Ares Management LLC has acquired the investment platform of Wrightwood Capital, a commercial real estate lender based in Chicago, for an undisclosed amount.

The Los Angeles global alternative asset manager and adviser late Wednesday said Wrightwood’s technology will make it more competitive in the middle-market commercial real estate lending.

“This transaction represents a unique opportunity to further build out the Ares Private Debt Group by adding specific industry expertise from a talented group of professionals,” said Tony Ressler, senior partner and chairman of the Ares executive committee, in a statement.

More than 40 Wrightwood employees are joining Ares’ Commercial Real Estate team, which will be based in Chicago with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Newport Beach, Dallas and Washington D.C. The team will be led by John Bartling, an Ares senior partner, and by former Wrightwood Chief Executive Bruce Cohen, who will become a senior partner.

The Wrightwood deal is Ares’ second acquisition this week. On Monday it signed an agreement to acquire Indicus Advisors, a London specialist in European leveraged finance, for an undisclosed amount.