Lee Merkle-Raymond

Lee Merkle-Raymond is Senior Managing Director of Risk Management at Hercules Capital, Inc.  A member of the Investment Committee, she reviews and approves all new borrowers for the firm, focused on venture-backed companies in the technology and biotech/life sciences sectors.  She is responsible for the ongoing quality of the $2.2 billion portfolio of investments, plus credit underwriting and credit review policies.  As part of senior management, she is involved with new strategies and initiatives. Lee has extensive global financing experience, including over two decades at Bank of America Merrill Lynch:  in Corporate/Investment and Middle Market banking, as co-founder of BAML’s mid-cap technology group, and as head of corporate debt for BAML Australia. Prior to Hercules, she had a dual role with BNP Paribas: San Francisco Region Manager and national head of Technology Banking at Bank of the West.  She has managed local and regional teams responsible for marketing, underwriting and approving $8 billion in assets, with 500+ clients. Lee started her career at Bank of Boston where she was part of the LGBT group which advocated for and won domestic partner benefits.  Lee holds an A.B. in Asian Studies (Mandarin) from Dartmouth College and completed an Executive Education Program at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.  She and her wife, Kathy, live in the SF Bay Area and have two adult daughters.