SG Corporate & Investment Banking is shooting to be operational with a leveraged finance business in the U.S. by October. The French-banking giant is looking to build on its European sponsor and investor relationships, where it is a top-three arranger, noted Rene de Laigue, global head of leveraged and acquisition finance.
In recent years U.S. sponsors, such as The Blackstone Group, The Carlyle Group and Bain Capital, have become an increasingly important part of the European leveraged buyout landscape. In addition, in the past 18-months the investor base has also transformed. "There is a global leveraged loan market," said de Laigue, commenting on the growth of collateralized debt obligations managed by U.S. firms.
The business will offer the entire spectrum of debt necessary for leveraged buyouts and sub-investment grade deals. This includes term loans, revolvers, capex lines; mezzanine and subordinated debt, with and without warrants, and high-yield. The firm will also offer securitization and hedging.
