Alternative asset manager Arini has strengthened its private credit capabilities with the appointment of Ben Kunstler as head of hybrid capital, as the firm expands its private capital offering, according to a report by Alternative Credit Investor.
Kunstler joins from Bain Capital, where he spent 18 years as a partner in the firm’s European private equity business. At Arini, he will sit on the private credit investment committees and help develop the firm’s hybrid capital strategy.
The appointment comes as Arini continues to build out its private markets platform and broaden the range of financing solutions it can offer companies.
“Ben brings a private equity investor’s perspective to Arini’s credit investing capabilities,” said Hamza Lemssouguer, Arini’s founder and chief investment officer.
He said Kunstler’s experience would complement Arini’s broader investment platform, which combines public and private credit strategies with fundamental, sector-focused research.
Arini said the current market environment is creating opportunities for managers able to provide flexible, long-term capital to businesses, particularly as borrowers and sponsors seek alternatives to traditional financing.
The firm was founded in 2021 and has built strategies spanning public and private credit. It now manages more than $20bn in assets.
The hybrid capital strategy will give Arini another route into private markets, potentially allowing the firm to structure financing across different points of the capital stack rather than relying solely on traditional senior lending.
