M&G hires Allianz GI’s Emmanuel Deblanc to lead private markets business
M&G Investments has appointed Allianz Global Investors’ Emmanuel Deblanc (pictured) to lead its £74bn private markets business.
The investment firm said that private markets investment is central to its growth ambitions in asset management and it is aiming to become “the European champion for private assets”.
Deblanc, who will hold the title of chief investment officer, has more than 25 years’ experience, most recently at Allianz Global Investors where he led and developed its private markets capability and was instrumental in building out the company’s private debt franchise.
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Prior to that, he spent nine years at BNP Paribas, where he held the position of co-head of its debt advisory and financing team.
Deblanc will report to Joseph Pinto, chief executive of M&G Investments, and will be based in London. He joins on 14 March 2024.
“I am confident that Emmanuel’s combination of extensive investment experience and a track record of delivery, will help M&G to realise its ambition of being the go-to asset manager for investors seeking exposure to European assets by focusing on high value-add solutions built around client needs, that deliver attractive and sustainable margins,” said Pinto.
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“Private markets is an area where long-term investors remain attracted to the diversification benefits on offer, typically with higher returns and lower volatility, and as the opportunities evolve, is an area with the potential to play a key role in impact investing.”
Deblanc added: “The past 15 years have turbocharged the growth of private markets and the next decade is poised to be equally as exciting as the industry evolves to meet the needs of both clients and societies, whether it is by broadening access through tokenisation or by investing in infrastructure, real estate and companies that shape the world around us. I am looking forward to joining M&G as they have all the ingredients for success – excellent investment capabilities, financial fire power from the asset owner and an ambition to grow and innovate to meet the needs of clients.”
M&G’s private markets business has over two decades of experience investing in private credit, structured credit, impact and private equity, real estate and infrastructure.
It manages £20bn of European corporate lending assets and in 2023, it launched its first European Long-Term Investment Fund (ELTIF) which is focused on private credit. It also re-entered the CLO market last year with an ESG aligned fund
