Isio has launched a new platform enabling pension schemes and other investors to sell illiquid assets.
It says this launch was driven by demand from schemes, who often face difficulties when selling these assets in a timely manner and at a good price. It says the Isio Fund Liquidity Options (i-FLO) platform will offer a more efficient option for pension schemes.
It adds that there has been an increase is schemes looking to sell illiquid assets, following the market volatility caused by the ‘mini’ budget in September 2022, which saw schemes seeking greater liquidity and to with rebalance strategic asset allocation, or to prepare for an insurance transaction.
Typically, clients have used brokers to sell illiquid assets, but that process is inefficient in nascent markets such as private debt and infrastructure equity secondaries.
Isio’s i-FLO platform provides an alternative in these markets by leveraging the company’s direct relationships with leading private debt and infrastructure equity secondaries buyers. Isio says this should enable schemes to find buyers and execute sales in a more efficient manner, with lower fees compared to other options in the market.
The Isio team is currently advising a number of illiquid assets sales, across private debt and infrastructure equity. In addition, Isio supports transactions for other private markets asset classes, such as private equity and real estate, by working with a panel of brokers to act as a one-stop solution for various classes of private assets.
Isio head of asset class and manager research Ajith Balan Nair says: “Private markets asset classes have provided excellent sources of alternative income and growth for pension scheme investors in recent years, but the fallout of the LDI crisis and being closer to the endgame is prompting many of them to sell.
“Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done, and the process for exiting illiquid assets can be slow and expensive. We have launched i-FLO to provide a more efficient way to complete transactions.
“We hope to grow the platform over time to provide effective solutions for the buyers and sellers of illiquid assets across the institutional marketplace.”
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