Crescent bolsters Nordic direct lending presence with hire
Crescent Capital has appointed a former Nykredit official as a director in the firm’s European direct lending focused on Nordic transactions

Hayfin hires senior BofA figure as private credit portfolio manager
Hayfin Capital Management has hired a Bank of America official as a London-based portfolio manager in the firm’s private credit team

Blackstone raises $1.1 billion for mezz and $1.7 billion for direct lending
The New York-based manager had a strong final quarter of 2020, adding $13.1 billion in credit assets under management in the quarter

KKR brings in Park Square partner for European private credit team
KKR has appointed a London-based partner to its European credit team

SME lender LCM raises €3.4 billion for European credit fund
LCM Credit Opportunities 4 is nearing a €4 billion target and expects to hold a final close in April

Credit Rendezvous: heading for homes
Fund managers in structured credit, real assets and distressed are bullish on the prospects for residential housing in 2021. Elsewhere, niche royalty-based strategies are in favour and although a CLO repricing wave is expected, it may not be easy to execute resets. For more, read our 13-page quarterly report on credit. 

European Direct Lending survey nears closing time
There are just a few hours left to make your voice count in the Creditflux and Debtwire European Direct Lending survey

Direct lending survey latest: managers see most opportunities in southern Europe
The Creditflux and Debtwire European direct lending survey is open for just a few more days and so far the voting suggests market participants feel the best opportunities reside in southern Europe (26.9%)

Alcentra co-CIO for liquid credit set to leave this month
A high profile figure in the US CLO business is leaving Alcentra

UK pension seeks direct lending manager for £250 million commitment
Essex Pension Fund has issued a request for proposals to allocate up to £250 million to a direct lending fund

Oquendo exceeds €150 million hard cap for senior direct lending fund
Spanish direct lender Oquendo held a €172 million final close on its senior direct lending fund, Oquendo Senior Debt Fund, in December 

ICG hires managing director to direct lending business
Intermediate Capital Group has appointed a managing director within its European senior direct lending team

Anima holds first close on Italian direct lending fund with EIF backing to follow
The Anima Alternative 1 fund has a €150 million target and €200 million hard cap

Investec holds €165 million first close on inaugural direct lending fund
Investec has held a first close of its inaugural debt fund, Investec Private Debt Fund I, at €165million

Tikehau hires head of French private debt
Tikehau Capital has hired a head of France and chief operating officer within the firm’s €8.9 billion private debt team

Kartesia prioritises ESG with newly created role
Kartesia says it has appointed Coralie De Maesschack as head of ESG and corporate, social responsibilities (CSR) in a newly-created role

Sixth Streets hits €1 billion hard cap for second European direct lending fund
Sixth Street has closed its second European direct lending fund, Sixth Street Specialty Lending Europe II, at its €1 billion hard cap

LP round-up: investors gift private debt and leveraged loan RFPs over holiday season
2020 ended on a strong note with four institutional investors increasing asset allocation to private debt or initiating private debt and leveraged loan searches. ArrowMark, Banner Ridge, BBAM, HIG Whitehorse, Monroe and Rialto were also awarded mandates

Goldman Sachs collects $4 billion for large cap direct lending
Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division has raised at least $4 billion for its fourth large cap-scale direct lending fund, Broad Street Loan Partners IV

Guggenheim expands credit trading with senior hire in New York
Guggenheim Securities has hired a managing director to expand its fixed income credit trading capabilities

Tikehau and Churchill form direct lending partnership to 'expand cross border footprints'
European direct lending specialist Tikehau and US direct lending experts Churchill announced late December that the pair formed a partnership to ‘expand their respective cross border direct lending footprints’

Fund performance: CLOs look to continue recovery with end of the year in sight
CLO funds claim the majority of positions in our top 10

Ucits at a glance: Year-to-date returns head for double figures
Ucits funds generally performed well in October as 75% achieved positive returns

Credit funds at a glance (January 2021)
A round-up of fundraising and people moves