Alantra strengthens its Italian presence by incorporating Private Debt operations and completes its first investment

• Alantra’s Private Debt business has expanded its operations to the Italian market, which will be led by Alberto Pierotti (Managing Director)  

• The team has completed its first local investment via its corporate direct lending strategy, by financing the acquisition of HolwegWeber – a designer and assembler of machinery to produce paper bags – by  private equity fund, Ambienta

• This announcement further strengthens Alantra’s presence in Italy, where it currently employs over 40 professionals across its Investment Banking, Credit Portfolio, Alternative Asset Management, and Private Capital businesses

• Alantra’s private debt business has also completed its first investment in France through its real estate debt fund – financing the acquisition of a French urban logistics asset, with funds Pictet and Freo

Milan / Paris, 23 November 2022 – Alantra, the global independent asset management and investment banking firm, has strengthened its presence in Italy by incorporating Private Debt operations in Milan. The announcement further strengthens Alantra’s presence in Italy, where it currently employs over 40 professionals across its Investment Banking, Credit Portfolio, Alternative Asset Management, and Private Capital businesses.

Alantra’s private debt investments will be led by Alberto Pierotti (Managing Director), who joined the firm in early 2022 and was previously based in the team’s headquarters in Madrid. Alberto Pierotti’s recent experience includes an 11-year tenure with Avenue Capital, most recently as Managing Director in the European team focusing on public and private credit in several Western European sectors and jurisdictions, where he developed specific expertise in the Italian market.

This announcement represents a new milestone in the internationalization and growth ambitions of Alantra’s Private Debt business, one of the leading providers of alternative credit for mid-sized companies, in new European markets.

Alantra Private Debt will invest in Italy by providing long-term and flexible senior debt instruments from €10m to €30m aimed at supporting medium-sized companies in all sectors, including commercial real estate. Alantra will favor investments with a strong ESG policy and sustainable characteristics.

Alantra’s corporate direct lending strategy has participated in its first transaction out of its Italian office, a unitranche facility arranged by LGT Private Debt to support the acquisition of HolwegWeber, a designer and assembler of machinery to produce paper bags, by Ambienta, a European environmental sustainability investor across private and public markets founded in Italy over 25 years ago. Ambienta will combine HolwegWeber with its existing Italian portfolio company In.Pack Machinery, creating a global player in machinery for flexible, sustainable packaging.

“Alantra Asset Management is quickly internationalizing its Private Debt division, having successfully executed transactions in Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, and Italy over the past few months. Our highly talented team of international professionals has extensive experience executing deals in multiple European jurisdictions, and Alantra Private Debt is now able to provide a comprehensive pan-European offering to its clients,” said Luis Felipe Castellanos, Managing Partner of Alantra Private Debt.

“Italy is a key pillar of our European Private Debt strategy, and we see tremendous opportunities in the local market. We believe that a stable presence in Milan will allow us to effectively support entrepreneurs, private equity investors, and family businesses in their future growth strategies. We particularly welcome the opportunity to partner with Ambienta and support HolwegWeber and In.Pack’s next phase of international development,” said Alberto Pierotti, Managing Director of Alantra Private Debt.

First transaction in the French market

Alantra’s private debt business has also reached a new milestone in its geographical expansion with its first investment in France, completed by its European Real Estate debt fund.

The transaction consists of the financing for the acquisition of a last mile logistic asset located in Montreuil, Paris by Pictet Alternative Advisors and Freo Group and benefits from support by the EGF Guarantee Instrument, implemented by the European Investment Fund with the financial backing of the Member States contributing to the EGF. The 9,000 sqm warehouse has a prime location within the A86 Paris ring road and highways A3/A4.

Jaime Cano, Partner of Alantra Private Debt, commented: “We are delighted to support Pictet and Freo in their new joint strategy on logistic assets. We are believers in the asset class in which we have already invested in other jurisdictions and Paris, as one of the main European logistic hubs. This investment represents the seventh transaction closed out of our European Real Estate debt fund”.

In Private Debt, Alantra has more than €1.2bn in AUMs through its direct investment business and strategic partnerships.