Lyes ArezkiPortfolio Manager – Private Markets at UMRInterviewee, Panellist
Profile
Lyes Arezki is a Portfolio Manager at UMR, one of France’s leading pension institutions, where he oversees private debt investments across both fund commitments and direct lending transactions.
He played a central role in establishing UMR’s direct private debt investment programme, leading the sourcing, underwriting and execution of transactions while contributing to the institution’s broader strategic shift towards more active private markets exposure. His responsibilities also include manager selection, portfolio construction and participation in strategic asset allocation discussions across private markets.
As part of UMR’s long-term investment approach, he contributes to the institution’s “Ageing Well” strategy, which seeks to align capital deployment with the demographic and societal challenges associated with ageing populations, while delivering sustainable long-term returns for beneficiaries.
Prior to joining UMR, Lyes held investment roles at Portzamparc (BNP Paribas Group) and MAIF, focusing on equity research, fund selection and investment analysis. This combined analytical and institutional background now informs his approach to private markets, where he blends bottom-up conviction with disciplined risk assessment.
He is also a lecturer in finance at the IAE School of Management of Caen, where he teaches financial analysis and valuation to Master-level students. He is a regular speaker at leading international private markets conferences, contributing to discussions on private credit, infrastructure and long-term institutional investment.
Lyes is a member of the AIF Global Future Leaders programme and the founder of SILT, a forum dedicated to long-term institutional investors. His work focuses on bridging institutional capital with innovative private markets solutions and promoting responsible long-term investment practices.