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

Louisiana pension fund assigns $200 million to DoubleLine and GoldenTree
Louisiana State Employees' Retirement System has allocated to distressed debt and mortgage credit funds run by two experienced asset managers

US pension fund's new private credit portfolio delivers strong early returns
A US pension fund recently created a private credit bucket and this has generated 9.25% time-weighted returns

Värde picks up $250 million for Asia credit fund in just four months
Värde Partners has gained $250 million total sales in just four months for its Asia-focused credit fund, US regulatory filings show

Aviva appoints head of real assets division in London
Aviva Investors has hired Mark Meiklejon from Aberdeen Standard Investments to lead its newly established real assets investment specialist team

Pimco raises nearly $700 million for new real estate debt fund
The vehicle will invest in private and public real estate debt opportunities, including senior mortgages, mezzanine financing, CMBS, and other real estate debt related investments

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

New York pension fund earmarks $200 million for real estate debt
New York State Teacher’s Retirement System (NYSTRS) has awarded a $200 million commitment to real estate debt provider Raith Capital Partners

CPPIB moves into Australian real estate debt fund
The $272.6 billion Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has partnered with Sydney-based Challenger Investment Partners to provide middle market real estate loans in Australia and New Zealand 

Heitman gains $1.3 billion for US real estate debt fund
Illinois-based Heitman Capital Management has raised at least $1.3 billion for its open-ended real estate debt fund, exceeding its $1 billion target size

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

Cheyne holds £600 million final close for opportunistic real estate debt fund
Cheyne Capital Management has held a £600 million ($800 million) final close for its fifth opportunistic real estate debt fund, the firm has announced

PGIM picks up $765 million for US real estate debt fund
PGIM has edged closer towards its $2 billion target size with inflows from at least 19 investors

Savills adds to real estate debt capabilities with initial 25% acquisition in DRC
Savills Investment Management has acquired an initial 25% stake in specialist real estate debt provider DRC Capital. As part of the deal, DRC has granted Savills a call option to acquire the remaining 75% interest in the firm in 2021

GAM launches new commercial real estate debt fund
Zurich-headquartered GAM Investments has launched of a new commercial real estate debt fund, the firm announced today

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”.  

Stone Point acquires majority interest in real estate credit manager Sabal
Real estate credit manager Sabal Capital Partners is set to be acquired by private equity form Stone Point Capital

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

Thrivent looks to the heavens for new interval loan fund
Minneapolis-based Thrivent Asset Management hopes to receive blessings and capital commitments from investors, after it has registered its new interval Church Loan and Income Fund

Texas pension fund mandates $100 million to real estate credit fund
Texas County & District Retirement System has mandated $100 million to a real estate credit fund managed by New York-headquartered Taconic Capital Advisors

Square Mile boosts real estate debt strategy with $152 million
New York-headquartered Square Mile Capital Management has raised at least $152 million for its second credit fund 

IFM looks set to launch infra debt fund for Korean institutional investors
IFM Investors and KDB KIAMCO are looking to launch their second joint infrastructure debt fund – this time, targeting Korean institutional investors

Brunswick holds €640 million final close for Nordic real estate debt fund
Nordic real estate lender Brunswick Real Estate Capital has held a final close for its second senior debt fund, with capital commitments reaching over SEK 6.6 billion (€640 million)

BlackRock seeks $1 billion for new multi-strat opportunities fund
The new trust will invest at least 80% of its assets in fixed income securities and up to 40% in special situations, SEC filings reveal 

Octopus appoints head of structuring
UK-based property lender Octopus Property has appointed Matthew Pritchard as head of structuring, the firm announced today