Arini Announces Final Close of Inaugural Direct Lending Fund, Targeting Over $4 Billion of Deployment

Arini, an alternative asset manager with $22 billion in assets under management as of 31 August 2026, today announces the final close of Arini Direct Lending Fund I. The Fund and related vehicles are targeting deployment of over $4 billion, including anticipated leverage, making it among the largest debut European direct lending funds ever raised.

Arini has built a sizeable initial portfolio throughout the fundraise, focusing on senior secured loans to borrowers demonstrating recurring and underwritable cash flow profiles and operating in industries with limited risk of disruption. Total deployment for the strategy is now approaching $2 billion across a range of sectors and geographies, alongside founder-led, family-owned and sponsor-backed businesses.

This scale of deployment, in conjunction with Arini’s highly selective underwriting standards, demonstrates the depth of the European middle market opportunity set. Unlike in the US, banks in Europe have a dominant market share in corporate financing, creating significant opportunities for lenders with differentiated origination capabilities to provide flexible financing solutions to middle market borrowers that traditional lenders are increasingly unable to offer.

“De-banking in Europe is creating a major supply/demand imbalance in favour of middle market lenders,” said Hamza Lemssouguer, Founder & CIO at Arini. “We’ve built a resilient portfolio with conservative leverage metrics and strong loan documentation, supported by deal flow from a variety of sourcing channels.”

Arini Direct Lending’s differentiated origination is supported by the firm’s internal sector-focused coverage of over 1,000 companies in Europe and globally, a strategic sourcing alliance with Lazard, and Arini’s deep relationships with banks seeking to grow their client activity in a capital-efficient manner. The Arini team has extensive experience across corporate and asset-backed private credit markets, further augmenting the firm’s origination efforts.

“Arini operates a converged investment platform across public, structured and private credit, grounded in fundamental sector-focused research,” said Mathew Cestar, President at Arini. “Arini’s private credit team has been capitalizing on the deeply underpenetrated lending opportunity in the European middle market with the investment and infrastructure support of the firm’s 180+ professionals globally.”

Arini Direct Lending Fund I is supported by Arini‘s global institutional investor base, including commitments from pensions, sovereign wealth funds and other financial institutions based across North America, Europe and the Middle East.

About Arini

Arini Capital Management is a specialized alternative asset manager with a diverse credit investment offering across public and private credit, supported by a highly sophisticated institutional investor base. Arini was founded in 2021 with a primary focus on European credit markets and an approach rooted in fundamental credit analysis. As of 31 August 2026, Arini manages $22 billion across a range of strategies, including long/short credit, structured credit, opportunistic credit, direct lending and asset-based finance. Arini has global operations in London, New York, Abu Dhabi, Warsaw, and Jersey.

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