Fund Managers

Apera appoints two partners – exclusive

Joanna Hislop and David Wilmot have both joined Apera as partners to work on its strategy to invest in SMEs in the UK, France, Benelux and the Nordics. The firm is expected to launch its debut fund later this year.

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Recently established private debt firm Apera Capital has appointed two senior hires to join its investment team focusing on opportunities in the UK, France, Benelux and the Nordics, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Joanna Hislop joins as a partner and will work on the firm’s push into France and the Benelux region. She spent six years as a partner at Park Square Capital and served on the firm’s investment committee. She has also served as a managing director at Goldman Sachs International and has experience of managing subordinated debt and special situations investments across Europe.

David Wilmot will cover the firm’s UK and Nordic investment strategy. He joins from Babson Capital, recently rebranded as Barings, after 16 years at the firm, where he was responsible for heading up the European private finance team.

Both appointments are effective immediately. Apera declined to comment.

Apera was established last year by former BlueBay partner Klaus Petersen. The firm is headquartered in London and is managing a strategy of providing debt financing to small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe. Central to the firm’s strategy is to establish long-term partnerships with private equity firms. Petersen will lead the firm’s DACH focus.

The firm is expected to launch its debut fund later this year.