Creditflux

Danish pension fund eyes niche credit opportunities
PensionDanmark is preparing for more volatility in 2019 by casting its eye towards niche opportunities in the special situations and distressed debt market. The Copenhagen-based pension fund last month merged its alternatives and private debt platforms

Montana pension considers direct lending fund
Montana Board of Investments, the US pension fund, is planning to discuss on new private equity commitments on its board meeting on 2 April, according to the agenda documents seen by Creditflux.  

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.  

Italian manager launches fund for private debt opportunities
DeA Capital Alternative Funds, an Italian asset manager, has launched an alternatives fund to target global private debt investments, along with investments in private equity and infrastructure  

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  

US institution eyes credit as part of private equity expansion
University System of New Hampshire (USNH) looks to add credit commitments into its private equity portfolio, as part of the asset class new target allocation.

UK pension allocates £900 million to four private debt managers
The £21.9 billion pension fund has awarded £900 million to three private debt managers and one real estate debt manager, according to 6 March board minutes

Texas pension fund creates new credit bucket
The Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) has approved a 3% opportunistic credit allocation, according to documents from an investment advisory committee meeting in March seen by Creditflux  

European regulators lower Solvency II capital charges for private debt
The European Commission has amended Solvency II rules to make it easier for insurance companies to invest in private debt and private equity

Massachusetts pension seeks multi-sector bond managers
Massachusetts Water Resource Authority Employees’ Retirement System has launched a request for proposals in which it opens the search for multi-sector and specialty lending bond managers  

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    

Los Angeles pension to shortlist managers for private credit mandate
Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS) is set to short-listed six firms as semi-finalists as part of a $670 million private credit mandate.  

Danske hires PensionDanmark's alternative investment head
Danske Bank Asset Management has appointed a head of alternative investments

Italian pension fund seeks loan exposure through direct lending and large cap loan funds
Intesa Sanpaolo’s defined contribution pension scheme has issued a tender notice seeking senior secured loans and direct lending funds to invest in.  

Pimco targets securitisation-friendly assets for $1 billion fund
Pimco is winning US pension fund support for a strategy geared towards purchasing what it describes as private credit assets “that have historically been securitised”

Unlevered direct lending funds bring in first-time investors
Unlevered direct lending funds are particularly appealing to first-time investors and one of the biggest managers in the business has taken note of this

Swedish pension AMF replaces head of asset management
AMF has appointed a new head of asset management, effective from April  

Oklahoma pension backs Pimco's evergreen credit fund
Oklahoma Firefighters Pension & Retirement System has decided to commit $75 million to Pimco Private Income Investment Strategy, according to minutes from the US pension fund’s board meeting in January.  

Beechbrook completes £128 million first close for UK direct lending fund
The manager's second UK-focused sponsorless fund has gained the attention of British Business Bank 

East Sussex pension injects £60 million into real estate debt
East Sussex Pension Fund (ESPF), the £3.3bn public pension fund, has decided to commit £60m to M&G Real Estate Debt VI Fund (RED VI).  

Texas pension commits $200 million to credit
Texas County and District Retirement System (TCDRS) has earmarked $200 million for investments in strategic credit and direct lending in 2019, according to board documents seen by Creditflux  

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  

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

Los Angeles pension seeks high yield managers
Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System has launched a request for proposals, searching for firms to manage up to $216 million each in a mix of high yield strategies, through separately managed accounts