Citigroup Inc. and HPS Investment Partners, the private credit unit affiliated with BlackRock Inc., announced a collaborative direct-lending initiative on Monday that aims to source and finance subordinated and senior loans across Europe. Branded the Citi/HPS Private Capital Program, the partnership targets up to €15 billion of financings to be transacted over the next five years.
The program will concentrate on sub-investment grade debt for both corporate borrowers and private equity sponsors in continental Europe and the United Kingdom. Citi will contribute origination and structuring capabilities while HPS will provide the capital and make the ultimate credit decisions and loan commitments.
Citigroup’s co-head of global debt capital markets, John McAuley, described the arrangement as one where HPS supplies the capital and conducts the final credit approval, and Citi supplies the sourcing and transaction structuring. The two firms will jointly evaluate potential deals to determine whether to proceed.
The collaboration encompasses both senior and junior credit solutions and is set to expand beyond Europe, with plans to eventually include opportunities in the Middle East. The initiative mirrors a strategy Citigroup introduced in the United States two years ago, extending the model to European markets.
Industry dynamics underpinning the tie-up include banks’ interest in preserving fee-based revenue without deploying additional balance-sheet capacity in an environment of higher capital requirements. At the same time, private credit managers face pressure to deploy substantial investor capital and broaden their deal pipelines. The Citi/HPS program intends to draw on Citigroup’s network of client relationships, distribution channels, and financing expertise to generate deal flow for HPS’s capital.
Under the terms described, Citi will lead origination and structuring activities and collaborate with HPS on transaction selection, while HPS will control capital provision and credit adjudication. The program is positioned to address financing needs across the sub-investment grade spectrum and to offer both senior and subordinated structures to borrowers and sponsors.
Additional context
- The partnership focuses on sub-investment grade lending across continental Europe and the United Kingdom.
- It targets up to €15 billion of financings over a five-year period.
- Plans include eventual expansion of the collaboration to markets in the Middle East.