Video | Edwin Wilches, Co-Head of Securitised Products, PGIM Fixed Income

As investment in the private credit asset class continues to evolve, private ABF has a key role to play as the next wave of bank disintermediation unfolds. In this exclusive interview Edwin discusses how asset-based finance distinguishes itself within the broader private credit landscape, the opportunity set the asset class offers investors and how to assess risk and avoid unintended exposures in portfolios.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:23 - Can you explain the major drivers behind the growing interest in private credit as an asset class?

1:29 - How does asset-based finance distinguish itself within the broader private credit landscape?

3:08 - Some concerns raised by investors in private ABF and (public) ABS is the lack of visibility on underlying credit risks. How do you assess those risks and avoid getting unintended exposures?

4:51 - What trends or opportunities do you see evolving within the asset-based financing space for investors?

6:31 - How can middle-market borrowers benefit from asset-based finance, especially compared to more traditional credit options?

8:21 - What risks should investors stay mindful of when engaging with asset-based finance in the current economic environment?

Video | Gareth Abley, Co-Head of Alternative Strategies, MLC Asset Management

In this exclusive interview Gareth shares his insights from nearly two decades investing in Insurance Linked Securities as an institutional investor, discussing what makes the asset class structurally attractive in the current environment, how to implement a successful exposure and the pitfalls for investors to avoid along their journey navigating the asset class.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:26 - What are some unique features of Insurance Linked Securities that make it an attractive asset class for institutional investors, especially in the context of diversifying portfolios?

2:36 - What drives the positive expected return in Insurance Linked Securities and what are some of the key risks investors need to be attuned to?

5:34 - Could you explain the differences between public and private Insurance Linked Securities? What unique opportunities does each segment present for investors?

8:35 - How would you rate the attractiveness of Insurance Linked Securities today compared to the last 17 years you have been investing in the space?

10:56 - What are some of the key tricks to implementing a successful exposure to Insurance Linked Securities?

Video | Robin Doumar, Founder & Managing Partner, Park Square Capital

In this exclusive interview Robin shares his unique insights on the opportunity set in private credit today across Europe and the US, including how investors may consider positioning their portfolios in the current environment. He provides his perspectives on how LPs can keep loss rates to a minimum and guard against missteps when investing in the asset class and discusses how investors can distinguish between good and bad credit.

Watch the full interview which covers:

00:21 - As a credit investor, how are you positioning your portfolio in the current environment?

1:17 - How would you characterise the opportunity set in credit today in Europe vs. the US?

3:00 - How did you first figure out what good credit versus bad credit looks like?

3:50 - Your loss rates are best in class, what do you attribute that to?

4:35 - With the flow of capital into the private credit space, what advice can you provide to LPs to guard against missteps?

Video | Joe Moroney, Partner, Co-Head of Global Corporate Credit and Head of Sustainable Finance, Apollo

In this exclusive interview Joe explores the structural and market forces behind the rise of private investment grade credit, including why borrowers are increasingly turning to private markets over public, how regulatory change is reshaping the relationship between banks and alternative asset managers, and why asset-backed solutions are gaining traction over traditional corporate debt.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:25 - What are some of the reasons investment grade borrowers might seek to raise private capital, when they have ample access to public investment grade markets?

2:12 - When considering adding private investment grade credit to a portfolio, where have you seen clients look to implement it within their overall asset allocation buckets?

3:19 - How durable is the spread premium available today in private investment grade credit over the long term?

5:10 - What are some of the benefits of asset backed finance versus traditional corporate debt?

6:22 - How has regulation impacted the relationship between banks and alternative asset managers?

Video | Phil Strano, Head of Australian Credit Research, Yarra Capital Management

With volatility in equity markets, investors are rethinking their portfolio positioning. In this exclusive interview Phil discusses the role Australian multi-sector credit can play in achieving outperformance, the key dynamics driving tailwinds in the asset class and why investors should consider it as a great diversifier to Australian private credit, which has experienced rapid growth in recent years.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:23 - How are interest rates and the recent tariff shocks impacting the relative value of Australian credit compared to offshore markets?

1:34 - Given the exponential growth in Australian private credit, what are the key risks investors need to consider?

3:37 - With investment-grade (IG) credit yields now offering returns comparable to long-term equity returns, how should investors think about balancing credit and equity allocations in the current environment?

4:45 - Why are multi-sector credit strategies considered optimal for achieving higher risk-adjusted returns, and what advantages do Australian credit markets specifically offer?

5:33 - As global equity valuations remain elevated and government bond curves steepen, what role does Australian investment-grade credit play in building a resilient portfolio?

Video | Brad Bauer, Chief Executive Officer, Värde Partners

In this exclusive interview Brad discusses the evolution of private credit globally and shares his long-term outlook for the asset class. He explores how asset owners can build more diversified exposures, where the most attractive opportunities lie, across strategies and geographies, and outlines the critical factors investors should focus on to achieve success in the rapidly evolving private credit landscape.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:24 - What is your long-term outlook for private credit? How do you see the industry evolving? 

1:23 - How can LPs diversify their private credit exposure? 

2:43 - Where do you see the most attractive investment opportunities in private credit across regions? 

4:18 - Where do you see the opportunity in RE credit and why do you think this is attractive? 

5:56 - What are the key success factors when investing in private credit strategies? 

Video | Qiao Ma, Partner & Portfolio Manager, Munro Partners

In this exclusive interview Qiao discusses why investors should be excited about the opportunity set in small-mid cap stocks. Faster growing than their large cap peers, yet trading at a discount; but the key to success in the asset class remains, how to pick the winners.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:31 - Munro Partners manage Global Growth equity strategies across long/short, long only and climate. In 2023 Munro launched a Global Growth Small/Mid Cap strategy which you lead and manage. Why the decision to launch a Global Small/Mid Cap strategy?

1:35 - How do you go about finding great small/mid cap companies?

2:41 - The global small-mid cap (SMID) universe is large, so from a team coverage perspective, how do you manage this?

3:46 - Moving down the market cap spectrum and investing in the faster growing companies potentially delivers higher returns but with potentially more volatility or risk? How do you manage this for your investors?

5:02 - The size premium (small market cap relative to large) has proved to deliver excess returns over time relative to the market. Will the size premium continue to persist and why?

Video | Kevin Marchetti, Co-Head of Direct Lending and Chief Credit Officer, Man Varagon

In this exclusive interview Kevin discusses best practice in building and managing direct lending portfolios, what investors should be asking when evaluating new and existing managers as part of their due diligence and risk management processes, and how he expects the asset class to evolve in the years ahead.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:23 - How has the private credit market, and in particular direct lending, evolved in recent years? How do you expect it to evolve in the coming years?

1:15 - What segment of the direct lending market does Man Varagon target, and why?

1:53 - What is best practice in direct lending portfolio construction from Man Varagon’s perspective?

2:31 - How does your approach to direct lending portfolio construction inform your due diligence and risk management processes?

4:02 - What questions should investors be asking when evaluating new and existing direct lending manager relationships?

Video | Cathy Bevan, Head of Structured Credit, BSP-Alcentra (Franklin Templeton)

In this exclusive interview Cathy discusses what Collateralised Loan Obligations (CLOs) are, how investors use them in portfolios, the common misconceptions about CLOs, the many lessons learned throughout her career navigating global markets, and the key to achieving long-term success in the asset class.

Watch the full interview which covers:

0:19 - What are CLOs and how do investors use them in portfolios?

1:41 - What are the common misconceptions about CLOs?

3:37 - How does having a global approach to investing in CLOs set your team up for success?

5:24 - What are the key benefits of an opportunistic fund that invests in third party CLOs compared to a captive equity fund?

9:44 - When investing in CLOs, how do you assess risk in the underlying collateral portfolios?

11:45 - Why is it important to assess the style and performance of CLO managers?

15:23 - What is your top lesson learned from your significant experience as a CLO investor?  

Video | Lucas Hartmann, Former Head of Equities, Fixed Income & Alternatives, NGS Super; Founder & CEO, BeanTree Advisors

In this exclusive interview Lucas discusses an institutional approach to investment manager selection and due diligence and shares actionable insights for achieving desired investment outcomes over the long term.

Watch the full interview which covers:

00:23 - What are the key factors investors should consider when selecting investment managers?

03:23 - When looking at an investment manager’s track record, how do you separate skill from luck?

04:31 - What are some tips you can share for gaining valuable insights from due diligence meetings with managers?

06:12 - What is the ‘right’ fee to pay an active manager? 

07:34 - Investment due diligence tends to focus on selecting managers, how should investors decide when it is time to terminate a manager?

Video | Syed Zamil, Senior Investment Strategist, Insight Investment

In this exclusive interview Syed discusses the benefits of a systematic approach to bond investing and how it can be applied to capitalise on the tailwinds driving opportunities in “Falling Angels”.

Watch the full interview which covers:

00:23 - Can you run us through the difference between a ‘fallen angel’ and ‘falling knife’ and how you can tell the difference when purchasing those bonds?

01:58 - Systematic equities have been popular for a long time, but systematic fixed income isn’t as popular. Why is that and why is systematic fixed income on the rise now?

03:33 - What are the benefits of a systematic approach, compared to a traditional discretionary approach, when accessing fallen angels

05:09 - What technological advancements have allowed Insight to be more efficient and effective in the way you invest?

07:03 - Tariffs are affecting all areas of global markets, is this dislocation a good thing for fallen angels (bonds) and, if so, why?