A growing Babson Capital unveils art exhibit

CEO Tom Finke, at left, at Babson Capital's art unveiling.

Soon after it moved its offices to the 33rd floor of the Duke Energy Center last fall, Babson Capital CEO Tom Finke took a look at the white walls around its newly finished staircase and said "We could use some art or something in here."

The investment manager certainly met that challenge. Babson held an open house Wednesday evening to unveil a new art exhibit spread throughout its lobby, courtesy of a partnership with the McColl Center for  Visual Arts. It features more than two dozen works from Charlotte-area artists ranging from sculptures to paintings to pottery. All are for sale.

The open house comes as Babson Capital is rapidly growing. Since it moved to the Duke Energy Center a year ago, it's had its fastest period of asset growth, and now has $185 billion under management, Finke said. In Charlotte, its employee base has increased from 94 to 119. It's taken on new portfolio managers, analysts, and executives in business development, legal and finance.

Babson has also created an emerging market debt team that will ultimately be run out of the Charlotte office. It will focus on sovereign and corporate debt in countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China.

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