Bank of Ireland formed a partnership with Kennedy Lewis, a U.S.-based multi strategy private credit manager. The partnership will focus on originating and jointly deploying bank-led financing solutions for European mid-market buyouts. Kennedy Lewis has committed €2 billion to support the partnership’s activity over the next three years.
The partnership brings together Bank of Ireland’s European leveraged finance platform, operating from Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Madrid and Paris, with Kennedy Lewis’s capital base and U.S. lending expertise. The joint initiative will deliver tailored financing solutions to mid-market private equity sponsors across bilateral, club and syndicated loan structures.
“We are delighted to partner with Kennedy Lewis to deliver a differentiated offering to our pan European mid-market private equity clients- a core focus of our business for more than 25 years,” Michael Lauhoff, head of specialist banking at Bank of Ireland, said. “This partnership enhances our ability to provide attractive alternative financing solutions to sponsors and enables both institutions to support a significantly enhanced product proposition. Kennedy Lewis is an ideal partner, sharing our values and bringing deep expertise in mid-market transactions from the U.S. We see this as being the beginning of a long and successful relationship.”
Doug Logigan, president and co-managing partner at Kennedy Lewis, said, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Bank of Ireland, one of Europe’s pre-eminent leveraged finance platforms. This partnership will provide Bank of Ireland clients with an expanded one-stop shop for debt solutions that will offer flexibility, certainty and expediency. Kennedy Lewis investors will gain exclusive access to differentiated deal flow from a partner who is deeply aligned with our investment philosophy and culture of risk management.”
David Chene, co-founder and co-managing partner of Kennedy Lewis, said, “This strategic partnership perfectly aligns with our relationship-driven approach to middle market lending, and we are excited to continue to expand our current European capabilities. Bank of Ireland’s scale, incumbency and values make them an ideal long-term partner, and we look forward to a very productive relationship.”
Bank of Ireland was advised by PWC Corporate Finance and Linklaters. Kennedy Lewis was advised by Akin Gump and Walkers Ireland.
