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Oakley Capital Investments Ltd. on Monday unveiled plans to take control of a fast-growing pillar of the global credit infrastructure, agreeing to acquire a majority stake in finance specialist Global Loan Agency Services in a transaction valued at up to £55 million ($74 million).

The move underscores Oakley’s ambition to deepen its footprint in private credit, a market swelling like a rising tide as institutional capital pours in.

Deal Structure and Key Investors

In a statement, OCI said it will indirectly purchase the stake through Oakley Capital Fund VI, acquiring the interest from mid-market private equity firm Levine Leichtman Capital Partners. The exact size of the stake was not disclosed.

OCI added that La Caisse, the Canadian pension fund manager, plans to take a minority investment, while Levine Leichtman will retain a small residual holding in the business.

The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions.

Advisers and Legal Teams

OCI is being advised by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, with a legal team led by partners James R. Howe and Chris Vallance. Baird and Deutsche Bank are acting as financial advisers to OCI. Counsel details for the other parties were not immediately available.

Inside Global Loan Agency Services

Founded in 2011 by Mia Drennan and Brian Carne, London-based Global Loan Agency Services (GLAS) provides administration and trustee services across the credit markets, including private credit and leveraged finance.

The firm manages the administration of complex debt instruments and has expanded into a global operation with 16 offices worldwide and a workforce of more than 450 employees.

Rapid Growth and Market Scale

OCI said GLAS administers a portfolio valued at more than $750 billion and has delivered around 40% revenue growth in recent years.

The private equity firm highlighted the scale of the opportunity ahead, noting that the global private credit market currently oversees assets exceeding $2.4 trillion and is projected to surge past $4.5 trillion by 2030.

Strong fundraising from institutional and retail investors, combined with a widening range of loan types attracting capital, is helping fuel that expansion, OCI said.

High Barriers, Few Rivals

According to OCI, GLAS also benefits from high barriers to entry, limiting the number of competitors able to operate at scale. Those hurdles include the challenge of securing specialized regulatory approvals and licenses, as well as the deep technical expertise required to navigate complex debt markets.

Peter Dubens, OCI’s co-founder and managing partner, credited Drennan with building “a global leader in the market for debt administration” and said Oakley looks forward to supporting the company’s next phase of growth.

Part of a Broader Investment Push

The GLAS deal fits into OCI’s broader strategy of assembling a diversified portfolio of mid-market businesses. In recent months, the firm agreed to invest up to £13 million in yacht racing team Athena Racing and disclosed the acquisition of a majority stake in Spanish padel racket maker Nox.

OCI declined to comment further. Global Loan Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.