Before co-founding Watch Hill Partners in 2003, David Knowlton built investment banking platforms at two global investment banking firms. Mr. Knowlton was Managing Director and Co-head of First Union Securities' Financial Sponsors Global Coverage Group, where he was responsible for managing the firm's most important relationships with financial sponsors and their portfolio companies. This encompassed generating proprietary M&A ideas, pursuing private equity investment opportunities and delivering the firm's high-yield and bank finance capabilities. Mr. Knowlton was a member of First Union's Investment Banking and Merchant Banking Management committees. Previously, he established and ran Gleacher & Company's Financial Sponsor program as Managing Director of North American Investment Banking and Head of Acquisition Finance for NatWest Markets, the U.S. M&A and merchant banking arm of NatWest. Prior to joining Gleacher, Mr. Knowlton spent 17 years at Chase Manhattan Bank and its predecessor firms. Mr. Knowlton served as a Managing Director in the Acquisition Finance Group, where he focused on serving the needs of financial sponsors and corporations by providing investment opportunities, financings and other financial products.

Mr. Knowlton, who began his career with the Joint Economic Committee in Washington, D.C., received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Kenyon College and of the Board of Trustees of Berkshire School.