Private credit pioneer Qualitas eyes returns from fledgling build-to-rent sector
Despite the recent flurry of headlines, private credit is a long established sector in Australia and Qualitas, founded in 2008, has a long-term perspective on the market.
The rush of interest in private credit and private markets in general has been one of the headline stories of the year in financial markets.
The sector, which emerged in the wake of the financial crisis, rapidly expanded as regulation and diminished risk appetite saw the traditional bank credit system withdraw from lending to some industries.
In Australia, there remains little firm data on the size of the market. The Reserve Bank’s estimate is $40 billion but in a recent analysis reported ranges from $1.8 billion to $188 billion. Regulators though are watching.
One of the first private credit managers to emerge in Australia, in 2008, was Qualitas which listed in 2021 and today has total committed funds under management of $8.9 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 37%.
