Updated:
B. Riley Alternatives
B. Riley Alternatives operates as the institutional investment arm of B.
B. Riley Alternatives
B. Riley Alternatives operates as the institutional investment arm of B. Riley Financial, a publicly traded financial services platform founded by Bryant Riley. The parent company's core business in retail liquidations and restructuring provides a proprietary deal pipeline that feeds the alternatives unit with distressed and special-situation opportunities few other managers can access. The division deploys capital across private credit, special situations, real estate, and venture capital. Its credit strategies often originate from B. Riley's retail and auction divisions, which identify mispriced assets during corporate liquidations. The real estate practice targets net-leased properties and sale-leaseback transactions, occasionally acquiring assets from the parent's own retail advisory clients. Venture investments, historically, have included stakes in consumer and technology companies — the firm's 2021 SPAC, B. Riley Principal 150 Merger Corp., merged with FaZe Holdings, though that vehicle has since been dissolved. Bryant Riley serves as Chairman and Co-CEO of the parent company, overseeing a broader platform that includes wealth management, investment banking, and auction services. The firm operates from its headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut, with additional offices across the United States. Adjacent vehicles under the B. Riley umbrella include B. Riley Wealth Management and B. Riley Securities, though the alternatives division maintains a distinct mandate from the retail-facing businesses. The structural differentiator is a rare one: public-market transparency meeting private-market sourcing. Because B. Riley Financial trades on Nasdaq, its alternatives unit operates with pressure to deliver returns that satisfy both limited partners and public shareholders — a dual accountability most private fund managers do not face.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Norwalk
Corporate office
Norwalk, CT, United States
Principals
Bryant Riley
Chairman and Co-CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at B. Riley Alternatives?
Bryant Riley, as Chairman and Co-CEO of B. Riley Financial, is the key principal associated with the firm's broad investment strategy. The alternatives division operates under the public company's governance structure, with specific portfolio managers overseeing individual strategy verticals. The firm has not publicly disclosed a separate CIO for the alternatives division.
How does B. Riley Alternatives source proprietary deal flow?
The firm's primary sourcing advantage is operational, not networked. B. Riley Financial operates a large retail liquidation and restructuring business that identifies distressed assets, retail inventory, and real estate holdings ahead of the broader market. These situations form a proprietary pipeline for the alternatives unit, particularly in special situations and asset-based credit.
Is B. Riley structured as a family office or an institutional asset manager?
It is neither. B. Riley Financial is a publicly traded financial services platform listed on Nasdaq. The alternatives unit functions as an institutional investment division within that public company, which also houses wealth management, investment banking, and auction services. This structure is unusual: limited partners invest in funds managed by a division of a public company rather than a standalone private partnership.
Does B. Riley Alternatives participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm has historically operated through direct investments and proprietary deal structures rather than committing to external funds. Its real estate practice acquires properties directly, its credit book is built from originated loans and acquired distressed paper, and its venture activity has been conducted through direct equity stakes and SPAC vehicles.
What sectors does B. Riley Alternatives typically target?
Confirmed focus areas include private credit, special situations, real estate, and venture capital. The real estate practice emphasizes net-leased retail and industrial assets. The credit book skews toward asset-based lending and distressed retail receivables. The venture arm has historically targeted consumer brands and media properties.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on family offices?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: