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About the event

For 18 years, AFME’s European Leveraged Finance Conference has brought together the leading names in the European high yield and loan markets to network and debate.

This year we are broadening the programme to also cover CLOs – as well as covering leveraged loans and alternative forms of financing such as direct lending and private credit – to reflect the growth of, and increasing interaction between, European markets.

Additionally, panellists will reflect on the performance of the European high yield market in 2023, emerging market practice trends, ESG developments, and the impact of the macro-economic landscape and geopolitical events.

Registration fees:
• AFME member: £599+ VAT
• Non-member: £999 + VAT

Multi-booking discount:
• 10% off when booking 3 or more delegates at the same time
• 20% off when booking 5 or more delegates at the same time

For group bookings, please email [email protected]

Complimentary subject to verification:
• Investor: promo code INVESTOR
• Regulator: promo code REGULATOR
• Press: promo code PRESS
• CLO Managers: promo code CLO

How can your business be a part of AFME's 18th Annual European Leveraged Finance Conference?

As a partner you could:
• Engage with 200+ European senior-level attendees across a day of high value content
• Interact with industry expert speakers
• Participate in panels on key industry topics
• Build useful connections with dedicated networking sessions
• Gain visibility via our social media channels, website and bespoke promotional marketing to our database of 22,000 industry professionals
• Showcase your solutions at the event exhibit space


Packages can be tailor-made to suit your company's aim and aspirations. To discuss particular opportunities, please contact Safiya Merrique at [email protected] or on +44 (0)20 3828 2674.

Partners

Lead Partner
Partners
Associate Partners
Exhibitor
Lead Event Endorser
Event Endorsers
Media Partners

Who attends?

  • Heads of post trade
  • Investors
  • COOs
  • Market structure specialists
  • Regulators
  • Policymakers
  • Clearing and settlement houses
  • Law firms
  • Consultancies
  • Trading platforms and technology providers
  • Financial associations
  • AFME members
  • Investment banks
  • European supervisory authorities
  • National competent authorities
  • Clearing and settlement houses
  • Exchanges
  • Asset managers
  • Technology providers
  • Professional services
  • Fintech start-ups

Why attend?

  • The event provided an opportunity for delegates to meet over 300 senior level attendees
  • Build contacts in over 5 hours dedicated to networking
  • Hear up to 70 industry expert speakers
  • 12 hours of content designed and driven by market participants
  • Showcase solutions at the event exhibition space

Registration enquiries

For registration enquiries, please contact Events on [email protected] for assistance.

Agenda

08:00
Welcome registration
08:15
Investors breakfast briefing: Covenants – Much Ado About Nothing?
  • • With weaker covenants across the market, how can lenders best separate the wheat from the chaff?
  • • Will recent regulatory proposals on transparency make a difference?
  • • What are the key areas of pushback in the near term, and are lenders focusing on the right protections?
Speakers:
Jacques McChesney,
Partner, Ashurst LLP
Peter Aspbury,
Lead Portfolio Manager – European High Yield, J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Sabrina Fox,
Chief Executive Officer, European Leveraged Finance Association (ELFA)
View details & speakers
09:10
Opening remarks
Speakers:
Gary Simmons,
Managing Director, AFME
Mathias Blumschein,
Managing Director, ING
View speakers
09:20
Finance in a changing world: Keynote address
Speaker:
Nicola Horlick,
CEO, Money&Co
View speakers
09:50
Panel discussion: Heads of Leveraged Finance
  • Recap of the European high yield market issuance and performance in 2023
  • The war in Ukraine, Inflation and ESG developments
  • That key factors do you expect to influence the market in 2024 and beyond?
Moderator:
Kevin Muzilla,
Partner in High Yield & Leveraged Finance, Allen & Overy
Speakers:
Benjamin Thompson,
Head of EMEA Leveraged Finance Capital Markets, J.P. Morgan
Murad Khaled,
Head of EMEA Leveraged Finance Capital Markets, Bank of America
Rahul Mistry,
EMEA Leveraged Finance, Goldman Sachs
View details & speakers
10:30
Panel discussion: Investor Outlook
  • Changing approaches to investment decisions
  • Portfolio diversification and risk mitigation
  • Geopolitical and Economic headwinds
  • Effects of Sustainable finance on investment decisions
  • What’s next?
Moderator:
Clark Nicholls,
Founder, CIO of Acuity IM
Speakers:
Jerome Ingenhoff,
Executive Director - Credit Research, Alcentra
Sebastian Potocean,
Managing Director / High Yield, Barings
Yannick Adler,
Partner, White & Case LLP
View details & speakers
11:10
Networking Break
11:30
Panel discussion: Rise of Direct Lending and Alternative Forms of Financing
  • What is alternative financing?
  • Market performance: High yield bonds vs Alternative financing
  • Direct lending and Private credit
  • Why choose alternative financing?
Moderator:
Drew Rundus,
Partner, Clifford Chance LLP
Speakers:
Claire Harwood,
Managing Director, Permira Credit Limited
Martin Reeves,
Head of Global High Yield, Legal & General
Roxana Mirica,
Partner, Apax Partners
View details & speakers
12:10
Panel discussion: Sustainable Finance
  • Effects of ESG regulations on leveraged finance markets
  • Greenwashing and disclosure
  • Due diligence and reporting: Regulation and market practice
  • Geopolitical and Economic impacts
  • Ratings and third-party verification
Moderator:
Trevor Ingram,
Partner, Shearman & Sterling
Speakers:
Alistair Shepheard-Walwyn,
ESG Specialist, PGIM Fixed Income
Carlo Oly,
Head of Relationship Management, Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Rahel Haque,
Climate and ESG Capital Markets, NatWest Markets
Richard Jefferies,
Head of ESG Scores for Leveraged Finance, Sustainable Fitch
View details & speakers
12:50
Networking Lunch
13:50
Panel discussion: Issuer Considerations
  • Timing the market and deal kick offs
  • Challenges for first time issuers
  • Views on changing market structures and practice
  • Investor relations
Moderator:
James Greene,
Partner, White & Case LLP
Speakers:
Corey Blake,
Director and Assistant General Counsel, Bank of America
Iva Horcicova,
Head of Capital Markets, Allwyn
Matthias Szabo,
Director Debt Listings, Wiener Boerse
View details & speakers
14:20
Track A: Technology developments affecting Lev Fin
  • Digital bonds and their potential application in High Yield
  • AI use by law firms in the LevFin space
  • AI use / offerings by service providers and applications
  • Other recent software developments
  • What else does the future hold?
Moderator:
Ben Bierwirth,
Partner, Baker McKenzie
Speakers:
Brad Weyland,
Partner, Allen & Overy
Brian Dearing,
Head of European High Yield Research, 9fin
Matteo Sbraga,
Senior Associate, Clifford Chance
Mohamed Taha,
Co-founder, 10BE5
View details & speakers
Track B: CLO Managers
  • Manager tiering and consolidation: How to choose and what to look for
  • Loan consolidation Active vs Passive Management
  • Conflict of interest mitigation
  • Middle Market & Direct Lending: Manager perspectives
Moderator:
Evis Progonati,
Deputy Managing Editor, Debtwire ABS Europe
Speakers:
Brian Nolan,
Head of Euro CLO Structuring, PGIM
Dustin Walpert,
Vice President – CLO Research, Bank of America
Steve Baker,
Head of European CLO Primary, J.P. Morgan
View details & speakers
15:00
Track A: Debt Restructurings in Leveraged Finance and High Yield Markets?
  • Current trends in debt restructurings in Europe
  • Structures, documentation and practices
  • The views of the creditor community
  • The views of the financial sponsor community
  • The views of financial advisors and counsel
Moderator:
Apostolos Gkoutzinis,
Partner, Milbank LLP
Speakers:
Manuel Martinez-Fidalgo,
Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey
Yushan Ng,
Partner, Milbank LLP
View details & speakers
Track B: CLO Investors
  • Debt vs Equity Investor Perspectives
  • Mezz considerations
  • Outlook for AAA and across the cap stack
  • Relative value vs other asset classes
  • Supply and demand dynamics
Moderator:
Shaun Baddeley,
Managing Director, Securitisation, AFME
Speakers:
Colin Behar,
Portfolio Manager, USS
Krishan Padhiar,
Portfolio Manager, M&G Investments
Michelle Manuel,
Co-Portfolio Manager, Investec Bank PLC
View details & speakers
15:40
Networking break
16:00
Panel discussion: The current state of European Leveraged Loans
  • Market performance of the leveraged loans market and current trends
  • Documentation and market practice
  • Leveraged loans vs High yield: Is equilibrium possible?
  • Growth of PE 1st level syndication
Moderator:
Ben Wilkinson,
Partner, Baker & McKenzie, LLP
Speakers:
Arthur van Schie,
Managing Director, Head of Leveraged Loan Syndicate EMEA, ING
David Gillmor,
Analytical Leader, Leveraged Finance, S&P Global
Luke Gillam,
Managing Director - Co-Head of EMEA Credit Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs
View details & speakers
16:45
Closing remarks
View
17:00
Networking drinks

Keynote Speaker

Nicola Horlick

CEO, Money&Co

Other Speakers

Alistair Shepheard-Walwyn

ESG Specialist, PGIM Fixed Income

Apostolos Gkoutzinis

Partner, Milbank LLP

Arthur van Schie

Managing Director, Head of Leveraged Loan Syndicate EMEA, ING

Ben Bierwirth

Partner, Baker McKenzie

Ben Wilkinson

Partner, Baker & McKenzie, LLP

Benjamin Thompson

Head of EMEA Leveraged Finance Capital Markets, J.P. Morgan

Brad Weyland

Partner, Allen & Overy

Brian Dearing

Head of European High Yield Research, 9fin

Brian Nolan

Head of Euro CLO Structuring, PGIM

Carlo Oly

Head of Relationship Management, Luxembourg Stock Exchange

Claire Harwood

Managing Director, Permira Credit Limited

Clark Nicholls

Founder, CIO of Acuity IM

Colin Behar

Portfolio Manager, USS

Corey Blake

Director and Assistant General Counsel, Bank of America

David Gillmor

Analytical Leader, Leveraged Finance, S&P Global

Drew Rundus

Partner, Clifford Chance LLP

Dustin Walpert

Vice President – CLO Research, Bank of America

Evis Progonati

Deputy Managing Editor, Debtwire ABS Europe

Iva Horcicova

Head of Capital Markets, Allwyn

Jacques McChesney

Partner, Ashurst LLP

James Greene

Partner, White & Case LLP

Jerome Ingenhoff

Executive Director - Credit Research, Alcentra

Kevin Muzilla

Partner in High Yield & Leveraged Finance, Allen & Overy

Krishan Padhiar

Portfolio Manager, M&G Investments

Luke Gillam

Managing Director - Co-Head of EMEA Credit Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs

Manuel Martinez-Fidalgo

Managing Director, Houlihan Lokey

Martin Reeves

Head of Global High Yield, Legal & General

Mathias Blumschein

Managing Director, ING

Matteo Sbraga

Senior Associate, Clifford Chance

Matthias Szabo

Director Debt Listings, Wiener Boerse

Michelle Manuel

Co-Portfolio Manager, Investec Bank PLC

Mohamed Taha

Co-founder, 10BE5

Murad Khaled

Head of EMEA Leveraged Finance Capital Markets, Bank of America

Peter Aspbury

Lead Portfolio Manager – European High Yield, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Rahul Mistry

EMEA Leveraged Finance, Goldman Sachs

Richard Jefferies

Head of ESG Scores for Leveraged Finance, Sustainable Fitch

Roxana Mirica

Partner, Apax Partners

Sabrina Fox

Chief Executive Officer, European Leveraged Finance Association (ELFA)

Sebastian Potocean

Managing Director / High Yield, Barings

Shaun Baddeley

Managing Director, Securitisation, AFME

Steve Baker

Head of European CLO Primary, J.P. Morgan

Trevor Ingram

Partner, Shearman & Sterling

Yannick Adler

Partner, White & Case LLP

Yushan Ng

Partner, Milbank LLP