UK Origination Investment Partner | Private Debt
Investment Partner, UK Origination (Private Credit)
Location: London, UK
Type: Partner-level hire | Origination-led role
Search type: Confidential
The opportunity
A European lower mid market private credit investor is establishing a London presence and is seeking an experienced Investment Partner to lead UK origination. This is a rare opportunity to be one of the first hires in London and to play a defining role in building out a boutique platform focused on sponsor backed transactions in the lower mid market.
The firm operates a flexible private credit strategy, providing tailored financing solutions to support buy and build, leveraged buyouts, and growth situations across Europe. The culture is entrepreneurial, partnership-driven, and highly selective, with a strong emphasis on relationship-led origination rather than process-heavy, auction-driven deal flow.
Role overview
The successful candidate will be responsible for originating and executing sponsor backed private credit opportunities in the UK lower mid market. The role is origination-first, with full ownership of relationships, pipeline development, and transaction leadership.
The focus is explicitly on sponsor backed deals within the lower mid market ecosystem, including independent sponsors and emerging sponsor platforms. This role is not centered on large-cap or broadly syndicated PE-backed transactions.
Key responsibilities
UK origination leadership
- Build and lead the UK origination strategy from London, including pipeline development and relationship prioritisation
- Originate proprietary and relationship-led sponsor backed opportunities across the lower mid market
- Develop deep, long-term relationships with independent sponsors, lower mid market sponsors, M&A advisors, and debt advisors
- Establish the firm as a trusted financing partner within the UK sponsor and advisory ecosystem
Transaction leadership
- Lead transactions from first introduction through to execution
- Drive structuring, commercial terms, and negotiation across a range of private credit solutions
- Work closely with the broader investment team and investment committee to deliver disciplined underwriting and efficient execution
- Maintain accountability for credit quality, risk assessment, and downside analysis
London platform build
- Act as a senior representative of the platform in the UK market
- Help establish and grow the London office and operating footprint
- Contribute to shaping hiring plans, coverage priorities, and broader European origination strategy over time
- Act as a mentor and culture carrier as the UK team expands
Investment focus (for candidate context)
- Lower mid market transactions, typically involving established, cash-generative businesses
- Sponsor backed situations with a preference for independent sponsors and buy and build platforms
- Flexible private credit solutions including senior debt, stretched senior, and unitranche structures, with the ability to tailor capital structures as required
- Broadly sector agnostic, with a preference for asset-light and service-oriented business models
Candidate profile
Essential requirements
- Proven UK origination track record in private credit, direct lending, or private debt
- Strong and demonstrable relationships across the UK lower mid market sponsor community
- Clear evidence of having sourced, shaped, and executed sponsor backed transactions
- Strong structuring capability and sound credit judgement
- Commercial mindset with a long-term, relationship-driven approach to origination
Strongly preferred
- Experience working in a boutique or entrepreneurial investment platform
- Comfort operating with a high degree of autonomy and responsibility
- Experience supporting buy and build strategies and growth-focused sponsor platforms
- Background in private credit funds, direct lenders, or leveraged finance origination roles with P&L accountability
What this role offers
- The opportunity to be a foundational hire in London with real influence over platform build
- Significant autonomy over UK origination strategy and relationship coverage
- Exposure to a flexible and solutions-oriented private credit mandate
- A collaborative European partnership culture with a long-term investment horizon
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