Credit Suisse forms new team to advise on direct investments

Credit Suisse Asset Management’s Private Fund Group (PFG) has launched a new team to advise its clients in the structuring and placement of private direct investments into the institutional investor market.

The new team, dubbed Directs & Co-Investments Group, is an extension of PFG’s primary and secondary advisory arm.

It will be headed by Paul Van Hook, who has been working at PFG since 2008.

Credit Suisse Asset Management co-head of PFG Kevin Naughton said: “Since its inception, Credit Suisse’s Private Fund Group has sought to provide Limited Partners and General Partners with a diversified set of private placement services and secondary solutions.

“Direct investing has become an increasingly significant part of investors’ approach, as they seek direct access to assets and portfolios to enhance returns and complement their existing investment strategies.”

The bank also appointed Imran Hameed from New York-based private equity placement firm Mercury Capital Advisors as a director for the new team.

“Imran has invaluable expertise originating, structuring and negotiating successful placements of capital, which will help us grow our Directs & Co-Investments platform in PFG and help our clients meet their direct investment needs,” Van Hook stated.