Apollo appoints private credit head for Japan
Apollo Global Management has appointed Kazuo Yamataka to lead its private credit strategy in Japan.
Yamataka is Apollo’s first hire in Japanese private credit, and he will also handle hybrid strategies in the country, according to Bloomberg News. These hybrid strategies might involve convertible bonds that can be both a debt and equity play.
Yamataka was previously vice president of special situations at Tokyo-based private equity firm MBK Partners. He also spent seven years at Morgan Stanley in the M&A advisory department.
Apollo is looking to expand its presence in the country, amid a flurry of interest in Japanese private credit.
Read more: Apollo’s credit unit ramps up ESG credentials
Last month it was reported that KKR is considering entering the private credit market in Japan, and in April, Canadian asset manager Fiera Capital hired its first head of Japan to expand its institutional distribution in the country, with private credit a key focus.
New York’s Siguler Guff & Co has also been making new hires in Japan over the past year in roles which include selling private debt products.
Japan has been identified as a possible growth market for private credit managers due to the strength of its economy, while rising inflation has led to a rise in investors seeking out higher-paying assets such as private debt.
Read more: Apollo exec forecasts rise in hybrid bank/private credit deals
