2020 Agenda 2022
8.30
Registration and morning coffee
9:00
Chairperson’s welcome and opening remarks
9:10
Opening panel session
State of the market: what does the future look like for mid-market debt?
- War in Ukraine, supply chain disruption, energy prices, rising interest rates and inflation: how are the macro headwinds affecting the cost, availability, and appetite for debt?
- What has been the impact on existing portfolios?
- What strategies are managers using to take advantage of the bifurcation in the market?
- Predictions for 2023: how will the market adapt through a potential downturn?
9:50
Panel session
Borrowers’ perspective: sourcing debt in today’s crowded market
- What are the biggest changes that have been seen in terms of sourcing finance over the past 12 months? How easy has it been to secure funding?
- What rates should borrowers expect? How do you determine what ‘normal’ looks like in a rapidly changing market?
- Traditional vs. non-traditional debt: which do borrowers prefer and why? What are the pros and cons of each type of financing?
- Relationship lending: does it really exist or is lending purely transaction driven? What are the key characteristics borrowers look for in a lender?
10:30
Case study
Portability of leveraged debt facilities
10:45
Coffee & networking
11:15
Panel session
Analysing the mid-market lending landscape
- How competitive is mid-market lending today? What is the role of banks, debt funds, insurance companies and alternative lenders?
- How are lenders differentiating themselves beyond pricing and documentation?
- What factors separate good sponsors from bad? Has COVID-19 impacted who and what lenders will finance moving forwards?
- How are lenders competing in the context of innovative products?
11:55
Panel session
Fundraising: how are investors viewing the opportunity set in private debt?
- How is the macro environment affecting fundraising? To what extent has investor sentiment shifted in the face of inflation and rising interest rates?
- How are investors allocating to private debt? What structures and products are investors using to gain access to the debt markets?
- How are investors assessing the risk/return profile of specialist versus conventional debt strategies?
- How are investors’ selecting their debt managers? What are the key elements to look for?
12:35
Case study
Expanding overseas: best practice for cross-border debt facilities
12:50
Lunch & networking
13:50
(running concurrently)
WORKSHOP STREAM A: Best practice: structuring loans to protect against future uncertainties
- Structural considerations for multi-lender, multi-tranche deals
- Terms are changing: what covenants should you expect?
- What new clauses do you need to be aware of?
WORKSHOP STREAM B: Analysing the growing importance of ESG in debt strategies
- What are investors’ expectations for engagement of ESG?
- How far has the implementation of ESG come?
- How are sustainability metrics being included in decision making?
14:30
(running concurrently)
WORKSHOP STREAM A: Loan restructuring and workouts
- How to efficiently structure workouts
- Managing defaults and dealing with enforcement issues
- Are restructuring and creditor negotiations the only way to clear indebtedness?
WORKSHOP STREAM B: Reducing greenwashing: SFDR in focus
- What do the SFDR regulations look like and are they working effectively?
- Does the new regulation and the increase in ESG criteria actually lead to a change in behaviour?
- How is ESG being incorporated into underwriting for article 8 and 9 funds?
15:10
Coffee & networking
15:40
Panel session
Beyond traditional sponsor-backed lending: the rise of specialty and niche finance
- What are the pros and cons of asset-based and sector-focused lending strategies?
- Annual recurring revenue (ARR) strategies: how can lenders reconcile it with a cashflow-based approach?
- Sponsor-less lending: how does the origination, execution and performance compare?
- What’s next? Emerging growth areas in specialty and niche finance.
16:20
Champagne roundtable discussions
A: Asset-backed lending (ABL)
B: Fund finance and NAV loans
C: Opportunities in distressed debt and special situations
D: Venture and growth debt strategies
17:00
Chair’s closing remarks
17:05