Apollo CEO Rejects Private Credit Systemic Risk Fear

Core Viewpoint - Apollo Global Management's CEO Marc Rowan argues that concerns regarding systemic risks from private assets in retirement and insurance portfolios are exaggerated, emphasizing that most private credit held by insurers and pension funds is rated investment grade [1][2]. Group 1: Private Credit and Transparency - Rowan highlights that private credit offers lenders direct access to borrowers' management, countering claims that this asset class lacks transparency compared to traditional loans [1]. - Apollo's exchange-traded private credit fund with State Street provides daily price updates, showcasing the firm's commitment to transparency in its investment-grade private credit business, which has traded $6 billion recently [2]. Group 2: Industry Dynamics and Risks - Alternative asset managers, including Apollo, have increasingly acquired insurers to secure a stable source of long-term capital, with Apollo's insurance arm, Athene, investing in products created by its asset-management division, giving it a first-mover advantage [3]. - Recent scrutiny has arisen regarding the close ties between private equity and insurers, particularly following credit losses from firms like First Brands Group and Tricolor Holdings, raising concerns about the financial industry's stability [3]. Group 3: Economic Outlook and Capital Shortfalls - Economists at the Bank for International Settlements estimate that publicly traded North American life insurers could face a capital shortfall of approximately $150 billion in a severe economic downturn, a figure that has more than tripled over the past two decades [4]. - UBS Group AG Chairman Colm Kelleher expressed concerns about looming systemic risks in the insurance business, which Rowan refuted during Apollo's third-quarter earnings call, stating that Athene does not rely on certain ratings agencies under scrutiny [5].