Alternative asset manager Arini has appointed Ben Kunstler as head of hybrid capital as it expands its private capital offering and strengthens its private credit capabilities, according to Private Equity Wire.
Kunstler joins Arini from Bain Capital, where he spent 18 years and was a partner in the firm’s European private equity business, according to Private Equity Wire.
At Arini, Kunstler will sit on the private credit investment committees and help develop the firm’s hybrid capital strategy, according to Private Equity Wire.
Role within Arini’s private credit platform
Arini said the appointment comes as it continues to build out its private markets platform and broaden the range of financing solutions it can offer companies, according to Private Equity Wire.
Hamza Lemssouguer, Arini’s founder and chief investment officer, said Kunstler brings a private equity investor’s perspective to Arini’s credit investing capabilities, according to Private Equity Wire.
Lemssouguer said Kunstler’s experience would complement Arini’s broader investment platform, which combines public and private credit strategies with fundamental, sector-focused research, according to Private Equity Wire.
Market backdrop cited by Arini
Arini said the current market environment is creating opportunities for managers able to provide flexible, long-term capital to businesses, particularly as borrowers and sponsors seek alternatives to traditional financing, according to Private Equity Wire.
Widely known context: hybrid capital strategies typically refer to financing that sits between senior debt and equity in a company’s capital structure.
Firm profile and strategy scope
Arini was founded in 2021 and has built strategies spanning public and private credit, according to Private Equity Wire.
Arini now manages more than $20bn in assets, according to Private Equity Wire.
Arini said the hybrid capital strategy will give it another route into private markets and could allow the firm to structure financing across different points of the capital stack rather than relying solely on traditional senior lending, according to Private Equity Wire.
