Apera Asset Management
Apera Asset Management is a London-based private debt asset manager founded in 2016 that provides senior secured unitranche financing of €15–100M to lower mid-market companies in Western Europe, backed by three funds totaling ~€6B deployed across 100+ transactions and now operating as a Franklin Resources subsidiary.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Apera Asset Management does
Apera Asset Management is a London-headquartered private debt asset manager founded in 2016 by Klaus Petersen and David Wilmot, specializing in senior secured unitranche financings for lower mid-market companies in Western Europe. The firm deploys institutional capital into debt transactions ranging from €15 million to €100 million, targeting businesses with strong market positions, robust management teams, and operational growth opportunities — typically owned by leading private equity sponsors across DACH, the UK, Nordics, France, and Benelux. Since inception, Apera has raised three successive private debt funds — Fund I at €750 million (2019), Fund II at €1.27 billion (2022), and Fund III at €2.9 billion (2025) — bringing cumulative deployed capital to approximately €6 billion across more than 100 transactions. The platform also offers Separate Managed Accounts (SMAs), with British Business Investments committing £50 million through an SMA in 2021 to finance UK smaller businesses.
Apera operates from four regulated offices in London (FCA), Munich (BaFin), Paris (ACPR/AMF), and Luxembourg, employing 60+ professionals speaking 19 languages and operating under disciplined underwriting criteria targeting ~3.5x leverage and ~40% LTV with strong covenant protections. The firm's revenue model is based on management fees and performance/carried interest on committed and deployed capital, with services restricted to professional clients and eligible counterparties under FCA Handbook definitions. In October 2025, Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN, operating as Franklin Templeton) completed its acquisition of Apera, integrating the platform into Franklin's alternatives business which raised $10.8 billion in the quarter of close, including $9.5 billion in private market assets. Pre-acquisition strategic backers included Kudu Investment Management, which acquired a stake in June 2025.
Apera Asset Management firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Apera Asset Management
- Legal name
- Apera Asset Management LLP
- Website
- https://apera-am.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Apera Asset Management is a London-based private debt asset manager founded in 2016 that provides senior secured unitranche financing of €15–100M to lower mid-market companies in Western Europe, backed by three funds totaling ~€6B deployed across 100+ transactions and now operating as a Franklin Resources subsidiary.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Apera Asset Management industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Debt / Direct Lending
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Institutional Separate Accounts & SMAs (Mandates) (FSAAAGAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB)
Keywords
Where Apera Asset Management is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Apera Asset Management business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Private Debt Investment Management: Manages private debt funds providing financing to mid-market companies. Generates revenue through management fees and performance/carried interest on deployed capital. Targets senior secured unitranche financings with typical deal sizes of €15-100 million.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Professional investment management services for institutional investors |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Apera Asset Management product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Apera Asset Management is a private debt asset manager that arranges and structures bespoke senior secured unitranche financings, super senior facilities, and RCFs for lower mid-market companies in Western Europe. The firm raises and manages private debt funds (Fund I, II, III) and Separate Managed Accounts (SMAs) on behalf of institutional investors, deploying approximately €6 billion across 100+ transactions since 2016.
Product overview
Apera Asset Management is a private debt asset manager offering a platform of investment products focused on providing bespoke financing solutions to lower mid-market companies in Western Europe. The firm operates three main private debt funds (Fund I at €750 million, Fund II at €1.27 billion, and Fund III at €2.9 billion), alongside its Unitranche Strategy and Senior Strategy. The company also offers Separate Managed Accounts (SMAs) for institutional investors seeking tailored approaches. These products are designed to support operational growth, acquisitions, and refinancing for companies in the UK, DACH region, France, Benelux, and Nordic markets, with target investments ranging from €15 million to €100 million.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Apera Private Debt Fund I Inaugural private debt fund investing in senior secured unitranche financings of lower mid-market companies in Western Europe, with target transactions of €15-100 million.
- Apera Private Debt Fund II
Quantifiable outcome
- Typical leverage level of 3.5x with LTV around 40%, providing enterprise value multiple of ~8.75x and 60% covenant headroom before breach
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Apera Asset Management
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Apera Asset Management technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Apera Asset Management partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Apera Asset Management competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kartesia: European lower mid-market direct lending specialist providing unitranche, mezzanine, and PIK solutions to PE-backed SMEs — virtually identical mandate, ticket size, and geography to Apera.
- Park Square Capital: London-based direct lending platform focused on European mid-market senior loans and unitranche, with overlapping strategy and team pedigree (Apera founders were previously at Park Square).
- Arcmont Asset Management: European direct lending franchise (formerly Barings European Private Debt) providing unitranche and senior secured loans to mid-market companies, with a comparable focus on PE-sponsored transactions across Western Europe.
- Pemberton Asset Management: London-based direct lender focused on European mid-market unitranche and senior secured loans, with comparable deal sizes and a similarly institutional LP base; widely viewed as Apera's closest peer.
- Hayfin Capital Management: London-based alternative credit manager with a flagship European direct lending strategy focused on mid-market unitranche financings; a scale peer operating in the same European lower mid-market segment.
Broad incumbents
- ICG (Intermediate Capital Group): London-listed alternative asset manager with a substantial European direct lending franchise, offering unitranche and senior loans alongside private equity, credit, and strategic capital strategies.
- Muzinich & Co: Global credit specialist with a European private debt franchise investing in mid-market senior secured loans, broadly comparable to Apera's strategy but at a larger scale and broader product set.
- Crescent Capital Group: US-headquartered credit manager with a European direct lending franchise investing in senior secured loans to mid-market borrowers, comparable in strategy but with broader geographic and product coverage than Apera.
- Tikehau Capital: European alternative asset manager with a sizable private debt business providing senior secured and unitranche financings to mid-market companies, operating in overlapping geographies with Apera.
- Bridgepoint Credit: European mid-market direct lending arm of Bridgepoint, providing senior debt and unitranche financings to PE-backed companies in the UK and continental Europe.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Apera Asset Management social profiles
Digital presenceApera Asset Management compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Apera Asset Management financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Apera Asset Management leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Apera Asset Management funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Apera Asset Management M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Apera Asset Management
What does Apera Asset Management do?
Apera Asset Management is a private debt asset manager that arranges and structures bespoke senior secured unitranche financings, super senior facilities, and RCFs for lower mid-market companies in Western Europe. The firm raises and manages private debt funds (Fund I, II, III) and Separate Managed Accounts (SMAs) on behalf of institutional investors, deploying approximately €6 billion across 100+ transactions since 2016.
Is Apera Asset Management a public or private company?
Apera Asset Management is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Apera Asset Management founded?
Apera Asset Management was founded in 2016. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Apera Asset Management based?
Apera Asset Management is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Apera Asset Management make money?
One revenue line is on record: private Debt Investment Management.
Who are Apera Asset Management's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kartesia, Park Square Capital, Arcmont Asset Management, Pemberton Asset Management and Hayfin Capital Management. Broad incumbents are ICG (Intermediate Capital Group), Muzinich & Co, Crescent Capital Group, Tikehau Capital and Bridgepoint Credit.
Does Apera Asset Management have an API?
No public API is recorded for Apera Asset Management.
What industry is Apera Asset Management in?
Apera Asset Management's product category is Private Debt / Direct Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAGAL, Institutional Separate Accounts & SMAs (Mandates), with a secondary code of FSAEAAAB, Investment Management Advisory (RIA). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.