Sanjeev Handa
About Sanjeev Handa
Independent Trustee (Class III) of Carlyle Credit Income Fund since July 2023; age 1961. Over 30 years in financial industry with global experience across financial, real estate, and securitization markets; designated Audit Committee Financial Expert and serves as Chair of CCIF’s Audit Committee. Current roles include Managing Member at Old Orchard Lane, LLC (since 2014) and Adjunct Professor at Fairfield University (since 2020). Ownership in CCIF is in the $10,001–$100,000 dollar range; aggregate holdings across the Fund complex are $100,001–$500,000 as of June 30, 2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitch Ratings, Inc. and Fitch Ratings, Ltd. | Independent Director | 2015–2020 | Board oversight; compliance and governance experience |
| Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund | Independent Trustee | Since March 2018 | Audit committee chair/financial expert at another investment company; governance experience |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | Board of Trustees Investment Committee Member | Since 2016 | Investment Committee member; fiduciary oversight |
| Mutual Fund Directors Forum | Board of Directors Member | Since 2022 | Industry governance network and practices |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Orchard Lane, LLC | Managing Member | Since 2014 | Investment and governance leadership |
| Fairfield University | Adjunct Professor | Since 2020 | Academic engagement; finance expertise |
| White Oak Partners | Advisory Board Member | Since 2021 | Advisory oversight; credit/real estate focus |
| OHA CLO Enhanced Equity II Genpar LLP | Independent Director | Since 2021 | Independent governance for CLO vehicle |
| “Another investment company” | Audit Committee Chair and ACFE | Current | Audit leadership and financial expert designation |
Board Governance
| Committee | Membership | Chair | Meeting Count (FY ended 9/30/2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit Committee | Sanjeev Handa; Mark Garbin; Joan McCabe (all independent) | Sanjeev Handa | 4 |
| Nominating and Governance Committee | Joan McCabe; Mark Garvin; Sanjeev Handa (all independent) | Joan McCabe | 3 |
| Independent Trustees Committee | Mark Garbin; Joan McCabe; Sanjeev Handa (all independent) | Mark Garbin | 3 |
- Board met 5 times in FY 2024; each Trustee attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Board Chair is an interested trustee (Lauren Basmadjian); no Lead Independent Trustee, with independent trustee committees and executive sessions used to address potential conflicts .
Fixed Compensation
| Name | Aggregate Compensation From CCIF (FY ended 9/30/2024) |
|---|---|
| Sanjeev Handa (Independent Trustee) | $45,000 |
- Notes: Amount includes service as Trustee and chairperson of a committee, if applicable; interested trustees receive no compensation from CCIF .
Performance Compensation
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bonus | Not disclosed for independent trustees |
| Equity Awards (RSUs/PSUs) | Not disclosed for independent trustees |
| Options | Not disclosed for independent trustees |
| Performance Metrics (EBITDA, TSR, ESG) | Not disclosed |
| Clawbacks/COC/Severance | Not disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Organization | Nature | Potential Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund | Fund within Carlyle complex | Shared adviser affiliation; independent trustee governance and audit expertise |
| OHA CLO Enhanced Equity II Genpar LLP | CLO vehicle | Independent director; no disclosure of CCIF transactions with OHA CLO |
| White Oak Partners | Advisory board | External advisory role; no related-party transactions disclosed with CCIF |
| Cooper Union Board of Trustees Investment Committee | Non-profit | Fiduciary investment oversight; no CCIF conflicts disclosed |
| Mutual Fund Directors Forum | Industry organization | Governance community role; no conflicts disclosed |
- Independence: CCIF states committee members meet SEC and 1940 Act independence standards; independent trustees and immediate family members do not own securities of the Adviser or its control affiliates .
- Conflict controls: Independent Trustees Committee explicitly addresses conflict matters, including approvals of certain co-investment transactions relying on exemptive relief .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit Committee Financial Expert under Item 407 of Regulation S-K; Audit Chair at CCIF .
- 30+ years in financial industry with global experience in financial, real estate, and securitization markets .
- Extensive investment, compliance, and corporate governance experience from service on investment company boards and audit leadership roles .
- Managing Member (Old Orchard Lane, LLC) and academic engagement (Adjunct Professor, Fairfield University), reinforcing practical and theoretical finance expertise .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Dollar Range of CCIF Equity | Aggregate Dollar Range Across Fund Complex | As-of Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanjeev Handa | $10,001–$100,000 | $100,001–$500,000 | June 30, 2025 |
- Officers, nominees, and trustees as a group owned less than 1% of CCIF outstanding shares as of June 30, 2025 .
Insider Filings Compliance
| Period | Statement |
|---|---|
| Fiscal year ended 9/30/2024 | CCIF believes its officers and Trustees complied with all applicable Section 16(a) filing requirements |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Handa chairs a fully independent Audit Committee and is designated an audit financial expert, supporting rigorous oversight of accounting, internal controls, auditor independence, and risk processes; the Audit Committee charter was reviewed Feb 28, 2025 and details robust pre-approval and oversight mechanisms .
- Engagement: Board held 5 meetings in FY 2024; all Trustees met the ≥75% attendance threshold; Audit/Nominating/Independent Trustee committees met regularly (4/3/3), indicating active governance cadence .
- Independence and conflict management: Independent Trustees meet separately and comprise key committees; the Independent Trustees Committee is mandated to address conflict-of-interest matters including co-investment approvals under exemptive relief, which is material given adviser affiliations .
- Ownership alignment: Handa holds $10,001–$100,000 of CCIF and $100,001–$500,000 across the complex; independent trustees do not hold securities of the Adviser or its control affiliates, mitigating direct adviser conflicts .
- RED FLAGS to monitor: Board Chair is an interested trustee, and The Carlyle Group beneficially owns ~22.91% of CCIF common shares, heightening potential influence; mitigations include independent committee structures and executive sessions, but absence of a formal Lead Independent Trustee warrants continued investor attention .
- No filing compliance issues: CCIF discloses no delinquent Section 16(a) reports for FY 2024, which supports confidence in disclosure controls; however, no director-specific performance-based pay or clawback terms are disclosed for independent trustees .