Role of independent loan agents in the private credit market is set to increase
84% of private credit executives say the role of independent loan agents will increase over the next few years, study shows
'Lack of easy access to own data’ is ranked the top challenge when working with independent loan agents
Over four-fifths (84%) of private credit fund managers and executives say the role of independent loan agents will increase over the next few years, with over one in ten (11%) saying it will increase significantly, according to new research* from Nordic Trustee, part of global capital markets services provider Ocorian.
The study with executives across the UK and Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Benelux, the Nordics and Eastern Europe reveals that around a third (31%) already engage with independent loan agents very frequently for their transactions. However, 65% say they only engage with them ‘occasionally’ and 4% ‘rarely’ for their transactions at the moment.
The top challenge those surveyed currently face when working with independent loan agents is a lack of easy access to their own data, followed by a lack of transparency. The third challenge is cost, followed by lack of accuracy. The quality of expertise and slow responsiveness were listed as the fifth and sixth challenges, respectively.
Those executives surveyed were asked to list the top three factors they emphasise when engaging a third-party, and turnaround time came out on top. This was followed by responsiveness, technological offering and pricing. Consistency was ranked fifth, accuracy sixth, and finally, prior engagement experience.
Anatoly Sorin, Head of UK, Nordic Trustee, said: “Our research shows that there are already a significant number of private credit executives who are frequently engaging with independent loan agents for their transactions. However, this is only set to increase over the next few years, and the sector must address and overcome the challenges that they are currently facing in order to capitalise on this increased demand.”
With over 30 years’ expertise in the bond and loan markets and a track record of facilitating 14,000 transactions over the years, Nordic Trustee brings an unparalleled depth of knowledge to support bond and loan transactions in the UK and Europe.
It differentiates itself through its proprietary technology, extensive restructuring expertise which includes more than 450 restructurings and 2,000 noteholder meetings, and a problem-solving approach that streamlines complex transactions for issuers and investors alike. Nordic Trustee is committed to delivering best-in-class trustee and loan agency services tailored to the needs of issuers, investors, and intermediaries.
*In March 2025, Ocorian commissioned independent research company PureProfile to interview 210 private credit professionals working across private credit and debt fund management investing in private debt, private equity using private credit, borrowers using private credit as a source of funding, and debt advisory. Respondents were based in the UK and Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Benelux, the Nordics and Eastern Europe
About Nordic Trustee
Nordic Trustee is the leading and most experienced provider of bond trustee and loan agency services in Northern Europe, with offices in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Frankfurt and London. We have over 3,000 active assignments in the non-bank lending sector for more than 850 issuers/lenders from 30 countries.
Nordic Trustee is also a provider of high-quality bond market data through its subsidiaries Stamdata and Nordic Bond Pricing. Data includes detailed reference data, price and index information on all Nordic debt securities issued by the public sector, financial institutions and corporates. Since October 2021, Nordic Trustee has been part of the Ocorian group.
About Ocorian
Ocorian is a global leader in fund services, corporate and trust services, capital markets, and regulatory and compliance support.
Unlocking new value for its clients across jurisdictions and service lines is Ocorian’s priority; it manages over 20,000 structures on behalf of 9,000+ clients, including financial institutions, large-scale international organisations, and high-net-worth individuals.
Ocorian provides fully compliant, tailored solutions that are individual to clients’ needs, no matter where in the world they hold financial interests, or however they are structured.
The group offers a full suite of corporate, fund and private client services across a network of offices spanning all the world’s financial hubs. Locations include Bermuda, BVI, Cayman, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, UAE, the UK, and the US.
To find out more about Ocorian and its services, including regulatory information, visit www.ocorian.com