UBS chair warns of 'systemic risk' from private credit ratings. Apollo CEO fires back: 'He's just wrong.'

Core Viewpoint - The tension between large banks and private credit firms is escalating, particularly regarding systemic risks in the US insurance industry due to private financing and regulatory concerns [1][5]. Group 1: Regulatory Concerns - UBS Chairman Colm Kelleher highlighted the "lack of effective regulation" in the insurance sector, suggesting it leads to a "looming systemic risk" as small rating agencies proliferate [1]. - Kelleher compared the current situation to the 2007 subprime crisis, indicating that there is significant rating agency arbitrage occurring in the insurance business [2]. Group 2: Private Capital Response - Apollo CEO Marc Rowan countered Kelleher's claims, asserting that 70% of Athene's assets are rated by major agencies like S&P, Moody's, and Fitch, thus challenging the notion that ratings are the primary concern [3]. - Rowan acknowledged that while Kelleher's concerns about systemic risk are valid, the focus should not solely be on private letter ratings but rather on the movement of assets to jurisdictions like the Cayman Islands, which lack robust regulatory frameworks [4]. Group 3: Industry Dynamics - The insurance industry, a significant institutional investor, has increasingly invested in private credit assets, with private equity firms establishing captive insurance lenders or partnering with large insurance providers [2]. - Both Rowan and Ares' Michael Arougheti agreed that larger players in the industry tend to be more reliable, indicating a preference for established firms in navigating these risks [5].