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  • Seller
  • Buyer
  • Type
  • Date Announced
  • Seller AUM
  • Harbourmaster Capital
  • GSO Capital Partners LP (The Blackstone Group L.P.)
  • Other
  • October 6, 2011
  • $11 Billion

Seller Details

Established in March 2000, Harbourmaster Capital is one of Europe's leading investment advisors of secured bank loans. The firm is dedicated to deep, fundamental, long term analysis of sub-investment grade corporates and investment grade infrastructure projects. Harbourmaster Capital advises clients in respect of approximately €8.0 billion of senior secured loans and infrastructure debt.

Buyer Details

GSO Capital Partners LP is the global credit platform of The Blackstone Group L.P. Together with its affiliates, GSO has approximately $34 billion of assets currently under management (approximately $45 billion pro forma for the acquisition), is one of the largest credit-oriented alternative managers in the world and a major participant in the leveraged finance marketplace. GSO seeks to generate superior risk-adjusted returns in its credit business by investing in a broad array of strategies including mezzanine, distressed investing, leveraged loans and other special situation strategies.

Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment and advisory firms. Blackstone seeks to create positive economic impact and long-term value for its investors, the companies it invests in, the companies it advises and the broader global economy. Blackstone does this through the commitment of its extraordinary people and flexible capital. Blackstone’s alternative asset management businesses includes the management of private equity funds, real estate funds, funds of hedge funds, credit-oriented funds and closed-end mutual funds. Blackstone also provides various financial advisory services, including financial and strategic advisory, restructuring and reorganization advisory and fund placement services.

Transaction Summary

The acquisition makes GSO one of the largest leveraged loan investors in Europe as well as the United States, thereby enhancing its global scale. In addition to leveraged loans, GSO also manages mezzanine, distressed and special situations investment funds that are active in the European credit markets.  The Harbourmaster Capital Dublin-based team will continue to support the Harbourmaster funds, and will form a combined platform with GSO's existing European leveraged loan business to develop new European focused funds for their global investor base. The combined European leveraged loan platform will have approximately €11.5 billion ($15.5 billion) in assets under management supported by a combined team of 40 professionals in both Dublin and London.

The parties expect to close the transaction in early 2012 following receipt of regulatory and certain third party approvals. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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