Key Takeaways
- • Apollo Global Management launched European Credit Company (ECC) on 2 November 2026, a pan-European performing credit platform with financing power above 10 billion euros, according to a press release cited by BeBeez International.
- • ECC attracted backing from Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), Athora, Norinchukin Bank, Standard Chartered, Aranda Principal Strategies, and other investors.
- • Giacomo Petrobelli will serve as CEO and Christian Meissner as chairman; the vehicle already has offices in Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, and Milan.
- • Apollo's credit business accounted for over 80% of its total assets under management, with credit AUM of $849.3 billion at the end of 2Q26 and $46 billion of dry powder.
- • ECC will prioritise energy transition, defence, digital and traditional infrastructure, lending to large-cap and mid-market firms, financial sponsors and real asset owners.
Summary
Apollo Global Management, the NYSE-listed alternative asset manager, said on 2 November 2026 that it had launched European Credit Company (ECC), a pan-European platform for performing credit with financing power of above 10 billion euros, according to the press release reported by BeBeez International. The vehicle is designed to meet demand for alternative financing from European companies, private equity sponsors, and investors in infrastructure and property.
ECC has attracted the resources and support of Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), Athora, a European insurer that is part of the Apollo ecosystem, Norinchukin Bank, Standard Chartered, Aranda Principal Strategies, and other investors. Giacomo Petrobelli will act as chief executive and Christian Meissner as chairman. The platform is already present in Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, and Milan, with plans to expand into other European markets in the coming quarters.
ECC will operate across traditional, corporate and asset-backed lending to large-cap and mid-market firms, financial sponsors and real asset owners. Apollo intends to prioritise energy transition and transmission, defence, digital and traditional infrastructure. The vehicle will act as a financing originator, acquiring exposures through strategic partnerships with European financial institutions and drawing on the lending platform Apollo has already developed in the region. The model combines local origination capabilities, banking-sector relationships and access to international institutional capital.
Credit is central to Apollo's strategy, accounting for over 80% of the firm's total assets under management. At the end of 2Q26, Apollo reported credit AUM of $849.3 billion, with dry powder of $46 billion, out of total AUM of just under $1,048 billion. In the second quarter alone, Apollo originated $74 billion of new assets, bringing twelve-month origination to $317 billion.
Apollo also views Italy as an attractive market and has built distribution partnerships for its private credit strategies with private banks and wealth managers. These include Banca Investis (June 2026) for the Apollo European Private Credit ELTIF, Cherry Bank (January 2026), Fundstore and Trade Republic (2025), Unicredit and Deutsche Bank (2024), and Mediobanca Private Banking (2023).
In quoting the launch, Petrobelli described ECC as stemming from a "once-in-a-generation opportunity to mobilise large amounts of global capital" to finance Europe's long-term growth. Apollo chairman Jim Zelter said the global industrial resurgence is generating large financing needs in Europe across energy transition, defence, and digital and traditional infrastructure.
ECC has attracted the resources and support of Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), Athora, a European insurer that is part of the Apollo ecosystem, Norinchukin Bank, Standard Chartered, Aranda Principal Strategies, and other investors. Giacomo Petrobelli will act as chief executive and Christian Meissner as chairman. The platform is already present in Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, and Milan, with plans to expand into other European markets in the coming quarters.
ECC will operate across traditional, corporate and asset-backed lending to large-cap and mid-market firms, financial sponsors and real asset owners. Apollo intends to prioritise energy transition and transmission, defence, digital and traditional infrastructure. The vehicle will act as a financing originator, acquiring exposures through strategic partnerships with European financial institutions and drawing on the lending platform Apollo has already developed in the region. The model combines local origination capabilities, banking-sector relationships and access to international institutional capital.
Credit is central to Apollo's strategy, accounting for over 80% of the firm's total assets under management. At the end of 2Q26, Apollo reported credit AUM of $849.3 billion, with dry powder of $46 billion, out of total AUM of just under $1,048 billion. In the second quarter alone, Apollo originated $74 billion of new assets, bringing twelve-month origination to $317 billion.
Apollo also views Italy as an attractive market and has built distribution partnerships for its private credit strategies with private banks and wealth managers. These include Banca Investis (June 2026) for the Apollo European Private Credit ELTIF, Cherry Bank (January 2026), Fundstore and Trade Republic (2025), Unicredit and Deutsche Bank (2024), and Mediobanca Private Banking (2023).
In quoting the launch, Petrobelli described ECC as stemming from a "once-in-a-generation opportunity to mobilise large amounts of global capital" to finance Europe's long-term growth. Apollo chairman Jim Zelter said the global industrial resurgence is generating large financing needs in Europe across energy transition, defence, and digital and traditional infrastructure.
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