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”

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

August: fund performance
CLO spreads jumped wider in August, but funds that invest in these assets have been able to outperform

September: credit funds at a glance
White Oak Global Advisors held a $2.1 billion final close on a new direct lending fund, while Phil Raciti's move from CVC Credit Partners to Halcyon Capital Management was one of the biggest moves in the credit industry

M&G targets £250 million for UK-listed multi-strategy credit fund
M&G is targeting £250 million (£328.6 million) for a new closed-end investment trust, which will be listed in the UK

BlackRock becomes latest manager to explore interval fund structure for credit
Several managers have hit the market with the interval fund structure, as investors look to invest in illiquid strategies through an illiquid fund structure

UK pension fund NEST seeks 'innovative' private credit manager
The £3.4 billion pension fund issued an invite to tender for private credit managers 

Institutional investors are too constrained in their private debt approach, research suggests
Institutional investors are too constrained in their approach and are focusing too much on mid-market corporate direct lending, research from global advisory firm Willis Towers Watson suggests

Credit drives strong returns for five of the largest asset managers in the business
Carlyle is close to hitting its ambitious fundraising target; direct lending has been kind to Ares; and Och-Ziff has decided to shed its US CLO risk retention stakes after exiting its financing agreements

KKR forms lending JV to target "clear need for UK mainstream housing development"
KKR and London-based Urban Exposure, a specialist residential development finance provider, have formed a strategic partnership and launched a lending joint venture to target significant opportunities in "mainstream housing throughout the UK”.  

Investors eye alternative credit ahead of expected interest rate increase – report
Investments in alternative credit are set to rise among institutional investors over the next 12 months, according to an alternative credit report published by NN Investments Partners

RM launches “highly defensive alternative fund” with 7-8% total return target
London-headquartered alternative credit fund manager RM Capital has launched a “highly defensive alternative fund”, VT RM Alternative Income Fund, which it claims to be the first of its kind

Wells Fargo AM looks to build out European private debt arm
Wells Fargo Asset Management is seeking to build out its global presence in the private debt industry by strengthening its European private debt business with a new senior hire, Creditflux has learned 

London specialist lender names head of underwriting
Iron Bridge Finance, a property development direct lender, has announced the appointment of Gareth Ward as head of underwriting

Real estate lending gains €700 million in six months for Paris-based direct lender
French alternative investments manager Acofi Gestion has raised €700 million of AUM for commercial real estate lending since July 2017

Three Swiss banks team up to launch new private market fund platform
New investment boutique Hermance Capital Partners will focus on private equity, private debt and private real estate

Aberdeen Standard Investments launches global private markets fund
Aberdeen Standard Investments has launched a £138 million Global Private Markets Fund (GPMF), which will invest in a diversified mix of private credit, private equity, real estate and infrastructure

BNPP AM establishes two new private debt strategies
BNP Paribas Asset Management establishes two new private debt strategies: European Infra Debt and European Real Estate Debt

Managers predict skill will win out
We asked managers to predict the year ahead across a range of credit strategies. Overall, they had a positive outlook. By Grace Jennings-Edquist

TPG's Questa joins London-based direct lender as managing director
Stefano Questa, formerly managing director at TPG, has joined European credit platform Hayfin Capital 

LGIM hires three to private credit team
Legal and General Investment Management Real Assets (LGIM) has announced three senior hires to its private credit business 

Carlyle, ICG and Oaktree earn approvals as Chile's first alternatives managers
The news follows recent reforms to Chile’s Pension Fund Law allowing pension fund administrators to invest directly in alternative asset managers

Amundi raises €665 million loan fund and expands in real estate debt
Paris-based Amundi reveals the final close of its third senior corporate debt fund and expansion of its real estate platform

Aberdeen Standard holds first close on secured credit fund at £350 million
Aberdeen Standard Investments is looking to invest in real estate debt, infrastructure debt and other types of private credit