In this episode of Debtwired!, Brian Resnick, partner in Davis Polk's restructuring group and head of the firm’s Liability Management & Special Opportunities practice, joins Debtwire co-managing editor, Madalina Iacob, to discuss the current state of restructurings, how LMEs have evolved in the past year, what creative workaround structures he has seen post the Fifth Circuit decision in Serta, and the evolution of Davis Polk’s preeminent restructuring practice.

Brian also shares with us how he transitioned to law from being a Juilliard-trained professional musician playing on Broadway and Saturday Night Live, and how he co-produced a Tony Award-winning Broadway show.

In this episode of the Debtwire podcast, Justin Lee, partner at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, joins Melina Chalkia, Debtwire’s primary market reporter for North America, to unpack the evolving landscape of liability management exercises.

Justin Lee is the co-head of Weil’s banking and finance practice and global head of liability management and strategic capital solutions. His practice involves advising institutional lenders, direct lenders, asset managers and corporate borrowers on all types of financing transactions. Lee has worked on high profile deals for companies like Clarios Global, Hertz, Krispy Kreme and Dye & Durham.

With 2024 dubbed the “year of LMEs,” this episode explores whether that momentum is carrying into 2025. Lee weighs in on how sponsor creativity is evolving and whether the tariff-driven market volatility is shifting the tone. He dives into the structural trends shaping deal terms, the rise of co-op groups and how borrower-lender dynamics are changing. Lee also goes through Weil’s practice, what the pipeline looks like and what the future holds for LMEs.

In this episode of Debtwired, Scott Greenberg, global chair of Gibson Dunn’s restructuring practice and a member of the firm's executive committee, joins Debtwire co-managing editor, Madalina Iacob, to discuss how the shifting market dynamics are influencing deal activity, liability management exercises (LMEs), and the restructuring outlook for the year.

Scott talks about multi-tier LME trends, carve-out premiums, group formation strategies, and the impact of cooperation agreements on deal outcomes. He also takes a deep dive into cross-border LMEs and the cultural differences impacting investment decisions.

In this episode of Debtwired, Oaktree’s Brook Hinchman, head of North America for the global opportunities strategy, and Jared Parker, co-head of the team, join host Debtwire reporter Ayse Kelce to discuss credit strategies during macroeconomic volatility and their outlooks on different sectors.

Oaktree raised USD 16bn with its Oaktree Opportunities Fund XII this year to invest in opportunistic liquid credits, rescue financings, debtor-in-possession financings, exit financings, loan portfolios, platforms and opportunistic capital solutions.

In this conversation, Hinchman and Parker share their perspectives on how to create opportunities in public and private credit during market uncertainty. They share insights about sectors that are expected to experience more pressure and others that are more resilient to tariff and rate pressures.

In this episode of the Debtwired! podcast, Mike Nowakowski, Head of Structured Products at Conning, joins Melina Chalkia, Debtwire’s primary market reporter for North America, to break down why esoteric ABS has become one of the most compelling areas of the credit market for 2025.

Nowakowski leads the structured products team at $ 170bn global asset manager Conning, which invests across ABS, CMBS, RMBS and other securitized markets. Esoteric ABS is gaining traction, now making up more than 30% of total ABS issuance, with outstanding supply at nearly $900bn.

In this conversation, Nowakowski explains the advantages of investing in esoteric assets, like shipping containers, data centers and music royalties, compared to traditional fixed-income investments. He shares insights on data center ABS deals, the increasing crossover between ABS and CMBS, how institutional investors are increasingly allocating capital to esoteric ABS, and the rapidly evolving solar ABS market.

On this episode of the Debtwired! podcast, Michael Ewald, Bain Capital’s global head of private credit, joins Melina Chalkia, Debtwire’s primary market reporter for North America, to unpack how one of the biggest players in the space is navigating a volatile credit environment.

Ewald, who joined Bain Capital in 1998, is a Partner, Global Head of the Private Credit Group, Portfolio Manager for the Middle Market Credit and Senior Direct Lending strategies, and a Credit Committee member. He also serves as CEO of Bain Capital Specialty Finance, a registered business development company.

In this conversation, Ewald discusses how Bain is deploying capital amid the volatility driven by President Trump’s tariff threats. He explains where he finds opportunities in today’s market, what sectors he avoids and his continued focus on the core middle market. The conversation also touches on key shifts in covenant protections and pricing. As syndicated deal flow slows, private credit continues to draw interest.

In this episode of Debtwired, Claire Madden, a founding partner at Connection Capital, discusses the evolution of private capital since the firm’s inception in 2010. She explores changing investor appetite, the sectors and asset classes currently attracting interest, and how macroeconomic and political factors are influencing investment strategies. Claire also highlights Connection Capital’s approach to addressing risks, liquidity concerns, and the future of private capital investments.

In this episode of Debtwired, Albane Poulin, Head of Private Credit at Gravis, discusses the evolving role of private credit in infrastructure and real estate finance across the UK and globally.

On this episode of the Debtwired! podcast, Thomas Kennedy, Chief Investment Strategist for JP Morgan Private Bank, joins Melina Chalkia, Debtwire’s primary market reporter for North America, to discuss how debt markets are responding to the shifting monetary policy and geopolitical tensions.

Kennedy leads the development of the bank's global economic and investment views, while serving as the chair of the Global Investment Strategy Group. Previously, Kennedy worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for eight years, holding various research and policy positions.

In this conversation, Kennedy discusses the interest rate outlook for 2025 and how high yield markets will be impacted by President Trump’s tariffs. He highlights where he finds the best investment opportunities in debt markets and direct lending.

#JPMorgan #Outlook #Debt, #Investment Opportunities #Direct Lending

Dennis Heuer, partner at White & Case, joins Debtwire’s Johannes Koch to explore the impact of the Secondary Credit Markets Act (Kreditzweitmarktgesetz) on the market for non-performing loans.

The act, or NPL-directive for short, was introduced just over a year ago in Germany to help foster a deeper and more liquid secondary market for non-performing loans. Now that the dust has settled on its introduction, Heuer reviews the basic tenants of the law, how it has impacted market participants and ultimately, gives us a view on whether it has delivered, or has yet to deliver, on its promise.

Heuer is a partner at White & Case and an expert in structured finance and securitisation within the law firm’s EMEA Structured Finance Group. He represents clients, among them banks, insurance companies, debt collectors and multinational corporates on a wide range of cross-border transactional and advisory matters.