Strathclyde pension looks to allocate up to £1.1 billion into credit
Glasgow City Council, the administering authority for the Strathclyde Pension Fund, has launched request for proposals (RFP) seeking to appoint investment managers specialising in private corporate debt and real estate debt.

Muzinich poaches Neuberger Berman MD for top fund distribution role
Muzinich has hired a global head of distribution, according to an announcement today, picking up the role previously held by Joshua Hughes, who left for CIFC Asset Management in May

Proskauer expands restructuring practice with partner in London
Law firm Proskauer Rose has strengthened its restructuring capabilities with the appointment of Elisabeth Baltay as partner

Head of European private debt Bone earns promotion at Partners
Partners Group’s head of private debt in Europe, Christopher Bone, has been promoted to partner as one of 10 senior-level promotions announced by the firm

Credit Suisse and Patrimonium launch direct lending fund and plan a follow-up
Credit Suisse and Patrimonium have completed the launch of a new direct lending fund which has reached CHF165 million ($167 million).

Muzinich aims to take granular portfolio tactic across Europe
Muzinich has put together what it describes as a “direct lending 2.0” strategy, which it anticipates will serve as a solution to the constraints faced by middle market lenders in Europe. The firm launched the Italian version of the strategy in November via its Italian subsidiary Springrowth SGR and is looking to create follow-ups in other European jurisdictions

Swiss financial company SYZ launches private markets division
The family-owned Swiss financial group has launched a private markets division to invest and advise across private equity, private debt and real estate - as it is “too big to ignore”

Amundi surpasses €800 million target for third European direct lending fund
Amundi Dette Senior FPE III will provide debt financing to European mid-sized companies, primarily focusing on French mid-market companies

Robus targets €300 million for second distressed debt fund
Robus Capital has held a first close for its second distressed fund, Robus Recovery Fund II, Creditflux understands

Spanish bank prices €972 million SRT with triple As paying 31bp
Cajamar Caja Rural, based in southern Spain, has priced a €972.1 million significant risk transfer (SRT), according to market sources

EQT raises its second European direct lending fund
EQT has raised €2.3 billion for a European direct lending fund, exceeding its initial €1 billion target

Singapore fund to lend to financial institutions in emerging and developing markets
Singapore’s EFA Group is aiming to raise $100 million for a fund that will lend to banks and financial institutions in emerging and developing economies

KKR promotes three European credit specialists to managing directors
KKR has promoted several members of its team to managing directors - including a former US CLO portfolio manager

Sweden eases investment law for pension funds
The Swedish parliament has approved investment guidelines giving the country’s four state pension plans greater freedom to invest in illiquid markets    

Blackstone builds on multi-asset approach with fifth fund
The new vehicle will invest directly into Blackstone deals across its alternatives platform

Tikehau fund edges towards €1.6 billion close with €75 million EIB commitment
The European Investment Bank has approved a €75 million commitment to Tikehau Investment Management

AlbaCore registers second credit fund as debut strategy nears full capacity
AlbaCore Capital has recently registered AlbaCore Partners II, indicating the private debt and opportunistic credit investment firm could soon be back on the fundraising trail, less than eight months after closing AlbaCore Partners I

Crestline holds $600 million final close for PE-focused financing fund
The new fund will provide financing to private equity funds post their investment period, allowing them to provide follow-on growth capital to portfolio companies or additional liquidity 

Prestige launches new asset-based direct lending fund
The new fund will lend to agricultural and SME businesses across both the UK and the Republic of Ireland

Finnish foundation seeks alternatives manager
Turku 2029 foundation, a recently created Finnish foundation based in the city of Turku, has issued a notice seeking a manager for its €8m alternatives investments, in a bid to diversify its portfolio.  

Oddo appoints ex-Kartesia official to build private debt platform
Oddo BHF Asset Management, the Franco-German asset manager, has hired the former head of Germany, Austria and Switzerland at private debt fund Kartesia Advisor, to help launch its own private debt platform

Tikehau’s private debt AUM hits €7.5 billion
Tikehau Capital, the Paris-based asset management and investment firm, has reached €7.5 billion in private debt assets under management (AUM) as of September 2018. This represents an increase of 17% for the third quarter, amounting to €1.1 billion  

ICG hits €4 billion target for European private debt fund
Intermediate Capital Group has hit its €4 billion fundraising target for its seventh European private debt fund, according to the firm’s semi-annual results

Korean pension fund commits €80 million to European direct lending
The Government Employees Pension Service (GEPS), the €7.7 billion Korean pension fund, has selected Alcentra and BlueBay Asset Management for two commingled blind funds, according to an announcement notice seen by Creditflux.  

Regulators suggest clampdown on UK loans
The Bank of England recently raised alarms about the state of the UK leveraged loan market, drawing parallels to the growth of the US sub-prime mortgage market