West coast pension looks to step up direct lending allocations
The City of Fresno Retirement System will commit $140-160 million to private credit for the next two years, according to board documentation seen by Creditflux. This comes amid a pause in direct lending commitments for the pension fund, which has not committed any capital to this market in 2019

45% of insurers look to increase private debt allocations, finds Natixis IM survey
Private debt allocations are expected to grow for 45% of insurers over the next three years, according to a recent survey by Natixis Investment Management. But regulation and internal restrictions are the biggest challenges to greater adoption of private markets allocation

Minnesota pension to invest $300 million in distressed and private credit funds
Minnesota State Board of Investments is set to invest $100 million in a mezzanine debt fund and $200 million in a distressed debt fund

Arizona pension to deploy up to $700 million a year in private credit
Arizona Public Safety Employee System is looking to deploy $600-700 million in private credit strategies per year in order to meet its target allocation, according to board documents seen by Creditflux.

Decalia adds ex-Morgan Stanley official to senior private credit role
Geneva-based Decalia Asset Management has appointed a lead portfolio manager for its private market funds

Azimut hires ex-Dyal official as it aims to buy minority equity in asset managers
Azimut will initially focus on acquiring minority stakes in alternative asset managers with under $3 billion AUM – including private credit, private equity, infrastructure and real estate firms

Crestline bags $360 million for inaugural European opportunities fund
Crestline Investors has held a final close on its inaugural European special situations fund, Crestline Opportunity Fund III Europe, at $360 million, surpassing its original $300 million target size

Direct lending across the Atlantic: Creditflux unveils two direct lending reports
Creditflux is pleased to unveil two direct lending reports with the third edition of European Direct Lending Perspectives now available, along with the inaugural US Private Credit Perspectives report.

Russell and Mediobanca launch multi-asset fund with CLO allocation
Mediobanca Private Banking has joined forces with Russell Investments to set up a fund that has a 20% allocation to credit, sources say  

Njord closes second European special situations fund at €271 million
Njord Partners has closed its second special situations fund, Njord Partners Special Situations Fund II, at €271 million

Ucits at a glance
A round-up of ucits fund performance

Utah fund set to invest $45 million across Beach Point and Crestline funds
The Utah School & Institutional Trust Fund Office is set to make commitments to credit funds managed by Beach Point Capital Management and Crestline Investors

Investor requirements rather than performance is driving ESG push: Creditflux survey
Only 14% of respondents to Creditflux's global credit ESG survey said performance was the main reason they were adopting envoronmental, social and governance-themed strategies

UK pension pool to launch maiden private credit offering
Border to Coast Pensions Partnership is launching its first private credit offering in early Q4, Creditflux has learned

HIG closes European small-cap special situations fund at $1.5 billion
HIG's distressed debt and special situations unit has closed held a final close for H.I.G. Bayside Loan Opportunity Fund V

Cheyne aims to capitalise on stress within direct lending as it closes €1 billion opportunistic fund
The fund seeks to capitalise on the accelerated sell-down of mid-market corporate loans by European banks

Highbridge refocuses on credit as it liquidates listed multi-strategy fund
Highbridge Capital Management has announced to investors in a multi-strategy fund that it is winding down the vehicle and refocusing its business exclusively towards credit

Private debt should alleviate the next downturn, says Paul Hastings
Private debt should soften the next downturn and not exacerbate it, according to a note published by law firm Paul Hastings

Cairn teams with Mediobanca for European credit Ucits fund
The strategy will focus on four credit asset classes - financials, corporates, asset-backed securities and special opportunities 

US pension fund to commit $1.1 billion in private credit by 2020
Investment consultant NEPC has recommended that Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) commit $550 million in private credit in both 2019 and 2020, according to a private credit review  

Pemberton closes strategic credit opportunity strategy at €1 billion
Pemberton has closed its first fund dedicated to strategic credit opportunities today

Jefferies subsidiary and Stonyrock plan mid-market alternative manager stake acquisitions
The new joint venture will invest in private equity, credit, hedge funds, real estate, venture, and infrastructure firms

Maryland pension carves out private debt bucket
The Baltimore pension fund has also mandated a total of $25 million to one direct lending fund and one distressed debt fund 

Distressed specialists monitor weaknesses in direct lending
Stressed and distressed debt managers might be best served by looking at the direct lending market for opportunities. Sources say that two of the most experienced direct lenders in the business have been forced to deal with problem credits in their portfolios