Pursuant to the 2017Non-Employee Director Plan, the Independent Directors and other directors who were not officers or employees of the Company(“Non-Employee Directors”) may have been issued restricted stock as a portion of their compensation for service on the Board in accordance with the terms of exemptive relief granted by the SEC in August 2008.

BCPL

For fiscal year 2020,2023, the independent directors of BCPL will receive an annual retainer fee of $50,000. No compensation was paid to directors who were interested persons of BCPL as defined in the 1940 Act. The Company does not have a standing compensation committee as the independent directors of BCPL determine compensation for directors and executive officers. The independent directors of BCPL review and determine their compensation. The independent directors review and approve the reimbursement by the Company of the allocable portion of the compensation of its chief financial officer and chief compliance officer and their respective staffs and other non-investment professionals at the Investment Adviser that perform duties for the Company.

PROPOSAL 2 — RATIFY THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG LLPDELOITTE AS THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE 20202023 FISCAL YEAR

Upon the recommendation of each respectivethe Audit Committee of the Boards, eachBoard, the Board has retained KPMGDeloitte as suchthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020,2023, subject to ratification by eachthe Company’s stockholders.

On May 9, 2019, the Audit Committee of the Board of PTMN approved the dismissal of Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) as the independent registered public accounting firm effective as of that date. The audit reports of EY on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, and they were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope or accounting principles. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 and through May 9, 2019, there were no disagreements (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of RegulationS-K and the related instructions to Item 304 of RegulationS-K) with EY on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedures which, if not resolved to the satisfaction of EY, would have caused EY to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in connection with its audit report, and there were no “reportable events” as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of RegulationS-K.

Effective May 9, 2019, the PTMN Audit Committee engaged KPMG to serve as such Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 and through May 9, 2019, neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf consulted with KPMG LLP regarding: (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s financial statements; or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a “disagreement” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of RegulationS-K and the related instructions to Item 304 of RegulationS-K) or a “reportable event” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of RegulationS-K).

It is expected that a representative of KPMGDeloitte will participate in the virtual Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement if he or she chooses and will be available to answer questions. After reviewing the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Audit Committee of the Board recommended to the Board that such statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K. A copy of the Audit Committee’s Report appears below.

Independent Auditor’s Fees

The following table presents fees for professional services rendered by KPMGDeloitte for the fiscal years ended December 31, 20192022 and 2018 in2021, respectively, for the case of BCPL and by KPMG and EY in the case of PTMN, respectively.Company.

 

   2019   2018 
  PTMN   BCPL   PTMN  BCPL 

Audit Fees

  $720,000   $187,730   $828,000  $95,000 

Audit-Related Fees

  $127,000   $—     $—    $—   

AggregateNon-Audit Fees:

       

Tax Fees

  $—     $—     $—  (1)  $—   

All Other Fees

  $—     $—     $9,000  $2,000 

Total AggregateNon-Audit Fees

  $—     $—     $9,000  $2,000 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total Fees

  $847,000   $187,730   $837,000  $97,000 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

(1)

Prior to KPMG’s appointment as independent auditor to PTMN in 2019, KPMG was engaged to provide tax services related to fiscal year 2018. Those services totaled $212,750.

   2022   2021 

Audit Fees

  $225,225   $203,105 

Audit-Related Fees

  $—     $—   

Aggregate Non-Audit Fees:

    

Tax Fees

  $—    $—  

All Other Fees

  $—    $—  

Total Aggregate Non-Audit Fees

  $—    $—  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Fees

  $225,225   $203,105 
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Audit Fees.Fees. Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of eachthe Company’syear-end financial statements and services that are normally provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory filings.

Audit-Related Fees.Fees. Audit-related services consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of eachthe Company’s financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards.

Tax Fees.Fees. Tax fees consist of fees billed for professional services for tax compliance. These services include assistance regarding federal, state and local tax compliance.

All Other Fees.Fees. All other fees would include fees for products and services other than the services reported above.

AggregateNon-Audit Fees.FeesAggregate. There were not any aggregate non-audit fees billed by KPMG and EYDeloitte to the AdvisersAdviser and theirits affiliates who provideon-going services to the CompaniesCompany during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 were $— and $—, respectively. Each2022. The Company’s Audit Committee does not consider the provision of such services to be incompatible with maintaining KPMG’sDeloitte’s independence.

Required Vote

For eachthe Company, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy is required to approve this proposal. Abstentions will not be included in determining the number of votes cast and, as a result, will have no effect on this proposal, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum. Because brokers will have discretionary authority to vote for the ratification of the selection of eachthe Company’s registered independent public accounting firm in the event that they do not receive voting instructions from the beneficial owner of shares of our common stock, there should not be any brokernon-votes with respect to this proposal.

EachThe Board unanimously recommends a vote “FOR”FOR the proposal to ratify the appointment of KPMG LLPDeloitte as the independent registered public accounting firm for the applicable Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020.2023.

Audit Committee Report

The following is the joint report of the Audit CommitteesCommittee with respect to eachthe Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.2022.

EachThe Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the respective Board. PTMN’s Audit Committee is currently composed of Messrs. Duka, Grunebaum, Lacovara and Warshauer and BCPL’s Audit Committee is currently composed of Messrs. Duka, Grunebaum and Warshauer.

Management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of eachthe Company’s consolidated financial statements and for maintaining appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles and policies and internal controls and procedures to provide for compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. The independent registered public accountant is responsible for performing an independent audit of eachthe Company’s annual financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and expressing an opinion on the conformity of those audited financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, as well as an independent audit of management’s assessment of the effectiveness of eachthe Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee’s responsibility is to monitor and oversee these processes. The Audit Committee is also directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of eachthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.

Pre-Approval Policy

EachThe Audit Committee has established apre-approval policy that describes the permitted audit, audit-related, tax and other services to be provided by eachthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. The policy requires that the Audit Committeepre-approve the audit andnon-audit services performed by the independent registered public accountant(s) in order to assure that the provision of such service does not impair the accountant’s independence.

Any requests for audit, audit-related, tax and other services that have not received generalpre-approval must be submitted to the respective Audit Committee for specificpre-approval, irrespective of the amount, and cannot commence until such approval has been granted. Normally,pre-approval is provided at regularly scheduled meetings of the Audit Committee.

Review with Management

EachThe Audit Committee has reviewed the audited consolidated financial statements and met and held discussions with management regarding the audited consolidated financial statements. Management has

represented to the Audit Committee that eachthe Company’s consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.

Review and Discussion with Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

EachThe Audit Committee has discussed with its independent registered public accounting firm, matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 1301, Communication with Audit Committees, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and such other matters as suchthe Audit Committee and its independent registered public accounting firm are required to discuss under auditing standards generally accepted in the United States. EachThe Audit Committee received and reviewed the written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accounting firm required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, Independence Discussions with Audit Committees (as amended), as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and has discussed with the firm its independence. EachThe Audit Committee has also considered the compatibility ofnon-audit services with the firm’s independence.

In 2019, each2022, the Audit Committee met with members of senior management and eachthe Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to review the certifications provided by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Accounting Officer under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”), the rules and regulations of the SEC and the overall certification process. At these meetings, eachthe Company’s officers reviewed each of the Sarbanes-Oxley certification requirements concerning internal control over financial reporting and any fraud, whether or not material, involving management or other employees with a significant role in internal control over financial reporting.

Selection of Auditors

Each of theThe Audit CommitteesCommittee also recommended the selection of KPMGDeloitte to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm of the applicable Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020,2023, subject to ratification by our stockholders. See “Proposal 2 — Ratification of Independent Public Accounting Firm.”

Conclusion

Based on eachthe Audit Committee’s discussion with management and the independent registered public accounting firm, eachthe Audit Committee’s review of the audited financial statements, the representations of management and the report of the independent registered public accounting firm to each Audit Committee, the

Audit CommitteesCommittee of eachthe Company recommended that the respective Board include the audited financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 20192022 for filing with the SEC.

Robert Warshauer, Chairman

PTMN Audit CommitteeBCPL Audit Committee
Robert Warshauer, ChairmanRobert Warshauer, Chairman
Alexander Duka, MemberAlexander Duka, Member

Alexander Duka, Member

George Grunebaum, Member

Christopher Lacovara, Member

George Grunebaum, Member

PROPOSAL 3 — ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION FOR PTMN

The Compensation Discussion and Analysis above in this proxy statement describes PTMN’s executive compensation program and the compensation decisions that the Compensation Committee and Prior PTMN Board made for the year ended December 31, 2019, prior to the Externalization, with respect to the compensation of the named executive officers of PTMN. At PTMN’s 2017 annual meeting of stockholders, PTMN stockholders indicated their preference to hold thenon-binding stockholder vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers each year. As a result of the Externalization, PTMN no longer has any employees or compensation and therefore this is the last year this proposal will be included in the proxy statement. The PTMN Board is asking shareholders to cast anon-binding, advisory vote FOR the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers for the year ended December 31, 2019 as disclosed pursuant to Item 402 of RegulationS-K, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and narrative discussion, is hereby APPROVED.”

This proposal, which is sometimes referred to as a“say-on-pay vote,” is provided as required pursuant to Section 14A of the Exchange Act.

As described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, PTMN’s executive compensation program prior to the Externalization embodied apay-for-performance philosophy that supported PTMN’s business strategy and aligned the interests of its executives with those of its stockholders, with the objective of attracting, retaining and motivating the best possible executive talent and avoiding risks that would be reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on PTMN. For these reasons, the PTMN Board is asking stockholders to support this proposal. Although the vote the PTMN Board is asking you to cast isnon-binding, the Compensation Committee and the PTMN Board value the views of stockholders.

Required Vote

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock of PTMN represented at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy is required for the approval of thenon-binding resolution in this proposal. Pursuant to applicable broker rules, brokers will not have discretionary authority to vote on this proposal and, therefore, brokernon-votes will not be included in vote totals and will not affect the outcome of the vote on this proposal, although they will be considered present for the purpose of determining the presence of a quorum. Abstentions will have the same effect as a “no” vote on the approval of the resolution in this proposal. Unless otherwise indicated, the persons named in the proxy will vote all proxies in favor of this proposal. As an advisory vote, this proposal is not binding upon PTMN. Additionally, the Compensation Committee is no longer responsible for designing and administering PTMN’s executive compensation program as a result of the Externalization, as defined under “Explanatory Note Regarding the Externalization.”

The PTMN Board unanimously recommends a vote “FOR” the advisory proposal to approve the compensation paid to PTMN’s named executive officers.

OTHER MATTERS

Stockholder Proposals Pursuant to Rule14a-8

Any stockholder proposals submitted pursuant to the SEC’s Rule14a-8 for inclusion in eitherthe Company’s proxy statement and form of proxy for the 20212023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be received by the applicable Company on or before December 30, 2020,2023, or if the date of the 20212023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders has been changed by more than 30 days from the date of the 20202022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, then the deadline is a reasonable time before eachthe Company begins to print and send its proxy materials. Such proposals must also comply with the requirements as to form and substance established by the SEC if such proposals are to be included in the proxy statement and form of proxy. Any such proposal should be mailed to: Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation, as applicable, 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Secretary. Proxies solicited by athe Company will confer discretionary voting authority with respect to these proposals, subject to SEC rules governing the exercise of this authority.

Stockholder Proposals Other than Pursuant to Rule14a-8

Stockholder proposals or director nominations for either Company to be presented at the 20212023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, other than stockholder proposals submitted pursuant to the SEC’s Rule14a-8, must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the applicable Company. For BCPL, suchSuch proposal or director nomination must be received not earlier than 150 days and not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the preceding year’s annual meeting. For the 20212024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, BCPL must receive such proposals and nominations no earlier than November 30, 202029, 2023 and no later than December 30, 2020. For PTMN, such proposal or director nomination must be received not less than 90 days prior to the date of the anniversary of the previous year’s annual meeting of stockholders. For the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders, PTMN must receive such proposals and nominations no later than March 26, 2021.29, 2023.

For BCPL, inIn the event that the date of the 20212024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is advanced or delayed by more than 30 days from the first anniversary of the date of the 20202023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a timely notice by the stockholder must be delivered no earlier than 150 days prior to the 20212024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and not later than 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on the later of (i) the 120th day prior to the 20212024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or (ii) the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the notice for the 20212024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is first made. For PTMN, in the event that the date of the 2021 Annual Meeting of stockholders is advanced by more than 30 days or delayed by more than 60 days from the first anniversary of the date of the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, notice by the stockholder in order to be timely must be so received not later than the later of the close of business 90 days prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the date of the annual meeting was made.

To be in proper written form, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary relating to any matter must comply with the other requirements contained in PTMN’s or BCPL’s bylaws, as applicable, including supporting documentation and other information and representations set forth as to each matter such stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting.

Other Business

EachThe Company’s Board does not presently intend to bring any other business before the Annual Meeting. As to any other business that may properly come before the Annual Meeting, however, proxies will be voted in respect thereof in accordance with the discretion of the proxyholders.

Whether or not you expect to participate in the virtual Annual Meeting, please follow the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to vote via the Internet or telephone, or request, sign, date and return a proxy card so that you may be represented at the Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting will be a completely virtual meeting of stockholders and will be conducted exclusively by webcast. To participate in the Annual Meeting, visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020 if you are a PTMN stockholder and/or www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020 if you are a BCPL stockholderBCPLPR2023 and in each case, enter the16-digit control number included in your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, on the proxy card you received, or in the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials. Onlinecheck-in will begin at 8:11:45 a.m., Eastern Time.

Please allow time for onlinecheck-in procedures. For questions regarding the virtual Annual Meeting and voting, please contact us by calling us collect at (212)891-2880 bye-mail to PTMN at info@portmanridge.com, or by writing to Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation as applicable, at 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Secretary.

Delivery of Proxy Materials

Please note that only one copy of the 2020 joint2023 proxy statement, the applicable 20192022 Annual Report on Form10-K or Notice of Annual Meeting may be delivered to two or more stockholders of record of PTMN and/or BCPL who share an address unless we have received contrary instructions from one or more of such stockholders.

We will deliver promptly, upon written or oral request, a separate copy of any of these documents to stockholders of record of PTMN and/or BCPL at a shared address to which a single copy of such document(s) was delivered. Stockholders who wish to receive a separate copy of any of these documents, or to receive a single copy of such documents if multiple copies were delivered, now or in the future, should submit their request by calling us collect at (212)891-2880 or by writing to Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation, as applicable, at 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Secretary.

Available Information

EachThe Company files periodic reports, current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. This information is available at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20549 and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The public may obtain information on the operation of the SEC’s public reference room by calling the SEC at (202)551-8090. This information, including eachthe Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form10-K, is also available free of charge by calling us collect at (212)891-2880 bye-mail to PTMN at info@portmanridge.com, or by writing to Portman Ridge Finance Corporation or BC Partners Lending Corporation, as applicable, at 650 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10022, Attention: Secretary, or in the case of PTMN, on its website at www.PortmanRidge.com.Secretary. The information on these websites is not incorporated by reference into this proxy statement.

LOGOAppendix 1

*** Exercise Your RightBC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER

The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of BC Partners Lending Corporation (the “Company”) has adopted this charter (the “Charter”) to Vote *** Important Notice Regardinggovern the Availabilityactivities of Proxy Materialsthe Audit Committee (“Audit Committee”) of the Board.

1.

Purpose of the Audit Committee

The primary function of the Audit Committee is to serve as an independent and objective party to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities for the Shareholder Meeting to Be Held on June 24, 2020. PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORPORATION Meeting Information Meeting Type: Annual Meeting For holders as of: April 27, 2020 Date: June 24, 2020 Time: 9:00 AM, EDT Location: Meeting live viaCompany’s accounting and reporting processes and the Internet - please visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020. The this year. company audits of its financial statements by overseeing and monitoring:

a.

the quality and integrity of financial reports and other financial information provided by the Company to governmental bodies or the public and the independent audit thereof;

b.

the Company’s system of internal controls regarding finance, accounting (including valuation policies) and regulatory compliance;

c.

the material aspects of the Company’s accounting and financial reporting process generally;

d.

the independence, qualifications and performance of the Company’s independent accountants (the “Independent Accountants”);

e.

compliance by the Company with legal and regulatory requirements; and

f.

the report required by Item 407(d)(3)(i) of Regulation S-K Regulation S-K (“Regulation S-K”), to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement.

2.

Audit Committee Membership and Qualifications:

a.

The Audit Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members appointed by the Board. Each Audit Committee member shall serve until a successor is appointed.

b.

No member of the Audit Committee shall be an “interested person” of the Company, as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, nor shall any member receive any compensation from the Company except compensation for service as a member of the Board or a committee of the Board. Each member must otherwise be “independent” under the rules adopted under Section 301 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and must be free from any material relationship that would, in the opinion of the Board, interfere with the exercise of his or her judgment as a member of the Audit Committee.

c.

Each member of the Audit Committee must be “financially literate” (or shall become so within a reasonable time after appointment to the Audit Committee), have a basic understanding of finance and accounting practices and be able to read and understand financial statements. Although the Company does not currently have any securities listed on a national securities exchange, if and when the Company does list any of its securities on a national securities exchange, the members of the Committee shall meet the requirements of such national securities exchange, including that one member must have “accounting or related financial management expertise,” as determined by the Board in its business judgment.

d.

The Board also must annually determine whether one or more members of the Audit Committee is an “audit committee financial expert” (“ACFE”), within the meaning of the rules adopted and implemented by the SEC under Section 407 of the 2002 Act and as defined in Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K, and whether such ACFE is “independent.” For purposes of this finding only, in order to be considered “independent,” any such ACFE may not, other than in his capacity as a member of the Audit Committee, the Board or any other Board committee, accept directly or


indirectly any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the Company. If the Board has determined that a member of the Audit Committee is an ACFE, it may presume that such member has accounting or related financial management expertise. Notwithstanding any designation as an ACFE, each member of the Audit Committee is expected to contribute significantly to the work of the Audit Committee. Designation as an ACFE will not increase the duties, obligations or liability of the designee beyond the duties, obligations and liability otherwise imposed on the designee as a member of the Audit Committee of the Board.

3.

Role and Responsibilities of the Audit Committee:

a.

The function of the Audit Committee is oversight; it is the responsibility of the Company’s management to maintain appropriate systems for accounting and internal control over financial reporting and the Independent Accountants’ responsibility to plan and carry out a proper audit. Specifically, the Company’s management is responsible for (i) preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements, (ii) maintenance of appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles and policies and (iii) maintenance of internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. The Independent Accountants are responsible for planning and carrying out audits consistent with applicable legal and professional standards and the terms of their engagement letter.

b.

Although the Audit Committee is expected to take a detached and questioning approach to the matters that come before it, the review of the Company’s financial statements by the Committee is not an audit, nor does the Committee’s review substitute for the responsibilities of the Company’s management for preparing, or the Independent Accountants for auditing, the financial statements. In fulfilling their responsibilities hereunder, it is recognized that members of the Audit Committee are not employees of the Company and are not, and do not represent themselves to be, accountants or auditors by profession. As such, it is not the duty or responsibility of the Audit Committee or its members to conduct “field work” or other types of auditing or accounting reviews or procedures.

c.

Each member of the Audit Committee shall be entitled to rely on the (i) integrity of those persons and organizations within and outside the Company from which he or she receives information and (ii) accuracy of the financial and other information provided to the Committee by such persons and organizations absent actual knowledge to the contrary (which shall be promptly reported to the Board). In addition, the evaluation of the Company’s financial statements by the Audit Committee is not of the same scope as, and does not involve the extent of detail as, audits performed by the Independent Accountants, nor does the Audit Committee’s evaluation substitute for the responsibilities of the Company’s management for preparing, or the Independent Accountants for auditing, the financial statements.

4.

Duties and Powers of the Audit Committee

To attend will becarry out its purpose, the hosting meeting the meeting via the Internet live via the please Internet visit www.Audit Committee shall have the virtualshareholdermeeting. information that is printed com/PTMN2020following duties and powers:

a.

to have direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the Company’s Independent Accountants and, in connection therewith, to review and evaluate matters potentially affecting the independence and capabilities of the auditors;

b.

to at least annually, obtain and review a report by the Independent Accountants describing: (i) the independent auditing firm’s internal quality-control procedures; (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years, respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm, and any steps taken to deal with any such issues; and (iii) (to assess the Independent Accountants’ independence) all relationships between the Independent Accountants and the Company and addressing at least the matters set forth in the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s (“PCAOB”) Rule No. 3526; and to evaluate the Independent Accountants’ qualifications, performance and independence, including


the review and evaluation of the lead partner of the Independent Accountants, taking into account the opinions of Company management and the internal auditors; and to further consider whether, in order to assure continuing auditor independence, there should be regular rotation of the lead audit partner or the audit firm itself, and to present conclusions of the review to the Board;

c.

to meet with the Company’s Independent Accountants, including separate meetings as necessary, to: (i) review the arrangements for and scope of the annual audit and any special audits; (ii) review with the Independent Accountants any difficulties the auditors encountered in the course of the audit work, including any restrictions on their activities or access to requested information and any significant disagreements with Company management; (iii) review all critical accounting policies and practices applied by the Company in preparing its financial statements; (iv) discuss any accounting adjustments noted or proposed by the Independent Accountants that were “passed” as immaterial or otherwise; (v) any communications between the audit team and the independent auditing firm’s national office respecting auditing or accounting issues presented by the engagement; (vi) review any material written communications between the Independent Accountants and the Company, including any “management” or “internal control” letter issued, or proposed to be issued, by the Independent Accountants to the Company, report or recommendation on internal controls, schedule of unadjusted differences, engagement letter and independence letter; (vii) review the responsibilities, budget and staffing of the internal audit function and (viii) review the form of report the Independent Accountants propose to render to the Board and Company shareholders;

d.

to review (i) major issues regarding accounting principles and financial statement presentations, including any significant changes in the Company’s selection or application of accounting principles, and major issues as to the adequacy of the Company’s internal controls and any special audit steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies; (ii) analyses prepared by Company management and/or the Independent Accountants setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the financial statements, including analyses of the effect of alternative generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) methods on financial statements; and (iii) the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives, as well as off-balance sheet structures, on the financial statements of the Company;

e.

to obtain from the Independent Accountants assurance that Section 10A(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), has not been implicated;

f.

to review and discuss with the Independent Accountants any other matters required to be discussed by PCAOB Auditing Standards No. 16, Communications with Audit Committees;

g.

to review all potential conflict-of-interest situations arising in respect of the Company’s affairs and involving the Company’s affiliates or employees, including all transactions with related persons;

h.

to (i) review and pre-approve (including associated fees) all audit and other services, subject to the de minimis exceptions under Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act, to be provided by the Independent Accountants to the Company and (ii) establish, to the extent permitted by law and deemed appropriate by the Audit Committee, detailed pre-approval policies and procedures for such services;

i.

to review and consider whether the Independent Accountants’ provision of any non-audit services to the Company not pre-approved by the Audit Committee are compatible with maintaining the independence of the Independent Accountants;

j.

to review and discuss: (i) the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s system of internal controls, (ii) the annual audited financial statements with management and the Independent Accountants, including management’s discussion of Company performance; (iii) the semi-annual financial statements, including management’s discussion of Company performance, if any, with management and the Independent Accountants; and (iv) the type and presentation of information to be included in any earnings press releases (paying particular attention to any use of “pro forma” or “adjusted” non-GAAP information); including any financial information and earnings guidance


provided to analysts and rating agencies (which discussions may be general in nature, such as the types of information to be disclosed and the type of presentation to be made), provided that each earnings release or guidance need not be discussed in advance;

k.

to set clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the Independent Accountants, if and to the extent a Company intends to have employees;

l.

to establish procedures for the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received by the Company relating to accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company or BC Partners Advisors L.P., the Company’s investment adviser, the administrator, or any other provider of accounting related services for the Company, of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters pertaining to the Company, as outlined further in Exhibit A;

m.

to periodically meet separately with the Company’s management, with internal auditors (or other personnel responsible for the internal audit function) and with the Independent Accountants;

n.

to discuss policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management, including guidelines and policies governing the process by which senior management of the Company assesses and manages the Company’s exposure to risk and to discuss the Company’s major financial risk exposures and assess the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures;

o.

to review the Independent Accountants’ disclosure relating to the Company’s internal controls, and disclosures made to the Committee by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer during their certification process for the Form 10-K and Form 10-Q about any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting or material weaknesses therein and any fraud, whether or not material, involving management or other employees with a significant role in such internal controls;

p.

to report its activities regularly to the Board, including any issues that arise with respect to (i) the quality or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, (ii) the Company’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, or (iii) the performance and independence of the Independent Accountants (including the Audit Committee’s conclusions with respect to 4(b) above) and to make such recommendations with respect to the above and other matters as the Audit Committee may deem necessary or appropriate;

q.

to prepare and review with the Board an annual performance evaluation of the Audit Committee, conducted in such manner as the Committee deems appropriate, which evaluation must compare the performance of the Audit Committee with the requirements of this Charter;

r.

to perform such other functions and to have such powers as may be necessary or appropriate in the efficient and lawful discharge of the powers provided in this Charter;

s.

to review the form of opinion the Independent Accountants propose to render to the Board and the Committee and stockholders;

t.

to review the disclosure under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” to be included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K or quarterly report on Form 10-Q before the Form 10-K or Form 10-Q is filed;

u.

to recommend to the Board whether to include the audited financial statements in the Company’s Form 10-K;

v.

to issue for public disclosure by the Committee the report required by the SEC to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement; and

w.

to engage independent counsel and other advisers, as it determines necessary, to carry out its duties.

The Company shall provide appropriate funding, as determined by the box marked andAudit Committee, for payment of compensation to (a) the Independent Accountants for preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company or (b) any advisers employed by be the sure arrow to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX (located on the following page). PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORPORATION ATTN: SECRETARY 650 MADISON AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10022 You are receiving this communication because you hold shares in the company named above. This is not a ballot. You cannot use this notice to vote these shares. This communication presents only an overview of the more complete proxy materials that are available to you on the Internet. You may view the proxy materials online at www.proxyvote.com or easily request a paper copy (see reverse side). We encourage you to access and review all of the important information contained in the proxy materials before voting. D16643-P40987


LOGOAudit Committee. The Company shall also provide appropriate funding for ordinary administrative expenses of the Audit Committee that are necessary and appropriate in carrying out its duties.

Before You Vote How

5.

Meetings of the Audit Committee

a.

The Audit Committee shall meet at least four (4) times each year, and is empowered to hold special meetings, as circumstances require. The Audit Committee may request that non-members attend a meeting of the Audit Committee or meet with any members of, or consultants to, the Audit Committee. Members of the Audit Committee may participate in a meeting of the Audit Committee by means of conference call, or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and may act by written consent to the extent permitted by the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Company’s bylaws. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Committee may also be taken without a meeting if all members of the Committee consent thereto in writing. The Committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and records of decisions taken without a meeting and cause them to be recorded in the Company’s minute book.

b.

A majority, but not less than two (2), of the members of the Committee shall be present at any meeting of the Committee in order to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at such meeting, and the act of a majority present shall be the act of the Committee.

6.

Review of Charter

At least annually, the Audit Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter and evaluate the performance of the Committee and report the results thereof to Access the Proxy Materials Proxy Materials AvailableBoard.

7.

Delegation of Duties and Responsibilities

The Audit Committee, in its discretion, may delegate all or a portion of its duties and responsibilities to VIEWa subcommittee of the Audit Committee, including the authority to pre-approve any audit or RECEIVE: NOTICE AND PROXY STATEMENT ANNUAL REPORT Have Hownon-audit services to be performed by the Independent Accountants, provided any such approvals are presented to View information Online: that is printedthe Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

8.

Responsibilities for Assisting in Valuation of the Company’s Assets

To assist in the box marked by the arrow (located on the following page) and visit: www.proxyvote.com. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX If How you to want Request to receive and a Receive paper or a e- PAPER mail copy or of Ethese -MAIL documents, Copy: you must request one. There is NO charge for requesting a copy. Please choose onevaluation of the following methodsCompany’s assets, the Audit Committee shall:

a.

Establish guidelines regarding the valuation of the Company’s portfolio investments;

b.

Make recommendations to the Board regarding the fair value of the Company’s portfolio investments in accordance with the valuation policies and procedures adopted by the Board, as amended from time to time;

c.

Review and consider valuation information compiled by the Company’s investment adviser, as well as the fair value recommendations of the Company’s investment adviser, in making valuation recommendations to the Board; and

d.

Review and consider the fair value recommendations of independent valuation firms, if any, engaged by the Audit Committee or the Board, in making valuation recommendations to the Board.

9.

Disclosure of Charter

Pursuant to make your request: 1) BY INTERNET: www.proxyvote.com 2) BY TELEPHONE: 1-800-579-1639 3) BY E-MAIL*: sendmaterial@proxyvote.com by * IfItem 407 of Regulation S-K, this Charter will be included as an appendix to the requesting arrow materials by e-mail, please send (located a blank on the e-mail following with the page) information in the subject that is line printed . in the box marked XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Requests, instructions and other inquiries sent to this e-mail address will NOT be forwarded to your investment advisor. Please make the request as instructed above onCompany’s annual proxy statement at least one every three years, or before June 10, 2020 to facilitate timely delivery. How To Vote Please Choose One of the Following Voting Methods Vote By Internet: BeforeGo The to Meeting: www.proxyvote .com. Have the information that is printed in the box marked by the arrow (located XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on the following page) available and follow the instructions. DuringGo The to Meeting: www.virtualshareholdermeeting .com/PTMN2020. Have the information that is printed in the box marked by the arrow XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX (located on the following page) available and follow the instructions. Vote By Mail: You can vote by mail by requesting a paper copy of the materials, which will include a proxy card. D16643-P40987sooner if materially amended.


LOGOEXHIBIT A

VOTING ITEMS WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY

The Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) of the Board of Directors recommends you voteof BC Partners Lending Corporation, a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) has established the following procedures for the receipt, retention, investigation and treatment of complaints and concerns regarding accounting, internal controls, auditing and other legal and regulatory matters.

I.

SCOPE OF MATTERS COVERED BY THE POLICY

A.

The procedures set forth in this policy relate to complaints and concerns of employees (including employees of BC Partners Advisors L.P., the Company’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), or of its affiliates who provide services for or on behalf of the Company) and other interested parties, including stockholders (each referred to in this policy as a “Complainant”), of the Company and its subsidiaries (“Reports”) regarding:

1.

questionable accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters (an “Accounting Allegation”), including, without limitation:

a)

fraud or deliberate error in the preparation, review or audit of financial statements of the Company;

b)

fraud or deliberate error in the recording and maintaining of the Company’s financial records;

c)

deficiencies in, or non-compliance with, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

d)

misrepresentation or false statements regarding a matter contained in the Company’s financial records, financial statements, audit reports or any filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including periodic or current reports);

e)

material deviation from full and fair reporting of the Company’s financial condition and results;

f)

substantial variation in the Company’s financial reporting methodology from prior practice or from generally accepted accounting principles;

g)

issues affecting the independence of the Company’s accounting firm; and

h)

falsification, concealment or inappropriate destruction of corporate or financial records;

2.

potential material non-compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements (including the applicable requirements under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; Anti-Money Laundering laws and rules; and FINRA Rules), the Company’s Code of Ethics (a “Legal Allegation”); and

3.

alleged retaliation against employees (including employees of the Adviser or of its affiliates who provide services for or on behalf of the Company) and other persons who make, in good faith, Accounting Allegations or Legal Allegations (a “Retaliatory Act”).

B.

In the discretion of the Audit Committee, responsibilities of the Audit Committee created by these procedures may be delegated to the chairperson of the Audit Committee or to a subcommittee of the Audit Committee.

C.

Reports of Accounting Allegations, Legal Allegations or Retaliatory Acts may be made under this Policy with respect to the Company or with respect to the Adviser in its capacity as the Company’s external adviser.


II.

PROCEDURES FOR MAKING COMPLAINTS

A.

In addition to any other avenue available, any employee of the Adviser, the Company or any subsidiary of the Company may, in his or her sole discretion, report to the Audit Committee, the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer, or other members of management designated by the Audit Committee or the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer, openly, confidentially or anonymously, any Accounting Allegation, Legal Allegation or Retaliatory Act:

1.

in writing, as applicable, to BC Partners Lending Corporation., 650 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, to the attention of the Chief Compliance Officer, the Audit Committee or such other designated member of management; or

2.

by calling the confidential whistleblowing hotline (“SpeakUp”), which is operated 24/7 by a company called InTouch, using the below details:

If calling from UK and Guernsey – 0808 1005689

If calling from the United States 1 866-516-3413

Access Code 22787

B.

Any other interested party may report to the Audit Committee or the Chief Compliance Officer any Accounting Allegation, Legal Allegation or Retaliatory Act, as set forth in Article II.A.1 above. Any such Report must be accompanied by the name of the person submitting the Report.

C.

The Reports should be factual rather than speculative or conclusory, and should contain as much specific information as possible to allow for proper assessment. In addition, all Reports should contain sufficient corroborating information to support the commencement of an investigation, including, for example, the names of individuals suspected of violations, the relevant facts of the violations, how the Complainant became aware of the violations, any steps previously taken by the Complainant, who may be harmed or affected by the violations, and, to the extent possible, an estimate of the misreporting or losses to the Company as a result of the violations.

D.

The telephone hotline is managed by an outside, independent service provider and allows officers and employees of the Adviser, the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to make a Report. Employees of the Company, the Adviser or the Company’s subsidiaries are able to submit a Report on an anonymous and confidential basis and are therefore not required to divulge their names.

E.

The telephone hotline will explain to each caller procedures for following up on the Report (including the caller’s providing additional information at a later date).

III.

TREATMENT OF REPORTS RECEIVED BY THE CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER

A.

The Chief Compliance Officer should, upon receipt of a Report and when possible and appropriate, acknowledge receipt to the Complainant who submitted it.

B.

All Reports sent to the Chief Compliance Officer must promptly undergo an initial review, and the Chief Compliance Officer must:

1.

promptly forward to the Audit Committee any Report involving the Company’s or the Adviser’s senior officials or having an actual or potential misreporting or loss to the Company that could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s reputation or financial statements; and

2.

promptly determine whether to commence an investigation of all other Reports:

a)

The Chief Compliance Officer may, in his reasonable discretion, determine not to commence an investigation if the Report contains only unspecified or broad allegations of wrongdoing without appropriate informational support or if the Report is not credible. This decision and the reasons for it shall be reported to the Audit Committee at its next ordinary meeting and shall, to the extent appropriate, be made known to the Complainant who submitted the Report. The Audit Committee may, however, not accept this decision, in which case it will determine whether the Audit Committee, the Chief Compliance Officer or such other


individual as the Audit Committee may designate will investigate the Report, taking into account the factors described in Article IV.B.2. below; and

b)

If the Chief Compliance Officer determines that an investigation must be conducted, the Chief Compliance Officer or, at the Chief Compliance Officer’s discretion, another appropriate individual designated by the Chief Compliance Officer, will promptly commence the investigation. The Chief Compliance Officer or another designee of the Audit Committee shall also promptly investigate other Reports as requested in writing by the Audit Committee. The Chief Compliance Officer or any designee of the Chief Compliance Officer or the Audit Committee shall report the findings of the investigations conducted pursuant to this Article to the Audit Committee in accordance with Article III.D below.

C.

The Chief Compliance Officer or any other individual designated to perform an investigation pursuant to this Policy may consult with any member of management of the Company or the Adviser who is not the subject of the Accounting Allegation, Legal Allegation or Retaliatory Act included in the Report and who may have appropriate expertise to provide assistance in connection with the investigation of the Report. The Chief Compliance Officer and any other individual designated to perform an investigation pursuant to this Policy may also engage independent accountants, counsel or other experts to assist in the investigation of Reports and analysis of results, if necessary or appropriate.

D.

The Chief Compliance Officer or any other person conducting an investigation pursuant to this Policy may, to the extent deemed appropriate by such investigator and agreed by the Adviser, use the internal audit, investigative, legal or other resources of the Adviser in carrying out such investigation.

E.

The Chief Compliance Officer or, if applicable, any other individual designated to perform an investigation pursuant to this Policy shall, at each regular meeting of the Audit Committee, present a summary of all the Reports received by, or forwarded to, them (including those Reports that they decided not to investigate) and all the material developments, findings and conclusions of investigations since the previous meeting. The Audit Committee may or may not accept such findings and conclusions. The Chief Compliance Officer and such designated individuals shall provide such additional information regarding any Report or investigation as may be requested by the Audit Committee.

IV.

TREATMENT OF REPORTS RECEIVED BY, OR FORWARDED TO, THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

A.

The Audit Committee should, upon receipt of a Report directly from a Complainant and when possible and appropriate, acknowledge, or direct the Chief Compliance Officer or another appropriate individual to acknowledge, receipt of the Report to the Complainant who submitted it.

B.

All Reports received directly by the Audit Committee or pursuant to Article III.B.1. above must promptly undergo a review by the Audit Committee:

1.

The Audit Committee may, in its reasonable discretion, determine not to commence an investigation if a Report contains only unspecified or broad allegations of wrongdoing without appropriate informational support or the Report is not credible. This decision shall, to the extent appropriate, be made known to the Complainant who submitted the Report.

2.

If the Audit Committee determines that an investigation should be conducted, the Audit Committee shall determine whether the Audit Committee, the Chief Compliance Officer or another individual designated by the Audit Committee should investigate the Report, taking into account, among other factors that are appropriate under the circumstances, the following:

a)

Who is the alleged wrongdoer? If an executive officer, senior financial officer or other high management official is alleged to have engaged in wrongdoing, that factor alone may militate in favor of the Audit Committee conducting the investigation.


b)

How material is the misreporting or loss? The more material the misreporting or loss to the Company, the more appropriate it may be that the Audit Committee should conduct the investigation.

c)

How serious is the alleged wrongdoing? The more serious the alleged wrongdoing, the more appropriate that the Audit Committee should undertake the investigation. If the alleged wrongdoing would constitute a crime involving the integrity of the financial statements of the Company or would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s reputation or financial statements, that factor alone may militate in favor of the Audit Committee conducting the investigation.

d)

How credible is the allegation of wrongdoing? The more credible the allegation, the more appropriate that the Audit Committee should undertake the investigation. In assessing credibility, the Audit Committee should consider all facts surrounding the allegation, including, but not limited to, whether similar allegations have been made in the press or by analysts.

C.

If the Audit Committee determines that the Chief Compliance Officer or another designee of the Audit Committee should investigate the Report, the Audit Committee will notify such person of that conclusion. The Chief Compliance Officer or such designee shall thereafter promptly investigate the Report and shall report the results of the investigation to the Audit Committee in accordance with Article III.D. In the other cases, the Audit Committee shall promptly investigate the Report. In any event, the Chief Compliance Officer or his designee shall participate in such investigation unless the Audit Committee in specific cases determines otherwise based on the nature or subject matter of the Report.

D.

The Audit Committee may consult with any member of management of the Company or the Adviser who is not the subject of the Accounting Allegation, Legal Allegation or Retaliatory Act included in the Report and who may have appropriate expertise to provide assistance. The Audit Committee may also engage independent accountants, counsel or other experts to assist in the investigation of Reports and analysis of results.

E.

The Audit Committee may, to the extent deemed appropriate by the Audit Committee and agreed by the Adviser, use the internal audit, investigative, legal or other resources of the Adviser in carrying out any investigation under this Policy.

V.

RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION

A.

Upon completion of the investigation of a Report:

1.

the Audit Committee or the Chief Compliance Officer, as the case may be, will take such prompt and appropriate corrective action, if any, as in its/his/her judgment is deemed warranted; and

2.

the telephone hotline service provider, the Audit Committee or the Chief Compliance Officer (or a designee of the Chief Compliance Officer), as the case may be, will contact, to the extent appropriate, each Complainant who files a Report to inform him or her of the results of the investigation and what, if any, corrective action was taken.

B.

Where alleged facts disclosed pursuant to this Policy are not substantiated, the conclusions of the investigation shall, to the extent appropriate, be made known to the Complainant who made the Report.

C.

No action will be taken against any Complainant who makes a Report in good faith, even if the facts alleged are not confirmed by subsequent investigation.

VI.

EMPLOYEES AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES

Employees of the following nominees: 1. To elect as directors two nominees, each for a term of three years: Nominees: 01) Graeme Dell 02) Robert Warshauer The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 2 and 3. 2. To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accountant ofAdviser, the Company foror the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. 3. To approve,Company’s subsidiaries, as applicable, may, in anon-binding vote, the compensation paidtheir discretion, report to the Company’s named executive officers forAudit Committee or the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019. NOTE: In their discretion,Chief Compliance Officer, openly, confidentially or anonymously, an Accounting Allegation, Legal Allegation or Retaliatory Act in the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting. D16643-P40987manner set forth in


LOGOArticles II.A. and II.C. Interested parties may report to the Audit Committee or the Chief Compliance Officer an Accounting Allegation, Legal Allegation or Retaliatory Act in the manner set forth in Articles II.B. and II.C.

D16645-P40987

VII.

PROTECTION OF WHISTLEBLOWERS

A.

Neither the Company, the Audit Committee nor any director, officer, employee, contractor, subcontractor or agent of the Company will discharge, demote, suspend, threaten, harass, directly or indirectly, or in any other manner discriminate or retaliate, against any person who, in good faith, makes a Report or otherwise assists the Audit Committee, management or any other person or group, including any governmental, regulatory or law enforcement body, in investigating a Report in accordance with Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 . These prohibitions also apply to the Company’s subsidiaries and affiliates whose financial information is included in the consolidated financial statements of the Company. The Adviser will be subject to the prohibitions set forth this Article VII.A with respect to any of its officers or employees who, in good faith, make a Report or otherwise assist the Audit Committee, management or any other person or group, including any governmental, regulatory or law enforcement body, in investigating a Report.

B.

Unless necessary to conduct an adequate investigation or compelled by judicial or other legal process, neither the Company, the Audit Committee nor any director, officer or employee of the Company shall (i) reveal the identity of any person who makes a Report and asks that his or her identity remain confidential or (ii) make any effort, or tolerate any effort made by any other person or group, to ascertain the identity of any person who makes a Report anonymously.

VIII.

PROVISION OF NOTICE TO ACCOUNTING SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY

The Chief Compliance Officer shall provide a copy of these procedures to each Accounting Service Provider and shall direct Accounting Service Providers to provide a copy of such procedures to the employees of the service provider.

IX.

RECORDS

The Company shall maintain a log of all records relating to any Reports of Accounting Allegation, or Legal Allegation or Retaliatory Act, tracking their receipt, investigation and resolution and the response to the person making the Report. The Company shall retain copies of the reports and the log for a period of seven years, unless notified by the Chief Compliance Officer of an extended retention period; provided that the Company will delete any Report and additional information held by the Company in relation to the Report, solely with the consent of the Chief Compliance Officer, upon it ceasing to be required for the purposes for which it was obtained, created or retained, including conducting an investigation and complying with any applicable laws, regulations or rules.


LOGOAppendix 2

VOTE BY INTERNET Before BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION

NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER

The Meeting - GoBoard of Directors (the “Board”) of BC Partners Lending Corporation (the “Company”) has adopted this charter (the “Charter”) to www.proxyvote.com Usegovern the Internetactivities of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board.

1.

Purpose of the Committee

The primary function of the Committee is to transmit your voting instructionsassist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities related to:

a.

identifying individuals qualified to become members of the Board;

b.

selecting or recommending to the Board the director nominees for each annual meeting of shareholders;

c.

developing and recommending to the Board a set of corporate governance principles applicable to the Company;

d.

overseeing the evaluation of the Board, its committees and management; and

e.

recommending to the Board the compensation to be paid to the independent directors of the Board (the “Independent Directors”).

2.

Committee Membership

The Committee shall be composed of at least three (3) Independent Directors and for electronic PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE delivery of information up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the CORPORATION ATTN: SECRETARY 650 MADISON cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you AVENUE NEW YORK, access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and NY 10022 to create an electronic voting instruction form. During The Meeting - Go to www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020 You may attend the meeting via the Internet and vote during the meeting. Have the information that is printed in the box markedshall be appointed by the arrow availableBoard. The Board shall designate the Chairperson of the Committee. No member of the Committee shall be an “interested person” of the Company, as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Each Committee member shall serve until a successor is appointed.

3.

Duties and Powers of the Committee

To carry out its purpose, the Committee shall have the following duties and followpowers:

a.

Selection and Nomination of Directors. From time to time, the Committee shall evaluate the size and composition of the Board, and formulate policies and objectives concerning the desired mix of director skills and characteristics. In doing so, the Committee shall take into account all factors it considers relevant, which may include, without limitation, such criteria as set forth in Section 3 of Appendix A.

b.

Selection and Nomination of Committee Members. The Committee shall nominate persons for appointment as members of each standing committee of the Board, and shall nominate persons for appointment as chairman of each such committee. Members of the Committee and other standing committees shall be appointed by the Board. An individual may be nominated to serve on more than one committee of the Board.

c.

Board Evaluation. The Committee shall review and evaluate at least annually the size and composition of the Board and the effectiveness of the Board and its governance practices and procedures in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act. Such review may include a consideration of the effectiveness of the committee structure of the Board and the number of other public companies on whose boards each Director serves. The Committee shall report the findings of its assessment to the Board.


The Committee will consider possible conflicts of interests involving Directors and shall review the instructions. VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903 Useinstitutional and other affiliations of Directors for any touch-tone telephonepotential conflict of interest problems, including making recommendations to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day beforeBoard with respect to the cut-off datedetermination of Director independence. As necessary, the Committee shall review memoranda prepared by legal counsel relating to positions, transactions and relationships that could reasonably bear on the independence of Directors or raise concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest.

d.

Director Evaluation. The Committee shall review annually the skills, experiences (such as current business experience or other such current involvement in public service, academia or scientific communities), particular areas of expertise, particular backgrounds, and other characteristics that help ensure the effectiveness of the Board and Board committees. These considerations should (i) any particular needs of the Company and may be adjusted as these Company characteristics evolve; (ii) skills or other attributes, which may not be represented on the Board that would be useful to the Board as it fulfills its duties; and (iii) reflect each individual’s contributions, the availability of director candidates, and the Company’s needs.

The Committee shall not recommend the continued service of any Director who is older than 75 years of age at the time the Committee reports its findings to the Board.

e.

Committee Evaluation. The Committee shall review and evaluate at least annually (i) this Charter; (ii) the size and composition of each committee; (iii) committee chair assignments; and (iv) the effectiveness of each committee, whether there is a need for each committee, whether there is a need for additional committees, and whether committees should be combined or reorganized. The Committee shall report the findings of its assessment to the Board.

f.

Compensation. The Committee shall review and evaluate at least annually the compensation payable to the Independent Directors. The Committee shall make any necessary recommendations to the Board. The Committee shall review and evaluate at least annually the compensation payable to the Independent Directors. The Committee shall make any necessary recommendations to the Board.

g.

Additional Responsibilities. The Committee shall have such further responsibilities as are given to it from time to time by the Board and may perform such other activities consistent with this Charter as deemed appropriate by the Board or the Committee.

4.

Procedures for Nomination of Independent Directors

After a determination by the Committee that a person should be nominated as an Independent Director, or as soon as practical after a vacancy occurs or it appears that a vacancy is about to occur for an Independent Director position on the Board, the Committee shall nominate a person for appointment by a majority of the Board’s Independent Directors to add to the Board or to fill the vacancy.

The Committee’s policy regarding its procedures for considering candidates for the Board, including any recommended by shareholders, is attached hereto as Appendix A, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

5.

Meetings of the Committee

The Committee shall meet with such frequency, and at such times, as determined by the Committee Chairperson or a majority of the Committee members. The Committee may meet separately or in conjunction with meetings of the full Board or other committees. Meetings of the Committee may be held in person or by other means as permitted by the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Company’s bylaws. The Committee may request any officer or employee of the Company or the Company’s outside counsel or independent accountants to attend a meeting date. Have your proxy cardof the Committee or to meet with any members of, or consultants to, the Committee. The presence of a majority of the Committee members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for any meeting and a vote of the majority of the members present at a meeting in hand when you call and then followwhich a quorum is present shall be required in order for the instructions. VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have providedCommittee to take action. The Chairperson, or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: D16637-P40987 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY DATED.his designee, will cause notice of each meeting, together


LOGO

PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORPORATION For All Withhold All For All nominee(s), To withhold authority mark “Forwith the agenda and any related materials, to vote All Except” for any and individual write The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR all below the number(s) .be sent to each member in advance of the nominee(s) onmeeting. The Committee may invite BC Partners Advisors L.P., the lineCompany’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), counsel to the Company, and representatives of service providers to attend meetings and provide such information to the Committee as it considers appropriate. The Committee may also take action by unanimous consent in lieu of a meeting.

6.

Committee Authority

The Committee shall have the resources and authority to carry out its duties and responsibilities as set forth in this Charter. The Committee shall consult, as often as it deems appropriate, with the Adviser, counsel to the Company as to legal or regulatory developments affecting the Committee members’ responsibilities. The Committee may conduct or authorize investigations into matters within the Committee’s scope of responsibilities, and may retain, at the Company’s expense, such independent counsel or other consultants or advisors as it deems necessary or appropriate, including consultants to advise the Committee with respect to candidates for Director nominees. The Committee shall have sole authority to retain and terminate any such consultant, including sole authority to approve the consultant’s fees and other retention terms, such fees to be borne by the Company. The Committee may, in its discretion, delegate all or a portion of its duties and responsibilities to a subcommittee of the following nominees: 1. To electCommittee.

7.

Review of Charter

The Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter at least annually and recommend any changes to the Board.

8.

Disclosure of Charter

Pursuant to Item 407 of Regulation S-K, this Charter will be included as directors two nominees, each for a term ofan appendix to the Company’s annual proxy statement at least one every three years: Nominees: 01) Graeme Dell 02) Robert Warshauer The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposals 2 and For Against Abstain 2. To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accountant of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. NOTE: In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator,years, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN Date Signature (Joint Datesooner if materially amended.


LOGOAPPENDIX A

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting: The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com. D16638-P40987 PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORPORATION Annual Meeting of Shareholders June 24, 2020 9:00 AM, EDT This proxy is solicited byNOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

POLICY REGARDING SELECTION / RECOMMENDATION OF DIRECTOR NOMINEES

1.

Identification of Candidates.

When a vacancy on the Board of Directors The shareholder(s) hereby appoint(s) Edward U. Gilpin and Andrew Devine,of the Company exists or either of them, as proxies, each withis anticipated, the powerCommittee may make nominations for Director membership. When nominating an individual to appoint his substitute, and hereby authorize(s) them to represent and to vote, as designatedfill a vacancy on the reverse sideBoard, the Committee may seek referrals from a variety of this ballot, allsources, including current Directors, the Company’s management, counsel to the Company and shareholders of the shares of (Common/Preferred) stock of PORTMAN RIDGE FINANCE CORPORATIONCompany, who submit recommendations in accordance with these procedures. The Committee has not established specific, minimum qualifications that must be met by an individual in order for such person to be considered by the Committee for nomination as an Independent Director. The Committee, however, believes that the shareholder(s) is/are entitled to vote atBoard as a whole should reflect diversity, and will generally consider each nominee’s professional experience, education, skills, life experiences and other individual qualities.

2.

Shareholder Candidates.

A candidate for nomination as Director submitted by a shareholder of the 2020 Annual Meeting of ShareholdersCompany will not be deemed to be heldproperly submitted to the Committee for the Committee’s consideration unless submitted in person (virtually) at 9:00 AM, EDT on June 24, 2020,accordance with Section 11 of the Company’s bylaws.

3.

Evaluation of Candidates.

Among the qualifications considered in the selection of candidates, the Committee may look at the following website www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/PTMN2020,attributes and criteria of candidates: experience, skills, expertise, education, knowledge, diversity, personal and professional integrity, character, business judgment, time availability in light of other commitments, dedication, the candidate’s ability to qualify as an Independent Director and the existence of any adjournment or postponement thereof. This proxy, when properly executed,other relationships that might give rise to a conflict of interest and such other relevant factors that the Committee considers appropriate in the context of the needs of the Board (e.g., whether a candidate is an “audit committee financial expert” under the federal securities laws). Prior to making a final recommendation to the Board, the Committee may conduct personal interviews with such of the candidates as it may determine. Any individuals recommended by shareholders will be votedevaluated in the same manner directed herein. If no such direction is made, this proxy will be votedas individuals brought to the Board’s attention in accordance with the Board of Directors’ recommendations.some other manner.


LOGOAppendix 3

BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION

Statement of Policy on Insider Trading

Trading in the stock, bonds or other securities of a company by a person who is aware of material, non-public information about that company may be considered “insider trading.” Information is “material” if a reasonable investor would consider such information important in a decision to buy, hold or sell the securities. Information is non-public until it has been broadly disclosed to the marketplace and the marketplace has had time to absorb the information. Examples of adequate disclosure include public filings with the SEC and the issuance of press releases.

Insider trading and the sharing of material, non-public information with any other person who then trades in securities or passes the information on further (called “tipping”) is illegal. The personal consequences of insider trading or tipping can be severe and include possible imprisonment and significant fines. Individuals who involve themselves in insider trading or tipping may be subject to immediate termination.

The Corporation’s Securities Trading Policy is available on the Adviser’s intranet, and the Chief Compliance Officer or his or her designee is available to respond to questions regarding the sale or purchase of the Corporation’s securities or of any other company’s publicly traded stock, bonds or other securities.


LOGO

SCAN TO VIEW MATERIALS & VOTE BY INTERNET Before The Meeting - Go to www.proxyvote.comw BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION ATTN: SECRETARY VOTE BY INTERNET 650 MADISON AVENUE, 23RD FLOOR Before The Meeting—Go to www.proxyvote.com or scan the QR Barcode above NEW YORK, NY 10022 Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before the cut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form. During The Meeting - Meeting—Go to www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020BCPLPR2023 You may attend the meeting via the Internet and vote during the meeting. Have the information that is printed in the box marked by the arrow available and follow the instructions. VOTE BY PHONE -PHONE—1-800-690-6903 Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time the day before thecut-off date or meeting date. Have your proxy card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions. VOTE BY MAIL Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717. TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: D16552-Z77393V09309-P89914 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED. DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION For All Withhold All Except For All To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR all of the following nominees: All All Except nominee(s), mark “For All Except” and write the number(s) of the nominee(s) on the line below. following nominees: 1. To elect astwo directors two nominees,of the Company, who will each for a term! ! ! serve until the 2026 Annual Meeting of three years:Stockholders and until his successor is duly elected and qualified: Nominees: 01) Ted Goldthorpe 02) George Grunebaum The Board of Directors recommends you vote FOR proposal 2. For Against Abstain 2. To ratify the appointment of KPMGDeloitte & Touche LLP as the independent registered public accountant of the Company for the fiscal year ending ! ! ! December 31, 2020.2023. NOTE: In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting. Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name by authorized officer. Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX] Date Signature (Joint Owners) Date


LOGOLOGO

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting: The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com. D16553-Z77393V09310-P89914 BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION Annual Meeting of ShareholdersStockholders June 24, 2020 9:22, 2023 12:00 AM,PM, EDT This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors The shareholder(s)stockholder(s) hereby appoint(s) Edward U. GilpinJason Roos and Andrew Devine,David Held, or either of them, as proxies, each with the power to appoint his substitute, and hereby authorize(s) them to represent and to vote, as designated on the reverse side of this ballot, all of the shares of (Common/Preferred) stock of BC PARTNERS LENDING CORPORATION that the shareholder(s)stockholder(s) is/are entitled to vote at the 20202023 Annual Meeting of ShareholdersStockholders to be held in person (virtually) at 9:12:00 AM,PM, EDT on June 24, 2020,22, 2023, at the following website www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BCPL2020,BCPLPR2023, and any adjournment or postponement thereof. This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein. If no such direction is made, this proxy will be voted in accordance with the Board of Directors’ recommendations. Continued and to be signed on reverse side