Chair's opening remarks

Debtwire Private Credit Forum Europe 2026

schedule Wednesday, 17 June 2026

location_on The Peninsula, London Map

Welcome and housekeeping

The moderator welcomes attendees to the Debtwire Private Credit Forum Europe 2026 and provides housekeeping instructions including how to access the agenda and submit questions.

State of European private credit

The moderator outlines the current state of European private credit, highlighting record fundraising, rapid expansion, and the stress test the market now faces as macro uncertainty persists.

Deal activity and deployment trends in 2026

The moderator presents data on LBO completions and direct lending volumes in early 2026, noting that while deal count fell, ticket sizes and total capital deployed rose significantly.

Pricing, leverage, and sector disruption

The moderator discusses flat leverage multiples and compressed pricing, then highlights how AI disruption is challenging valuations in previously favoured private credit sectors such as software and SaaS.

Opportunities, outlook, and the day ahead

The moderator acknowledges pockets of optimism in European private credit, previews the day's panels and speakers, and closes with thanks to sponsors ahead of the evening awards.

Debtwire Private Credit Forum Europe 2026