NEW YORK and
LONDON, July 25,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Apera Asset Management LLP
(Apera), a U.K.-based pan-European private debt manager in the
mid-market space, and Kudu Investment Management, LLC (Kudu), a
provider of permanent capital solutions to independent asset and
wealth managers, today announced that Kudu has made a minority
investment in Apera through an Apera affiliate. The firms are not
disclosing financial terms.
Established in 2016, Apera specializes in
providing private debt solutions to middle-market businesses,
primarily in the U.K., Germany,
Austria, Switzerland, France, Benelux, and the Nordic region. Apera
manages more than €2.6 billion, or US$2.9
billion, in assets on behalf of institutional investors in
Europe, Canada, and the
United States. To date, funds managed and advised by Apera
have made 60 investments in companies, mostly in the information
technology, healthcare, consumer discretionary, and financial
sectors.
Apera remains majority partner-owned and led by
founding partners Klaus Petersen,
David Wilmot and Robert Shaw. Apera and its affiliates have 38
employees in London, Munich, Paris
and Luxembourg. Apera will use
Kudu's investment to accelerate the growth of its business, among
other internal uses.
"The environment in Europe is receptive to credit solutions like
Apera's, and long-term prospects for European credit funds are
highly promising," Petersen said. "Kudu emerged as our preferred
strategic partner when we began exploring paths to accelerate
Apera's growth initiatives and to diversify our client base. We
value Kudu's combination of flexible capital, broad industry
knowledge, and global reach."
Apera is Kudu's third partnership in the U.K. and
Europe. In 2018, Kudu invested in
Fair Oaks Capital, a London-based
alternative credit manager. In 2019, Kudu invested in London-based Warwick Capital Partners, a
global special situations manager.
"Apera has built a well-positioned private credit
platform in the U.K. and Europe
with a talented team and a first-class operations profile," said
Rob Jakacki, Kudu CEO. "We're
delighted to partner with Klaus, David, Robert and the team to
support Apera's continued growth."
Since it was founded in 2015, New York-based Kudu has invested in 25 asset
and wealth managers located in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe and Australia. Kudu-affiliated asset and wealth
managers now collectively invest approximately $94 billion, on behalf of individual and
institutional investors worldwide in traditional and alternative
strategies and market segments. Kudu's capital partners are White
Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd., Massachusetts Mutual Life
Insurance Company (MassMutual), and Martello Re.
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP was legal counsel to
Apera. Stephenson Harwood LLP served as legal advisor to Kudu.
About Apera Asset Management LLP
Established in 2016,
Apera is a UK-based sponsor of funds acting as a pan-European
middle-market private credit investor. It operates in the U.K., the
DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) region, the Nordic region,
France and Benelux. The firm
develops long-term partnerships with private equity investors, SME
(small and midsize enterprise) borrowers, and advisors by providing
tailored financial solutions that meet both the operational needs
and growth objectives of clients, while seeking to produce superior
returns. Apera is focused on bringing a new standard of
transparency to the private debt market. For more information,
visit www.apera-am.com and Apera Asset Management on LinkedIn.
About Kudu Investment Management
Kudu
provides long-term capital solutions—including generational
ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisition and growth
finance, as well as liquidity for legacy partners—to independent
asset and wealth managers globally. Kudu was founded in 2015 and is
backed by capital partners White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd.
(NYSE: WTM), MassMutual, and Martello
Re. For more information, visit www.kuduinvestment.com and
Kudu Investment Management on LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
For Apera
Charlotte
Balbirnie/Caroline
Villiers
Kepler Communications
+44 7989 528421
+44 7808 585184
CBalbirnie@keplercomms.com
CVilliers@keplercomms.com
For Kudu
Margaret Kirch
Cohen/Richard Chimberg
Newton Park PR
+1 847-507-2229
+1 617-312-4281
margaret@newtonparkpr.com
rich@newtonparkpr.com
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SOURCE Kudu Investment Management, LLC