Investec Specialist Bank (“Investec”) today announced the appointment of Galina Markova to its Corporate & Acquisition Finance team. This team is responsible for the origination and structuring of leveraged finance and private debt solutions for mid-market corporates and private equity clients across Europe. Based in the team’s London office, Galina will play a key role in driving growth from both the client base as well as from new strategic initiatives that includes tapping into the strong institutional demand for private debt assets.

Galina joins from SMBC where she was an Executive Director in their European Leveraged Finance team. Prior to this, she was an Executive Director at GE Capital’s European Leveraged Finance helping to establish the business as a leading middle market sponsor franchise. Galina brings over 15 years of experience in transaction origination and execution as well as credit risk management best practice through cycles and across multiple jurisdictions.

Since its inception in 2012, Investec Corporate & Acquisition Finance has grown to become a 15-strong team providing a range of financing solutions to support its private equity and corporate clients’ ambitions for growth across Europe. Investec originates and structures over £1.0bn of debt finance each year across more than 50 mid-market transactions.

Callum Bell, Head of Corporate & Acquisition Finance at Investec, commented: “Galina is a senior and strategic appointment for the team and she is a further indicator of the significant growth we have achieved to date and our vision going forward. We remain focused on delivering our ambitions of being the leading mid-market arranger and provider of debt finance solutions to our client base. Galina has extensive mid-market experience across the credit cycle and she will be responsible for driving several key growth initiatives to ensure Investec is best placed to capitalise on the market trends and opportunities we see occurring over the next few years and beyond.”

In 2017, Investec appointed Connor McMahon and Megan Chavkin to its Corporate & Acquisition Finance team, with further appointments to be announced shortly.