Franklin Templeton has aligned its alternative credit managers Benefit Street Partners and Alcentra under the Benefit Street Partners (BSP) brand.
The global investment manager acquired US-based Benefit Street Partners and Europe-based Alcentra in 2019 and 2022 respectively, as a result of increased investor appetite for global credit, with their alignment under one brand the final step in their integration.
According to Franklin Templeton, a refreshed logo and a new website domain accompany the brand alignment, and from this week Alcentra-branded funds will begin to take on the BSP name.
A spokesperson confirmed to Alternative Credit Investor that no cuts will be made to the distribution team as a result of the brand alignment.
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“This alignment under a unified brand is a natural next step for our combined global platform, which has become increasingly integrated in recent years and already shares world-class research, distribution, as well as operational teams and infrastructure,” said David Manlowe, chief executive of Benefit Street Partners.
Overall, Franklin Templeton’s alternative credit platform, which also includes direct lender Apera, is on track to exceed $100bn (£73.2bn) in assets under management in 2026, the firm said.
BSP said it is targeting a mix of organic and inorganic growth over the next five years as a result of increased demand for alternative credit, including expansion into new markets in Asia and the Middle East.
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“The message from our clients is clear: they want access to the best investment opportunities available across the expanding alternative credit landscape, but managed by a single, trusted and global partner,” said Allison Davi, senior managing director, co-chief operating officer and head of business development at BSP. “That means providing a multijurisdictional yet integrated platform, which brings together decades of alternative credit experience, long-standing relationships, and on-the-ground expertise to help investors achieve their goals.”
According to new research published today by BSP, which surveyed 135 global institutional investors with a combined $8tn in assets under management, around 93 per cent intend to either maintain or increase their exposure to alternative credit in 2026.
The research found that infrastructure debt is the most popular strategy for investors seeking to increase exposure, followed by direct lending (39 per cent), asset-based lending (35 per cent), special situations and distressed debt (30 per cent), commercial real estate debt (28 per cent) and collateralised loan obligations (16 per cent).
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