Loans and High Yield

Vereker goes to JP Morgan — SG picks new CEEMEA DCM head — Goldman names new cross markets head

Jes Staley’s strategy has been vindicated, with Barclays’s corporate finance bankers having a banner year. But it has to invest in its European franchise to cement its credentials as the region’s leading investment bank, says David Rothnie.

Tikehau Capital has taken over a US high yield fund formerly managed by Semper Capital Management, bringing over the portfolio managers that run it as well. It is part of the firm’s plan to rebalance its business and boost its liquid strategies offering.

French fashion house Isabel Marant made its high yield bond debut this week with a €200m dividend recap deal.

Anglo Pacific Group, the London-listed, mining resources royalty company, has amended and extended its dollar revolving credit facility, which has now tripled in the last few years.

Leveraged credit markets are powering ahead with a jam-packed issuance calendar, despite a wobble on Monday when credit indices widened a little on fears about the coronavirus epidemic. On Tuesday spreads firmed up again, though, and bankers bringing new issues have barely broken a sweat all week.

UPC, part of Liberty Global’s European telecoms empire, is marketing dollar and euro term loan ‘B’s to pay off a $1.14bn issue of 5.375% senior secured notes. The refinancing comes only a few months after Sunrise cancelled its takeover of UPC’s Swiss business — to the disappointed of Liberty.

Intermediate Capital Group, the UK alternative asset manager rated BBB by Fitch, is in the market for a seven year euro bond on Tuesday, according to two bankers away from the deal.

Jens Lindqvist and Brough Ransom have moved from N+1 Singer to Investec to cover healthcare.

Olaf Diaz-Pintado has been named head of Goldman Sachs’s cross markets group for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while the bank has appointed new regional heads for its financial and strategic investors group.

Czech lottery firm Sazka ventured into the euro high yield market again this week, issuing €300m of seven-year senior unsecured notes. The deal comes after Sazka made a successful debut in mid-November.

Romanian telecoms giant Digi issued an €800m bond this week, offering investors exposure to risky but fast-growing eastern European economies. Digi is joining the long list of companies taking advantage of exceptionally favourable refinancing conditions in European high yield.