Creditflux CLO Symposium 2023

Our flagship event returns in May 2023

The Landmark, 222 Marylebone Road, London

09.00 - 09.15
BST

Welcome

John Bringardner
John Bringardner Executive Editor, DEBTWIRE
Sayed Kadiri
Sayed Kadiri Editor, CREDITFLUX
09.15 - 10.00
BST

Panel: European CLO market outlook

The challenges of 2022 look to be continuing into 2023 for the European CLO primary market, with issuance in January and February of less than a third of the comparable numbers from last year. But deals are getting done, pricing is creeping tighter and existing CLOs are performing well. Our panel of experts will discuss the full breadth of the CLO market, and whether they’re feeling optimism or pessimism for the rest of the year.

  • What’s holding back CLO issuance?
  • Should investors be worried about deal performance as economies slow?
  • Will there be any windows to reset or refi older CLOs?
  • Have we solved the challenges of ESG in the European CLO market?
10.30 - 10.45
BST

Dispatches from the CLO trenches

Two of the top lawyers in the market sit down with Creditflux to discuss what they’ve been seeing. What are the burning legal issues that investors in the CLO space need to take notice of?

Hugh Minch
Hugh Minch Senior Reporter, CREDITFLUX
Konstantinos Vavelidis
Konstantinos Vavelidis Partner, DLA PIPER
10.45 - 11.15
BST

Networking break

11.15 - 11.30
BST

Interview: CLO restructuring opportunities

As the restructuring language within CLO documentation continues to develop in the European market, Cadwalader Partner Claire Puddicombe provides a brief overview of the features in the market, how that language has developed over time and some of the moves to amend those older deals

Thomas Davidson
Thomas Davidson Managing Editor, CREDITFLUX
11.30 - 12.00
BST

Panel: European collateral deep-dive

As economies across Europe falter in the face of challenges from inflation to war, it’s natural for investors to take another look at the risks in their portfolio. In this session our speakers will look at the current performance of the European loan market, what risks lie ahead in the next twelve months, and what that might mean for CLO investors.

  • How did European loans perform in 2022?
  • Is now the time to fill up those bond buckets?
  • What CLO tests are most under-pressure?
  • What should portfolio managers be doing now to prepare for the next twelve months?  
12.00 - 12.30
BST

Panel: Beyond vanilla

CLO markets may be slow, but the universe of alternative structured credit assets continues to grow. Do they offer a valuable way to diversify portfolios, or a trap for the unwary? We ask a group of seasoned investors what they think of some of the options now available on the market, including:

  • MM CLOs
  • Recurring revenue ABS
  • Static CLOs
  • BDCs
  • Synthetic CLOs
12.30 - 13.30
BST

Networking lunch

13.30 - 14.15
BST

Panel: US CLO market outlook

Like the European market, the US CLO market had a slow end to 2022 and an even slower start to 2023. With spreads staying stubbornly high what lies in store for the primary market over the rest of the year, and how will existing CLOs perform?

  • What’s the problem, and how will we fix it?
  • How will the manager landscape change this year?
  • Will electronic trading of loans and CLOs finally take off?
  • From ETFs to BDCs, is this the time for retail investors to look at CLOs?
14.15 - 15.00
BST

Keynote fireside chat: Lessons Learned over the past 25 years in US CLO Investing and the Current Market Opportunity

Dislocated credit markets historically provide opportunities for new issue CLOs to create resilient, high performing loan portfolios at attractive discounts, and at the same time, tail risks in existing cohorts of CLOs.  In this keynote session, Mohammed Seif, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Lakemore sits down with Jeff Bakalar, formerly Voya’s loan team Group Head and Chief Investment Officer, and Michael Nechamkin, Octagon’s loan team Chief Investment Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager, to discuss US CLO equity investing. Bringing together three of the most experienced investors in the industry, this fireside chat will explore lessons learned, current market opportunities, portfolio credit risks, strategy implications, and investment partnerships.

15.00 - 15.30
BST

Networking break

15.30 - 16.00
BST

Panel: US collateral deep-dive

An investment in CLOs is an investment in leveraged loans. This panel will look in depth at how the collateral underlying the US CLO market has performed in the last 12 months, and how it will fare over the year to come. Challenging macroeconomic conditions have already begun to weigh on the market as rating agency downgrades outstrip upgrades, but is this a temporary blip or a warning of deeper trouble to come?

  • How will US leveraged loans perform over the next twelve months?
  • Should investors have serious concerns about credit quality with the space?
  • How are underwriting standards holding up?
  • As the private credit markets continues to expand what’s left for leveraged loan investors?
16.00 - 16.30
BST

Panel: Trader talk

We ask four of the top CLO and ABS traders to talk about everything and anything, from relative value to trading mechanisms. What’s on their minds this month?

Charlie Dinning
Charlie Dinning Data journalist, CREDITFLUX
Sam Allender
Sam Allender Head of European CLO trading, DEUTSCHE BANK
Luke Dowling
Luke Dowling Vice President European CLO Trading, MORGAN STANLEY
Simon Gold
Simon Gold Senior Trader ABS & CLOs, CHENAVARI CREDIT PARTNERS
16.40 - 17.00
BST

Networking break

17.00 - 17.30
BST

Panel: Would you buy it?

Four top CLO investors walk us through their investment process as they consider our CLO investment case studies. From relative value to manager due diligence, what are the key questions every CLO investor should ask before they buy?

  • Primary vs secondary
  • US vs Europe
  • Mezz vs Equity
  • BSL vs MM
17.30 - 19.30
BST

Networking drinks reception

19.30 - 22.00
BST

Creditflux CLO Manager Awards 2023

Please note that the Creditflux CLO Manager Awards Gala Dinner is by invitation only.