Specialist Summits DayMonday, 8 March 2027

How are rates and persistent inflation impacting leverage and pricing in mid‑market deals across Europe? What does the looming refinancing wave mean for sponsors and direct lenders in the mid‑market, and where are the pinch points? How do the risk/return profiles compare between the upper and lower market segments?

How are emerging managers differentiating themselves in a crowded mid-market through sector specialism, speed and creative structuring? Which fundraising strategies are delivering for first‑time funds and smaller managers? What do LPs prioritise when weighing allocations to emerging managers versus established firms in the mid-market?

How are mid-market GPs evolving their structural terms, such as PIK toggles and co-investments, to maintain strong yield alignment with LPs? With borrower leverage remaining complex, how are mid-market lenders innovating maintenance covenants and covenant-lite structures to protect downside risk? How are deal structures being adapted to handle the unique tax, currency, and multi-jurisdictional enforcement risks found in fast-growing regions across Europe?

How is increased European defence spending creating new loan opportunities for mid-market suppliers? Where are lenders finding the cleanest risk-adjusted returns in commercial aerospace, dual-use technologies and traditional defence maintenance and logistics? How are GPs navigating the complex ethical boundaries of defence lending, and how are LPs shifting their ESG exclusion frameworks to accommodate national security assets?

What makes the Benelux mid-market structurally unique compared to the rest of Europe, and how do its high corporate transparency and distinct local banking cultures alter the risk profile for incoming funds? How are regulatory shifts and local bank consolidation across the Netherlands and Belgium accelerating adoption of private credit? Which local industries, like digital infrastructure and logistics, are generating the most attractive returns?