Cairn teams with Mediobanca for European credit Ucits fund
The strategy will focus on four credit asset classes - financials, corporates, asset-backed securities and special opportunities 

Permira adds hire to start credit opportunities business
Permira Debt Managers is building out a unit in London to invest in special situations and credit opportunities and has hired a distressed and high yield specialist to help establish the business

Ellington hires business development head in London
Ellington Management Group has appointed Jonas Frantz to head up business development in Europe and the Middle East, according to market sources

Steinhoff CDS auction in limbo due to lock-up and CVA
A date to settle CDS referencing Steinhoff Europe had still to be agreed as Creditflux went to press — more than a month on from when the EMEA Determinations Committee (DC) ruled that the company had triggered a failure-to-pay credit event.

Credit Suisse adds special situations trading head among raft of hires
Credit Suisse has continued to build momentum in its credit business with the hire of a managing director to head special situations and loan trading with its Europe, Middle East and Africa credit products business, following on from nine others across its London and New York credit business

Jefferies subsidiary and Stonyrock plan mid-market alternative manager stake acquisitions
The new joint venture will invest in private equity, credit, hedge funds, real estate, venture, and infrastructure firms

Shenkman targets $500 million for opportunistic credit fund
Shenkman’s opportunistic fund will aim to take advantage of the volatility in the market

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.  

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.

Windstream set for high CDS pay-out as DC picks initial deliverable obligations
Windstream Holdings CDS protection holders look set for a high pay-out, as the cheapest deliverable obligations into the defaulted company’s credit event auction are quoted in the mid-20s

Arnold & Porter adds restructuring partner in New York
Arnold & Porter has bolstered its restructuring and bankruptcy practice in New York with the appointment of a former Morrison & Foerster partner

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

Sears CDS battle heats up as DC challenged to change auction rules
A high profile battle over Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp credit default swaps has taken a new turn, with one market participant challenging the Americas Determinations Committee to change its rules to avert price manipulation by another market participant in the bankrupt retailer's credit event auction

GSO co-founder plans new credit business
GSO Capital Partners co-founder Tripp Smith is launching his own credit management firm, according to a report by Bloomberg

Sears CDS external review panel named to solve Determinations Committee impasse
The North America Determinations Committee has selected an external review panel to decide whether two Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corp debt obligations can be delivered into an auction to settle the US retailer’s credit default swaps, having failed to achieve a strong enough quorum among its own 15 members

KKR promotes three European credit specialists to managing directors
KKR has promoted several members of its team to managing directors - including a former US CLO portfolio manager

Blackstone builds on multi-asset approach with fifth fund
The new vehicle will invest directly into Blackstone deals across its alternatives platform

Recent CLO debutant Vista brings in GSO official to lead credit team
Vista Credit Partners has hired a former GSO official to lead its credit team

Napier Park receives $50 million add-on from Texas pension fund
The $30.1 billion pension fund has topped up its separately managed account with Napier Park 

Akin Gump bolsters financial restructuring debt team with four partners
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has bolstered its financial restructuring and global debt finance team with a new Connecticut office and the addition of four partners

DWS and Tikehau unveil strategic alliance
The alliance will see the pair collaborate on several different alternative investment initiatives and cross-invest in respective funds

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

American Beacon teams up with Apollo for credit interval fund
Regulatory filings reveal that Apollo will allocate assets across four main areas: US corporate credit, global corporate credit, structured credit and real estate credit

Texas pension awards $175 million to distressed debt and strategic credit
The $30.1 billion Texas pension fund has mandated $175 million to Arbour Lane and Marblegate 

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