KUALA LUMPUR, Samsung Life Insurance has agreed to acquire a minority stake in Hayfin Capital Management, joining Mubadala Investment Co and AXA IM Prime as shareholders in the London-based private credit firm following a management buyout earlier this year.
The deal marks the final stage in a long-term plan to replace British Columbia Investment Management Corp as Hayfin’s controlling shareholder, co-CEO Tim Flynn said. Arctos Partners, which helped finance the buyout, is distributing part of its stake to Samsung Life, having previously done so for Mubadala and AXA IM Prime.
Flynn said Hayfin deliberately sought out strategic investors with strong reputations, cultural alignment, and exposure to key markets such as South Korea, the UAE, and Europe. “These were our top three choices from the outset,” he noted.
Hayfin, managing about €34 billion (RM168 billion) in assets, ranks among Europe’s largest private credit lenders. Its recent transactions include loans to Belgian drugmaker SERB Pharmaceuticals and online used-car platform Constellation Automotive Group.
The US$1.7 trillion (RM7.17 trillion) private credit market continues to expand as institutional investors channel more capital into the sector, which rivals high-yield bonds and leveraged loans. Hayfin also invests in liquid credit and private equity secondaries.
Samsung Life’s investment underscores a broader trend of insurers entering private credit. Earlier this year, Legal & General partnered with Blackstone in a deal targeting up to US$20 billion over five years.
