Show Notes
Mark Jochims, Head of European Private Credit at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, joins the InsuranceAUM.com Podcast to explore the evolution of European private credit and the expanding role of direct lenders across the region.
Mark explains how Europe differs from the U.S. private credit market, including its more fragmented banking system, slower pace of bank disintermediation, different borrowers and jurisdictions, and distinct supply-and-demand dynamics. He discusses why Europe should not necessarily be viewed as better than the U.S., but as a potentially differentiated source of portfolio diversification for insurance investors.
The conversation also examines the structure of direct lending, the downside protection offered by senior positions in the capital structure, and why private credit can serve as an income-generating diversifier within an insurer portfolio. Mark shares his perspective on evaluating AI exposure from the bottom up, the challenges of distinguishing among private credit managers as lending becomes increasingly competitive, and why sourcing and selectivity remain critical to long-term performance.
Mark also looks ahead at the European market, where bank lending still represents a significant share of financing and continued disintermediation may create further opportunities for private lenders. He discusses what insurers should consider when evaluating not only investment portfolios, but also the governance, ownership and stability of the managers behind them.
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