Nomura International in London has hired Santiago Corral from AIG-MezzVest, a mezzanine buying fund associated with American International Group in London, to set up a senior mezzanine fund. The fund will buy portfolios of senior mezzanine loans made to support buyouts and re-financings of European companies, such as the public-to-private transaction for U.K. retailer DFS in July. In this deal, Nomura was the sole underwriter on £370 million of senior and subordinated debt.
Corral reports to Gary Wilder, co-head of the asset finance group in London. Wilder said the senior mezzanine fund is part of Nomura's newly created strategic platforms group, which will also manage a junior mezzanine fund due to launch in the first quarter of 2005, as well as the equity positions Nomura takes alongside its investment partners.
At AIG-MezzVest, Corral reported to Lemy Gresh, who set up the fund in April 2000. Gresh was out of the office last week and could not be reached by press time.
