Bahrain’s Investcorp buys US private credit manager for $200 million

TDT | Manama                 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com 

Investcorp is buying US private credit manager Marble Point for about $200 million as the Bahrain-based investment manager significantly boosts its presence in US credit markets at a time of higher interest rates, according to Financial Times.

Founded in Bahrain in the 1980s, Investcorp manages $42.7 billion of assets and once owned large stakes in Gucci and Saks Fifth Avenue.

In recent years it has become a diversified alternative asset manager, with units dedicated to corporate buyouts, credit investments, real estate and infrastructure.

It manages money on behalf of institutions globally and wealthy individuals in the Middle East.

“We are seeing good demand for private credit and it is timely for us to be doubling down in the space and building scale,” said Rishi Kapoor, co-chief executive of Investcorp, in an interview.

“What you find in the Middle East, it is much less negative and in some cases a positive sentiment.”

Investcorp will be paying about $200m for Marble Point, which is owned by US credit investor Eagle Point Credit Management, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Marble Point has largely focused its business on investing in the US loan market, including issuing and managing collateralised loan obligations, known as CLOs.

The firm manages $7.8bn and, once the takeover by Investcorp is completed, the combined firm will oversee $22bn in credit assets.

Investcorp said the deal would make it one of the top 15 managers of CLOs.