Fund performance
A round-up of fund performance

BNY Mellon expands private credit unit within its asset servicing business
BNY Mellon Asset Servicing has appointed Greg Kok as director of private equity, real estate, debt and infrastructure, in a bid to bolster its private markets team in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)  

EQT looks to raise €500 million via IPO
The initial public offering is anticipated to increase EQT's flexbility to “pursue growth opportunities” and expand its private market investing business

Europe and US diverge on covenant lite structures
Direct lending is syphoning away traditional loan supply

Capital Four holds final close on nordic direct lending fund
The Copenhagen-based manager has held an €343 million final close for its latest private debt fund, according to market sources

Danish pension's credit portfolio gains 7.7% in 2019
Danish pension fund Arbejdsmarkedets Tillægspension (ATP) generated a return of DKK 2.7 billion ($401.2 million) on its credit portfolio in the first half of 2019, increasing the market value of credit investment to DKK 35 billion, according to H1 results

RiverRock launches direct lending fund in partnership with European bank
RiverRock has launched a European direct lending fund in which it has signed an exclusive co-investment agreement with a bank

Pemberton pulls in €3.2 billion for European direct lending fund
Pemberton has closed its second European direct lending fund at €3.5 billion, exceeding its original €2.5 billion target size, and has deployed 70% of the capital

Large US direct lender eyes expansion into Europe, reports Debtwire
One of the largest investors in the US middle market is planning to expand into Europe, according to Creditflux’s sister publication Debtwire

Silicon Valley pension to invest $20 million in private debt
San Jose Federated City Employees Retirement System and Health Care Trust is set to make commitments of $20 million in private debt, as part of its fiscal year 2019-2020 pacing plan, according to documents seen by Creditflux  

Los Angeles pension appoints four managers for private credit mandate
Los Angeles City Employees Retirement System (Lacers) has awarded four contracts for a $670 million private credit mandate search, according to minutes from the July investment committee meeting.  

BlueMountain buyout to bring CLO equity shift, funding pledge and Feldstein payout
BlueMountain Capital Management’s co-founder Andrew Feldstein looks set to receive a substantial pay-out in common shares of Assured Guaranty, which has agreed to buy the manager for around $160 million and has outlined a three-year plan for its CLOs

US pension scheme eyes 50 South Capital fund of funds
50 South Capital Backed Credit Fund II, a fund-of funds vehicle, is set to invest in four loan funds in small and medium size companies, according to documents seen by Creditflux  

Local connections pay off as UK pension backs Tosca
Tosca Debt Capital has begun marketing Tosca Debt Capital Fund III and secured a commitment from the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, according to documents seen by Creditflux

Credit funds contribute to Hamilton Lane’s AUM growth
Hamilton Lane has announced its assets under management and advisement has hit $473 billion as of June. This comes shortly after it closed a credit fund and begun marketing another one

Barings raises €1.5 billion for European direct lending
Barings has held a close for its latest European direct lending fund, receiving €1.5 billion of capital from over 45 institutional investors

Senior figure departs Alcentra direct lending team, Debtwire reports
Creditflux sister publication Debtwire reports that one of the longest standing members of Alcentra's European direct lending team has left the firm 

UK's Tameside borough backs senior loan fund
The Tameside Metropolitan Borough in Manchester, UK has decided to commit $200 million in Churchill Middle Market Senior Loan Fund II, according to documents seen by Creditflux.  

Investors are very focused on ESG: it’s driving them and us, and rightly so
My career in credit began just over 20 years ago, working in KPMG’s restructuring team and advising banks on their troubled loans. It was a pretty steep learning curve as every company was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. But I learned that controlling cash flow is vital and how to prioritise what’s most important about a company. I still use those same skills every day.

Ares credit business grows 4.4%, driven by US direct lending
US and European direct lending, alternative credit and syndicated loan funds dove growth for Ares Management Corporation in the second quarter, the firm said

Past Returns: German direct lending’s overhaul
In Creditflux five years ago we reported on German fund managers campaigning against regulations which dictated that funds require a banking licence to act as direct lenders. In 2016 they got their way as the German Banking Act stipulated that the banking licence requirement would not be imposed if a direct lender was authorised under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive.

Direct lenders accused of exaggerating terms in lender education
Sources say that some direct lenders in Europe are submitting standard indicative lender terms with limited or no internal discussions with their respective credit committees.

Fund performance: Mercury rises as does credit fund performance

UK direct lending deal flow picks up with 99 deals in H1, finds GCA Altium
While loan volumes in the UK were much higher than expected, activity in Germany was lower compared to H1 last year, according to the GCA Altium MidCap Monitor Q2 2019

Spanish manager secures €40 million for debut private credit fund
Spanish direct lender Talde has held a €40 million first close on its debut private credit fund Talde Deuda Alternativa