ELM TREE PARTNERS Capital | Development | Strategy | Execution
Trusted for Over Two Decades to Deliver Results.
About Elm Tree Partners
Our Vision
For nearly 25 years, Elm Tree Partners has partnered with businesses to help them succeed at the intersection of capital, law, development, operations and tough regulatory environments.
Our History
Founded in 2000, our business began with a successful billion dollar going private transaction in Southern California. That catalyzed a $200 million hotel development and financing initiative, launching a series of engagements across more than ten states. From the outset, our focus has been on strategic capital structuring and hands-on advisory work, which quickly expanded into direct investments and managing and developing large-scale project developments. We delivered successful outcomes for investors and stakeholders time and again. Since then, our platform has broadened into multiple industries—hospitality, energy, technology, real estate, and more—anchored by a consistent track record of investment success and operational execution. We’ve been proudly based in Texas for over two decades.
Our Leadership
Based in Dallas, Texas, John Asher Thompson is the Managing Partner of Elm Tree Partners, a strategic investment and advisory firm specializing in complex capital transactions, development, and execution across a wide range of industries. With over 25 years of experience as a financial and legal strategist, John has led the structuring and execution of more than $3 billion in capital projects.
A former securities and M&A attorney at Shearman & Sterling and leveraged finance banker at Citigroup, John brings a rare combination of legal insight, capital markets expertise, and hands-on development experience. He has advised and partnered with executive teams, family offices, sovereign stakeholders, and private companies on transactions involving billion dollar project developments, startup financings and operations, complex restructurings and distressed assets, IT and high level CIO solutions, and institutional capital structuring.
John’s work has influenced legislation and constitutional reform in multiple states, and he has played a key role in regulatory strategy, workouts, bankruptcy processes, and capital execution in industries ranging from hospitality and energy to technology, gaming, and consumer products. Fluent in Spanish and globally experienced, he brings disciplined judgment, entrepreneurial vision, and executional rigor to every engagement.
What We Do
Elm Tree Partners is a full-spectrum capital and development firm that brings deep experience, disciplined execution, and strategic insight to every engagement. We raise capital, lead development, manage execution, and advise on high-stakes financial and operational decisions. Our work spans:
- Capital Strategy & Investment – We raise, structure, and deploy capital across industries, aligning investor, company, and board interests in both growth and special situations.
- Development & Project Execution – As developer on over $2 billion in construction and infrastructure projects, we lead from concept through completion, including entitlement, financing, and operational handoff.
- CIO & Technology Solutions – We solve enterprise-level IT challenges, bringing tailored CIO and systems solutions that support scalable growth and efficiency.
- Restructuring & Workouts – We represent investors, boards, and companies in distressed situations, leading turnarounds, managing creditor negotiations, and restoring financial stability.
- Strategic Advisory – We advise on capital structure, investment decisions, governance, and risk—protecting long-term value and guiding companies through complexity.
Industry coverage includes:
- Hospitality & Real Estate Development
- Technology & CIO Solutions
- Media & Telecom
- Gaming & Leisure
- Oil & Gas/ Energy
- Banking & Finance
- Retail / Consumer Products
- Power Generation and Infrastructure
We operate at the intersection of finance, development, law, and operations—where clarity and judgment matter most.