26North Partners, the alternative investment firm founded by Apollo co-founder Josh Harris, has strengthened its investment-grade private credit platform with two senior hires from major Wall Street banks, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Todd Marr, former global head of debt private placements at JPMorgan, and Ravi Suresh, previously head of insurance private asset solutions at Deutsche Bank, will join 26North as managing directors this month. Both will report to Cole Charnas, who oversees the firm’s insurance and investment-grade strategy.
Since launching, 26North has deployed more than $2bn into investment-grade debt through its “Investment Grade Alpha” platform, which focuses on asset-backed finance and other high-grade opportunities designed for insurance capital. These deals typically yield about 200 basis points over comparable public bonds, offering insurers an attractive alternative amid tight credit spreads.
The hires come as private credit firms increasingly pivot toward high-grade, asset-backed strategies to meet growing demand from insurers. A recent Goldman Sachs Asset Management survey found that 58% of insurers plan to increase allocations to private credit in 2025, driven by the search for yield and capital-efficient structures.
26North, which manages approximately $28bn in assets, has been building out its insurance-focused team. Marr and Suresh will join a roster that includes James Hwang and Dan Winston, formerly of Waterfall Asset Management, and Josh Rosen, previously at Oak Hill Advisors.
Beyond private credit, 26North has also made strategic moves in private equity, including its acquisitions of Onelife Fitness, ArchKey Solutions, and a controlling stake in AVI-SPL Inc.
