The right moment to take a chance
Stephen Ketchum founded Sound Point during the global financial crisis with seed funding of USD 35m. He moved into CLOs in 2012. Today, the firm has many arms and AUM of USD 46bn

Direct lending: a history of resilience
They said defaults would get it, then redemptions, then fraud, AI and redemptions (again!). But direct lending has been with us for over a decade — and it keeps proving its staying power

European outlook is rosy, say direct lenders
Attendees at Debtwire’s Private Credit Forum Europe 2026 argued that, despite pockets of distress, demand for private capital is high and the sector’s record shows it is resilient

Private credit and direct lending to grow their share of the loan market—LMA report
A new LMA survey of 234 loan market professionals found that 43% believe private credit and direct lending will grow their share of the EMEA loan market by 2040

Hayfin completes one of Europe’s largest private credit fundraises to date with EUR 15bn
Hayfin’s Direct Lending Fund V ranks among the largest ever direct lending fundraises completed in Europe, the company said

Canadian giant BCI launches IG private credit strategy with CAD 1.8bn
British Columbia Investment Management Corp., an institutional investor with more than CAD 300bn, seeded the new strategy and is creating a dedicated team

Europe sees new 1Q direct lending record
Despite exposure to software companies and worries about fund redemptions, European direct lenders made a strong start to 2026 — and the market is optimistic about the rest of the year

HSBC AM completes USD 2bn final close for second UK direct lending vintage
The strategy invests in senior secured loans to private equity-backed companies in under-served low-to-core middle market segments

Eurazeo closes its largest ever direct lending fund with EUR 3.9bn raised
Eurazeo Private Debt VII raised EUR 3.9bn at closing, exceeding its EUR 3bn target

First Eagle taps AlbaCore alum for alternative credit product sales
Edward Berry joins as a managing director in London and will help distribute the firm’s alternative credit products, including those under the Napier Park brand

Oaktree partners with Pantheon to launch standalone European direct lending strategy
The partnership will have the capacity to grow to EUR 1bn of investable capital and is being seeded by an existing portfolio of European direct lending assets

Barings raises more than USD 19bn for global direct lending strategy
The firm raised capital from institutional, insurance and private wealth investors globally

Citi, HPS strike EUR 15bn private debt program
BlackRock-owned HPS and Citi are working together to offer private capital solutions to sponsor-backed and corporate-owned borrowers

Tikehau looks to develop Asia direct lending product via JV
The French alternative asset manager has struck a joint venture with Amova Asset Management, formerly known as Nikko Asset Management, to solidify its presence in Asia

European direct lending opportunity grows as US faces headwinds—AlbaCore
EXCLUSIVE: Outflows from select US direct lending vehicles could result in European direct lending spreads, particularly on larger deals, widening even further, Luke Gillam, head of senior direct lending, told Creditflux

Ares unitranche to back Nordic's acquisition of TradingHub defies AI concerns
The deal showcases that private credit shops are still willing to lend to software companies  

Majority of LPs expect to mix public and private credit despite liquidity challenges – BSP survey
Within the next five years, 59% of global institutional investors expect to take an integrated approach to public and private credit investments, new research from Benefit Street Partners shows 

Direct lenders hit hard as credit market reels from war and AI
Volatility has come back to credit markets. Artificial intelligence’s impact on corporate earnings, a war in Iran that is ensnaring the rest of the Middle East and upticks in inflationary pressures are weighing on managers

Direct lending braces for redrawn landscape
After a stellar 2025, direct lenders are coming under pressure. Large-cap financings are colliding with record tight spreads in public markets, while competition is rising in mid-market lending

Citi announces debt capital markets co-heads, including a hire from BofA
The new co-heads will fill the open spot left by head of global debt capital markets Rich Zogheb, who is retiring after 40 years in the industry

Lending giants invade lower mid-market in search of deals – Private Credit Comment
Smaller debt funds face increased competition from larger lenders; normalisation hinges on more M&A volumes or issues in syndicated markets

Private credit investors chase higher risk-return—Campbell Lutyens
A new survey shows investors are seeking higher returning strategies amid expectations of lower rates, while also turning away from the dominant North American market

Pemberton reorganizes, appoints new private credit leaders
The firm’s chief credit officer is leaving at the end of March, the company said

Sixth Street raises EUR 7bn for European direct lending
FUND LAUNCH: The Sixth Street Specialty Lending Europe III fund held a final close at its hard cap

Can funds find pots of gold in Europe?
For years, US private credit has been tapping high net worth individuals. Now funds are trying to do the same in Europe — but markets across the pond are fragmented and heavily regulated