Key Takeaways
- • Arini appoints Ben Kunstler as head of hybrid capital within its private credit team, with seat on private credit investment committees, reflecting strategic expansion of the firm's private capital platform.
- • Kunstler brings 18 years of private equity experience as a partner in Bain Capital's Europe team, combining private equity investor perspective with Arini's converged public and private credit strategies.
- • Arini, founded in 2021, manages more than $20 billion in assets across public and private credit strategies with a sector-focused research approach targeting founder-led, family-owned, and sponsor-owned businesses.
- • The appointment underscores Arini's strategy to provide flexible, long-term credit-oriented solutions in a market environment offering unique opportunities for alternative credit managers.
Summary
Arini has appointed Ben Kunstler as head of hybrid capital within its private credit team, marking a significant expansion of the alternative asset manager's private capital capabilities. Kunstler, who joined from Bain Capital where he spent 18 years as a partner in the Europe private equity team, will serve on Arini's private credit investment committees. The appointment reflects the firm's broader growth trajectory and strategic positioning in the private credit market.
Founded in 2021 by former Credit Suisse trading executive Hamza Lemssouguer, Arini manages more than $20 billion in assets across a converged platform of public and private credit strategies. The firm's leadership emphasized that Kunstler's private equity background brings valuable perspective to its credit investing capabilities. Hamza Lemssouguer, founder and chief investment officer, stated that "the current market environment presents a unique opportunity for Arini to continue providing flexible, long-term credit-oriented solutions to companies," while noting that Kunstler's appointment strengthens the firm's ability to serve founder-led, family-owned, and sponsor-owned businesses.
Mathew Cestar, president at Arini, highlighted that the addition of Kunstler "extends our private capital capabilities and builds on Arini's ability to provide a complete set of solutions" across its client base. The appointment occurs as Arini has demonstrated active capital deployment in structured credit markets, having priced European CLO VII at €615 million and a second US CLO at $502.2 million.
Founded in 2021 by former Credit Suisse trading executive Hamza Lemssouguer, Arini manages more than $20 billion in assets across a converged platform of public and private credit strategies. The firm's leadership emphasized that Kunstler's private equity background brings valuable perspective to its credit investing capabilities. Hamza Lemssouguer, founder and chief investment officer, stated that "the current market environment presents a unique opportunity for Arini to continue providing flexible, long-term credit-oriented solutions to companies," while noting that Kunstler's appointment strengthens the firm's ability to serve founder-led, family-owned, and sponsor-owned businesses.
Mathew Cestar, president at Arini, highlighted that the addition of Kunstler "extends our private capital capabilities and builds on Arini's ability to provide a complete set of solutions" across its client base. The appointment occurs as Arini has demonstrated active capital deployment in structured credit markets, having priced European CLO VII at €615 million and a second US CLO at $502.2 million.
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