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

Managers see growth in distressed and direct lending, but structured credit splits opinion
The private credit industry remains on track to grow to $1 trillion assets under management by 2020, according to joint research published by the Alterative Credit Council and law firm Dechert with allocations to distressed and mid-market deals tipped to rise. But structured credit has divided US and European managers

First European SME CLO 2.0 edges closer after warehouse tweaks
Be-Spoke Capital’s European SME CLO is nearing the finishing line, with sources indicating NatWest Markets aims to price the deal, Alhambra SME Funding 2018-1, in early December. The development comes after the CLO exceeded the warehouse’s 12-month ramp-up period

Muzinich's Italian arm launches novel direct lending fund
Sources say that Muzinich will build a truly diverse loan portfolio for its Italian direct lending fund

MV Credit raises €803 million for credit fund following Natixis acquisition
MV Credit, formerly known as Mezzvest, has held a final close for its fourth private credit fund with €803 million capital commitments

Ares ups its target for US senior direct lending growth to $4.7 billion
Following $5 billion of inflows into global direct lending in the third quarter, Ares has upped the target for its US direct lending strategy 

Fixed income heads join forces to launch macro credit fund manager in London
Resco Asset Management, a new asset manager based in London, has launched and set about marketing its debut fund: Resco Macro Credit Fund

New Mexico allocates $175 million to credit
New Mexico State Investment Council has awarded a $75 million commitment to real estate debt and $100 million commitment to a multi-credit fund

Triton draws $167 million of inflows for European opportunistic debt fund
Triton Partners has raised at least $167 million for its second debt fund, Triton Debt Opportunities Fund II

BNP Paribas' fund of fund platform holds first close on European mid-market strategy
BNP Paribas Asset Management's fund of fund business is targeting €250 million for a strategy which will allocate to "top tier" European mid market debt managers 

REYL bolsters structured finance group with managing director hire
REYL, the Swiss bank, has strengthened its structured finance group by hiring a managing director in the corporate advisory and structuring team

Tikehau pairs with Groupama for French and European SME debt fund
The new vehicle is anchored by European Investment Fund 

US pension commits $100 million to Apollo's hybrid private credit/private equity fund
Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System has mandated $100 million to a multi-strategy fund managed by New York-based Apollo Global Management

Blackstone grows credit assets by 31% over year
The firm achieved strong fundraising in credit, taking credit-related assets under managment to $130.6 billion in the third quarter, a 31% increase year-on-year 

KSL holds $671 million close for second travel and leisure credit fund
KSL Capital Partners has held a final close for its second credit fund with $671 million in capital commitments

DWS and Tikehau unveil strategic alliance
The alliance will see the pair collaborate on several different alternative investment initiatives and cross-invest in respective funds

BT pension fund appoints CEO
BT Pension Scheme Management, which has exposure to credit strategies run by Apollo, Ares and Hermes, has now appointed a CEO  

RiverRock prepares €1 billion European senior loan fund
Direct lender RiverRock European Capital Partners is targeting €1 billion for its latest European loan offering, Creditflux understands.