Patrimonium set to launch two European direct lending funds
Direct lender Patrimonium Asset Management is launching two new direct lending funds – with both funds anticipated to hold first closes at around €150 million in the coming week, according to market sources

Direct lending growth challenges loan administrators, finds private credit survey
Nine out of 10 private credit managers face challenges when administering loans, according to an Alternative Credit Council report

HSBC asset management unit raises $800 million for global multi-manager loan fund
As a multi-manager fund,  the new vehicle aims to offer the benefits of fund-of-funds - diversification - but with a management fee comparable to a single manager 

SME lender ESO expands into Germany
London-based ESO Capital, a lender to European SMEs, has opened a new Frankfurt office – which it says signals its commitment to German-speaking countries

Idinvest holds €715 million final close for fourth direct lending fund
Paris-based Idinvest Partners has surpassed its initial €600 million target size, raising €715 million for its final close

Hermes partners with another three banks to deliver European direct lending fund
Hermes Investment Management has formed new lending partnerships with Danske Bank, DZ Bank and KBC Bank for its upcoming European-focused fund 

Manager targets €250 million for inaugural Italian direct lending offering
Milan-based Main Capital has plans to launch its inaugural Italian private debt fund, which will target €250 million capital commitments, according to Creditflux’s sister publication Unquote

Rothschild holds €655 million close for European mid-market loan fund
Rothschild Merchant Banking has closed its European mid-market direct lending fund, Five Arrows Direct Lending, with €655 million capital commitments

ESO acquires UK lower mid-market private equity firm
ESO Capital, a lender to European SMEs, yesterday announced it has acquired UK lower mid-market private equity fund Core Capital Partners

Muzinich edges nearer to final close for pan-European debt fund
Corporate debt specialist Muzinich & Co has held a third close for its pan-European private debt fund with €460 million in capital commitments

Hermes hires portfolio managers for asset-based lending and Euro ABS
London-headquartered Hermes Investment Management has strengthened its fixed income team and Stephane Michel and Andrew Lennox as portfolio managers, the firm announced today

Global law firm adds Luxembourg fund specialist as partner
Luxembourg fund specialist Augustin de Longeaux joins Simmons & Simmons as partner. He will initially focus on US clients with respect to capital raising and distribution in Europe

Carlyle and Oppenheimer opt for interval fund structure as part of JV
The new private credit fund will invest at least 80% across loans and structured credit (Including CLOs), opportunistic credit, direct lending and liquid credit, SEC filings reveal

UK funds brace themselves against value-for-money ruling
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published its final set of fund governance rules that aim to strengthen the duty of authorised fund managers to their investors.

Madrid manager holds €50 million first close for sponsorless lending fund
Sponsorless investing proves popular with investors, as Trea holds a €50 million first close for its second direct lending fund - two months after launching 

Private debt impact funds demonstrate their value in emerging markets
Private debt is becoming an important channel for impact investing with over a third of impact investing AUM tied to private debt, according to a new survey

Ares emerges as favourite to take over troubled direct lending fund
Following Oaktree’s wind-down request, the board of the Ranger Direct Lending Fund has chosen Ares as replacement manager - moves which could see the fund change its focus from peer-to-peer loan investments to asset-backed loans

BNPP AM produces its own Novo loan fund to target French mid market firms
BNP Paribas Asset Management has launched a new business loan fund, BNP Paribas Novo 2018, backed by the French Insurance Federation and French public sector investment fund.  

Ares targets €4.5 billion for fourth European direct lending fund
Los Angeles based Ares Capital Management has launched its fourth European direct lending fund, Ares Capital Europe IV, with a €4.5 billion target size, SEC filings show

US pension fund backs ICG's global mid market offerings
London-based Intermediate Capital Group has won further commitments from US pension funds for middle market credit investing

Tikehau raises over €200 million for French loan fund
Paris-based Tikehau has launched its latest Novo fund, which is endorsed by the French Insurance Federation

Golding poaches BlueBay's Das to head private debt
Golding Capital Partners has expanded its private debt capabilities, hiring former BlueBay partner Abhik Das as private debt head and Florian Hofer as investment manager

Zencap looks to raise €200 million for its third infra debt fund
French alternative investment boutique Zencap Asset Management is launching its third senior infra debt fund with a €200 million first close target, the firm announced on Friday.

Market volatility will fuel demand for alternative credit, research suggests
The increase in market volatility will fuel demand for alternative credit over the next two years, according to research by Dutch asset manager NN Investment Partners NNIP.

Manager raises €300 million for agriculture-focused credit fund
Paris-headquartered fund manager Céréa Partenaire has held a €300 million first close for its second debt fund, less than seven months after fundraising began