Schroders’ Securitised Credit Team has announced the closure of its FOCUS II private credit fund, having raised $1.5 billion since its launch in Q2 2020.

The fund – which has specifically received commitments from both UK and US-based institutional investors - takes total assets raised by the Securitised Credit Team since its acquisition in 2016, to over $15 billion.

The team specialises in asset-backed solutions across a broad toolkit, including securities and loans spanning consumer receivables, housing, commercial real estate and commercial assets.

The team seeks to deliver solutions across the return and liquidity spectrum.

Michelle Russell-Dowe, Head of Securitised Credit, Schroders, said in a statement: “As we mark the beginning of a prolonged environment of low interest rates, which we call ‘#TheZero’, it is especially important to identify and deliver on investment options that access a diverse set of opportunities, including those in complex and inefficient markets. The Zero presents incredible challenges, and we look forward to being part of the solution set.

“Against a backdrop of economic and social change, we see a sequence of opportunities. Not all opportunities manifest at the same time in a cycle and, for our fund, we see near-term opportunities. 

"These are in housing and our view is that additional opportunities in consumer debt and real estate, will continue to develop. Of critical importance is the flexibility to access these opportunities in their more attractive formats, ranging from public securities to private loans. 

“FOCUS II represents an incredible opportunity to match those opportunities with a fund structure that we think is well best positioned to deliver an attractive investment outcome to our clients and partners.”