James C. Leda, president and founding member of Mount Vernon Capital Advisors LLC (“MVCA”), is an accomplished restructuring professional and fundamental credit analyst with extensive experience developing and implementing solutions for clients facing complex financial situations.

Backed by Mr. Leda’s deep experience in distressed and high yield investments, MVCA provides its clients with thoughtful, in-depth distressed investment analysis, and is well-positioned to represent clients in active restructuring situations through committee representations (both ad hoc and official) and board representations. He has cultivated a vast global network of prominent insolvency attorneys and financial professionals to assist with sourcing deals and optimizing outcomes for clients facing restructuring situations.

Prior to starting his own firm, Mr. Leda was managing director of the Debt Restructuring Group at PPM America, Inc. (“PPMA”) for more than seven years. He represented PPMA and its clients as a principal in a number of high-profile corporate reorganizations including Lehman Brothers, Washington Mutual, General Motors and Pilgrim’s Pride. Mr. Leda was appointed to the Washington Mutual, Inc. Liquidating Trust Advisory Board and its Litigation Subcommittee in 2012.

Mr. Leda came to PPMA in 2009 after nearly a decade at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc., where he was vice president and senior high yield automotive analyst. His research was followed by more than 1,000 institutional clients in 25 countries, and he was frequently quoted in the press during the U.S. automotive industry downturn.

Before joining Merrill Lynch, Mr. Leda was in the Corporate Recovery practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers from 1995-1999 where he focused primarily on restructurings in the steel and retail sectors.

Mr. Leda is a frequent panelist at distressed conferences. He chaired the inaugural iGlobal Forum Distressed Debt Investing Summit and has moderated or participated on numerous international insolvency panels. Mr. Leda is also a recurring guest lecturer at various universities on the topics of bankruptcy, negotiations and decision-making.

Mr. Leda is a former Trustee of his alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.