Credit funds at a glance

A round-up of fundraising and people moves in credit

New Look bankruptcy credit event question put before Determinations Committee
The Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee for the Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region has been asked to rule on whether New Look, the UK based clothes retailer, has triggered a bankruptcy credit event

Californian pension reveals 2019 private credit plan
Ventura County Employees’ Retirement Association is considering committing up to $80 million to private credit funds, following a recommendation of its investment consultant NEPC  

Belgian pension fund appoints JP Morgan to run allocations to alternative investments
Hydralis, the statutory pension manager of Belgium water utility Vivaqua, has appointed JP Morgan to manage the fund’s allocation to unlisted assets for an eight years period, Creditflux has learned.  

US pension backs Vista credit fund
Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) has approved a $50 million commitment to Vista Credit Partners Fund III, according to documents from the March board of trustees meeting  

Restructuring partner rejoins Allen & Overy after buy-side stint
The law firm has bolstered its funds practice in London 

Steinhoff has triggered failure-to-pay credit event, rules DC
Steinhoff Europe has triggered a failure-to-pay credit event, the EMEA Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee has ruled unanimously

Steinhoff Europe failure-to-pay credit event question posed to DC
The EMEA Determinations Committee has been asked to rule on whether Steinhoff Europe has triggered a failure-to-pay credit event, following the retailer’s lock-up period request

UBP expands alternatives business with credit Ucits fund
L’Union Bancaire Privée has expanded its alternative investment offering, teaming up with New York-based Global Credit Advisors for the launch 

Värde partners with Guber on €734 million NPL deal
Värde Partners along with Guber Banca have led a group of investors to make a joint acquisition of a €734 non-performing loan portfolio originated by 22 mutual, rural, and cooperative banks spread throughout Italy  

Brookfield strikes deal to buy 62% stake in Oaktree
Brookfield Asset Management has agreed to buy a 62% stake in Oaktree Capital Management in a move which will lead to the creation of one of the largest asset managers in the business.

Connection hires from Invesco for head of funds role
London's Connection Capital has named Lorna Robertson as the firm’s new head of funds

US pension fund earmarks $375 million for various credit strategies
Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board (Mass PRIM) has committed $125 million to distressed, $100 million to aviation investments, while earmarking $150 million for structured credit    

Kartesia fills vacancy in DACH with key hire from Bayside
Kartesia has hired Guiseppe Mirante as its head of credit opportunities for DACH, according to an announcement today

Isda tables plans to rid CDS market of narrowly tailored credit events
After lengthy deliberation, a working group of major firms is today set to publish proposals aimed at ridding the market of ‘narrowly tailored credit events’, whereby borrowers are persuaded to default on debt payments in order to trigger pay-outs for CDS holders

Distressed debt prospects limited, finds survey, but most expect 16-20% returns
The coming year will be a continued slog to find investment opportunities for distressed investors, according to half of respondents in a joint survey conducted by Debtwire and law firm Orrick

Private credit delivers strong returns for Finnish pension
Valtion Eläkerahasto (VER) has generated 12.4% from its private credit funds for 2018, according to its latest annual report  

Alaska pension commits $545 million to seven credit funds
Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation has earmarked $545 million to funds across the credit spectrum across Q2, according to 27 February board documentation

Illiquid credit boost returns for PensionDanmark
PensionDanmark has generated 5.8% returns from its illiquid credit portfolio for the year 2018, according to its latest annual report published today. But its liquid credit portfolio took a 3.4% hit

Allianz IM puts $200 million into Indian private debt
Allianz Investment Management has committed $200 million into the private debt platform of Edelweiss, an Indian diversified financial services firm.  

It’s going to be a credit picker’s market
Our panel of experts believe that the credit market will be volatile this year, but there will be opportunities in European credit and additional tier one bonds, trups CDOs and unitranches

Performing credit tops distressed credit for Blackstone, but credit AUM declines
The firm is looking to boost its direct lending business to gain $10 billion of available capital over the next couple of years

AnaCap buys €4 billion Italian SME loan portfolio
AnaCap Financial Partners has made its first transaction of its fourth credit opportunities fund 

Dealers gear up to settle Sears CDS and rule on Ziggo successor
The long wait to settle the final price of Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp credit default swaps will end today with a credit event auction, while investors could also learn whether there is successor to contracts referencing deregistered Ziggo Bond Finance