Latest news with #AlejandroGonzalez
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Private credit's growing role in asset finance: a conversation with FIS
Private credit is rapidly reshaping the asset, motor, and equipment finance landscape. Once dominated by banks and public markets, these sectors are now seeing a shift as regulatory pressure limits traditional lending — and private credit steps in as a flexible, scalable source of capital. Unlike syndicated loans or public debt, private credit offers bespoke structures, faster execution, and funding aligned with real-world collateral like fleets, equipment, or receivables. As PwC notes, it's not just mimicking traditional finance, it's building a more tailored, efficient system for connecting borrowers and investors. This is no longer a marginal trend. As of September 2024, combined unrealised value and dry powder in private debt reached $1.05 trillion, a 94% increase since 2019, according to Preqin and S&P Capital IQ data Asset finance providers are tapping into this trend through co-lending, forward flow deals, and structured facilities that blend traditional and alternative capital. To explore how technology is supporting this evolution, Alejandro Gonzalez (AG), editor of Leasing Life, spoke with Murad Baig (MB), Global Equipment and Auto Finance Strategy Lead, Capital Markets at FIS, about how private credit is changing the rules, and how the right platforms are helping lenders adapt. MB: How is your technology helping private credit funds streamline the origination and underwriting process specifically for asset finance transactions? AG: Private credit funds are under pressure to deploy capital quickly while maintaining underwriting discipline, especially in asset-heavy sectors like equipment leasing, auto finance, and energy transition infrastructure. FIS helps address this through a unified origination platform that streamlines onboarding, credit memo creation, and real-time stipulation checks using AI. Our tools automate financial spreading, risk scoring (PD, LGD, EL), and scenario analysis, significantly reducing underwriting time while ensuring consistency and control. We also support structural flexibility, allowing lenders to incorporate ESG-linked KPIs, PIK interest, and covenant tracking into deals. This adaptability is crucial for private credit's bespoke lending models. Beyond origination, our Loan Services Suite offers middle-office support, handling loan onboarding, daily cash tracking, trade settlement, waterfall calculations, and portfolio reporting. It's a full-service solution for managing private credit portfolios. A strong example is Apollo, which uses our Commercial Lending Suite to scale its asset-backed finance strategy across equipment leasing, auto loans, and even royalties, relying on our systems for structured cash flow management, covenant logic, and collateral waterfall support. FIS delivers the tools private credit funds need to move fast, manage risk, and scale in today's evolving asset finance markets. MB: What kinds of data integrations or analytics capabilities do you provide to help credit investors assess asset-backed risk and performance over time? AG: In today's environment, especially when lending into emerging or volatile sectors, investors need more than just basic reporting, they want real-time, asset-level insight. That means full visibility into loan performance, covenant compliance, and increasingly, ESG alignment. At FIS, we make that possible by integrating loan, contract, and asset data across our asset finance and supply chain finance platforms. This gives investors and fund managers a clear, consolidated view of their portfolios, right down to individual assets. Our investor reporting tools, including PCS, VPM, and ISS, provide LP-grade transparency. That covers everything from IRR and waterfall modelling to covenant tracking and performance metrics. For hedge funds managing private credit loans, VPM can be paired with our middle-office outsourcing to ensure seamless reporting and operations. Additionally, our analytics layer provides users with access to self-service dashboards and predictive tools, enabling them to identify early warning signals and manage risk proactively across their portfolio. A great example is MetLife Investment Management. They're using private credit to support energy transition projects, things like solar leasing and EV infrastructure. Their strategy relies on tracking ESG performance, borrower alignment with net-zero goals, and impact reporting. Our platform gives them the tools to do just that, with ESG metrics fully integrated into origination and ongoing reporting. In short, we help private credit managers turn data into clarity, so they can deliver accountability to investors and make smarter, faster decisions in a fast-changing market. MB: How do your solutions accommodate the structuring flexibility often required in private credit deals — such as PIK interest, covenants, or tailored repayment schedules? AG: Private credit deals rarely follow a one-size-fits-all structure. Whether it's PIK toggles, covenant waterfalls, or hybrid amortisation schedules, flexibility is the name of the game, and that's where FIS adds real value. Our platforms are built to handle this complexity. We support fully customisable repayment structures, whether it's bullet, straight-line amortisation, or a hybrid of the two. Need to embed a PIK toggle or margin ratchet? Our systems can do that too, with logic built right into the origination and servicing workflows. We also make covenant tracking easier and more transparent. From covenant thresholds to multi-layered waterfalls, our tools give you the flexibility to model bespoke terms — and the automation to monitor them without manual workarounds. For deals involving multiple borrowers or SPVs, our credit assessment tools can consolidate financials and performance data across entities, so you're getting a true picture of risk and exposure at every level of the structure. Firms like Paul Weiss have noted the growing demand for structures with PIK interest, covenant-light documentation, and drop-down protections. Our platform supports those exact needs through configurable facility templates and robust monitoring engines—making it easier for funds to design and manage these increasingly sophisticated deals. Simply put, we help private credit managers build the deal they want, track it seamlessly, and scale without friction—no matter how bespoke the terms. MB: In what ways does your platform support collaboration between private credit funds and traditional finance providers, such as co-lending or tranche-based structures? AG: As banks face increasing capital constraints, many are shifting long-duration, capital-intensive assets off their balance sheets. That's opening up new opportunities for private credit funds to step in—through co-lending arrangements, forward flow agreements, and even synthetic risk transfers. At FIS, we're helping bridge that gap between traditional lenders and private credit capital. Our tools like FIS SyndTrak and FIS LendAmend digitise key parts of the syndication process, from managing data rooms and investor communication to amendment voting and bookrunning. This makes it easier for private credit funds to collaborate with banks on shared transactions, with clear visibility into each step of the deal lifecycle. We also offer tranche-level tracking, so funds and banks can manage their positions with clarity, monitoring exposure, waterfall distributions, and investor allocations across senior and mezzanine tranches in real time. On top of that, our platforms support forward flow and synthetic risk transfer (SRT) structures, which are increasingly popular for risk-sharing between banks, insurers, and credit funds. These tools enable efficient capital deployment without burdening balance sheets, while still delivering the long-duration returns investors want. A great example is how FIS Supply Chain Finance (formerly Demica, recently acquired by FIS) is supporting TreviPay's global expansion. The deal used a hybrid structure combining securitisation and invoice discounting, all executed through our Supply Chain Finance platform. That setup allowed both banks and private credit funds to participate in funding, each taking on a role that matched their risk profile and capital strategy. In short, we're not just supporting private credit, we're helping build the infrastructure that connects it to the broader financial system, creating more ways to fund growth collaboratively. MB: How are you helping private credit participants meet operational and regulatory requirements — particularly around transparency, compliance, and reporting? AG: As private credit becomes more mainstream, the regulatory spotlight is getting brighter — especially in the US and Europe. Funds are facing growing expectations around AML, KYC, ESG transparency, and investor disclosures. It's no longer just about deploying capital efficiently; it's also about proving you're doing it responsibly, with full compliance and transparency. That's where FIS comes in. Our Investor Services Suite automates much of the heavy lifting around onboarding, AML/KYC checks, and tax compliance, covering FATCA, CRS, and more. This reduces operational burden while ensuring every step is audit-ready. We've also embedded ESG metrics directly into the origination workflow, so funds can track KPIs tied to environmental or social outcomes from the very start of a deal. That makes it easier to report against frameworks like SFDR or TCFD without scrambling for data later. When it comes to investor and regulatory reporting, our platform can generate NAV packs, investor statements, and disclosure-ready documents on demand, whether it's for periodic reviews, audits, or ad hoc investor requests. Take MetLife Investment Management (MIM) as an example. Their transition finance strategy focuses on ESG-aligned lending, with impact reporting built in. Their framework, recognised by Environmental Finance, relies on the kind of borrower-level ESG tracking and regulatory reporting our solutions are designed to support. In today's environment, demonstrating compliance, transparency, and impact isn't optional. FIS gives private credit funds the infrastructure to do it all—efficiently, accurately, and at scale. MB: As private credit continues to scale in asset finance, what future innovations or capabilities are you building to support next-generation lending models? AG: Private credit is evolving fast. As the market shifts toward digital origination, deeper ecosystem partnerships, and financing the global energy transition, private credit funds need platforms that can keep pace — and that's exactly where our roadmap is focused. At FIS, we're building a unified, API-first asset-based lending platform that brings together asset finance, supply chain finance, and fund administration into a single, modular stack. That means funds can originate, structure, and manage deals more efficiently, no matter how complex or cross-border the transaction may be. We're also developing digital loan passports, essentially tokenised loan identities that make it easier to track ownership, enable secondary trading, and give LPs greater transparency into individual exposures. This is a game-changer for funds looking to scale or bring more liquidity into their portfolios. On the energy front, we're supporting financing for electrified transport, solar infrastructure, and ESG-aligned asset-backed lending. As BloombergNEF has highlighted, the world needs $4.8 trillion annually in energy transition investment by 2030, and private credit will be a big part of that. Our platforms are already being used to support EV fleet financing, solar leasing, and grid upgrades, helping funds underwrite real assets with long-term impact. We've also digitised the processing of Loan Agent notices using AI , which is especially valuable in private credit, where formats vary and reporting can be unstructured. This reduces operational friction and improves accuracy across syndicated and bilateral deals. In short, we're not just reacting to where private credit is going, we're helping to shape its future. Whether it's through digital origination, ESG-aligned lending, or next-gen reporting tools, FIS is committed to equipping private credit funds with the infrastructure they need to grow and lead in a changing world. "Private credit's growing role in asset finance: a conversation with FIS" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Q&A with BMI's Santiago Arieu on the magnet crisis disrupting global auto production
The introduction of a new licensing system by China, now slowing the export of rare earth elements, has sent a ripple of disruption across global vehicle production lines, raising the spectre of stalled factories and delayed deliveries. Rare earth magnets, often invisible yet indispensable, are the backbone of modern automotive technology. From the motors powering electric vehicles (EVs) to the sensors, steering systems, and regenerative brakes that define the modern driving experience, these small but mighty components are everywhere. But as China tightens its grip on these critical exports, amid a backdrop of rising geopolitical tension and new US tariffs, the industry is facing a reckoning. Europe, which sources 98% of its rare earth magnets from China, finds itself particularly exposed. Efforts to bolster domestic supply through initiatives like the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act have thus far failed to match China's scale or competitiveness. Meanwhile, automakers are issuing warnings: stockpiles are dwindling, and the clock is ticking. Ford has already paused operations at a major plant, Suzuki has pulled back production on key models, and Germany's influential automotive industry group VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie) has raised red flags about looming shutdowns. Behind the headlines, the implications are even more serious for the EV sector, which depends on rare earth materials far more than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles. As electrification accelerates globally, the threat to supply chains grows more acute, and more costly. In this Q&A, Santiago Arieu (SA), Senior Autos Analyst at BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, sheds light on how the rare earth bottleneck could shape the next chapter for automakers and auto financiers. In conversation with Alejandro Gonzalez (AG), editor of Motor Finance Online. SA: If the supply constraints for these critical minerals do not improve, we believe it is highly likely that we will need to implement downward revisions to our 2025 vehicle forecasts (involving both production and sales projections). Regarding regional exposure, whilst rare earth magnets are utilised across all vehicle types, we highlight that markets and regions producing more technologically advanced vehicles with a greater number of features requiring these components face disproportionate risk. SA: Whilst we believe some automakers may consider reverting to older EV motor technologies or reducing premium features that significantly rely on rare earth magnets, we believe that carmakers are likely to exhaust all other options before implementing such measures. It is worth noting that these components are strategically crucial as they enable carmakers to differentiate their products in increasingly competitive markets. Moreover, many of these magnet-dependent features form a central part of the value proposition for modern vehicles. Removing such features would risk compromising brand positioning and consumer appeal, particularly in premium segments where these differentiators justify higher price points. SA: We believe the disruptions we are beginning to observe stemming from rare earth supply constraints will drive regions such as North America and Europe to accelerate and facilitate the onshore production of these minerals and components. That said, we forecast a substantial dependency on Mainland China for these critical materials and components will persist in the short term (at least 6 to 12 months). This is because the development of alternative supply chains represents a significant industrial challenge that cannot be resolved quickly, particularly given China's dominant position in processing capacity and technical expertise built over several years. SA: We believe the EU needs to significantly enhance economic incentives and simplify regulatory procedures to accelerate the development of new rare earth processing facilities within its borders. Currently, European operations struggle to compete with Chinese producers on cost efficiency and scale, creating a critical vulnerability in the automotive supply chain. To achieve genuine supply chain resilience, the EU could introduce more robust financial support measures and cut red tape, enabling European processors to achieve commercially viable economies of scale. SA: We believe that if industry production volumes are negatively affected by rare earth supply issues, similar to the semiconductor shortage in 2020-2021, vehicle prices are very likely to rise due to rapidly shifting supply-demand dynamics. These price increases could have a substantial impact on vehicle sales volumes, as higher costs would further strain affordability at a time when vehicle pricing is already elevated. We also see the potential for this situation to lead to tighter auto financing terms across Europe, as ongoing rare earth mineral supply constraints could create additional challenges for EV pricing. China's rare earth clampdown strains global auto production "Q&A with BMI's Santiago Arieu on the magnet crisis disrupting global auto production" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michigan Student's Mom Shares Chilling Final Photo of Him Posing by Ocean Before He Drowned in a Riptide
The body of Alejandro Gonzalez was found after he went swimming with friends in Cancun, Mexico, on Sunday, April 20 The 20-year-old died after trying to rescue a friend from a riptide Alejandro was a junior at College of Creative Studies in Detroit and a graduate from Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy A student from Michigan has died after attempting to rescue a friend from a riptide in Mexico. According to Michigan Live, 20-year-old College of Creative Studies in Detroit junior, Alejandro Gonzalez, had been missing after swimming in Cancun with high school friends on Sunday, April 20. After helping save a pal who was pulled away by a riptide, Alejandro was swept away by the strong current. Per the outlet, his family was told by officials on Wednesday, April 23, that they had found his body. 'We held out hope, and prayed for a miracle. While the outcome wasn't what we wanted, God did answer our prayers,' Alejandro's mother Renee Gonzalez, said on Facebook on Wednesday. 'Alejandro's body has been found, Matt and I are going to be able to bring our baby home.' PEOPLE has contacted the Cancun Police and the College of Creative Studies for comment. Related: West Virginia Father's Body Pulled from Lake After He Rescued His Son: 'Terrible Tragedy' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She added, 'Thank you all again for all the love and support. We are going to continue to accept donations, while it looks like Matt and I won't be going to Mexico, we are going to need help with the expense to bring him home, and all of the expenses that come with a situation like this.' Renee also shared a photo of the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy graduate posing by the water moments before his death. In the snap, the young man appeared in good spirits as he smiled and held two thumbs up. 'The picture is from the evening he went into the water, the smile on his face reminds me how happy he was to be with his friends and spending time somewhere new,' Renee wrote. 'It's good to know he was so happy.' Related: Missing Mother Found Dead After Jumping into California River to Rescue Daughter According to a GoFundMe page set up for the artist's family, Alejandro was 'a talented artist as well as a wonderful friend.' 'He lights up a room and is always up to a new project,' the description read. 'He is caring and fiercely loyal to his friends and family and isn't afraid to try new things. He is smart, has consistently high grades and high performance in everything he does.' So far, $8,158 has been achieved out of the $10,000 GoFundMe goal. The funds will be used to help the Gonzalez family bring Alejandro's body back home. "Along with being a wonderful human being, Alejandro was graduate of Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy, and an artist who painted the cat-themed utility box mural shown in the pictures for The Great Mural Project in 2023,' Riverfront Saginaw wrote in a Facebook post of their former student. Read the original article on People
New York Post
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Michigan art student drowns rescuing friend from riptide during Cancun vacation — posted photo by water night he died
A Michigan art student on vacation in Mexico died during a daring rescue attempt to save his friend from a deadly riptide off the coast of Cancun on Easter. Alejandro Gonzalez, 20, was pulled out to sea by a strong current while swimming with a group of friends at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday, his heartbroken mother said. 'We held out hope, and prayed for a miracle. While the outcome wasn't what we wanted, God did answer our prayers,' Renee Gonzalez wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. 'Alejandro's body has been found, (We) are going to be able to bring our baby home.' 5 Alejandro Gonzalez poses for a photo on the beach while on vacation in Cancun, Mexico on April 20, 2025. Facebook/Renee Gonzalez The Saginaw, Mich. native had traveled to the Caribbean getaway with three high school friends before the tragedy occurred. He had posed for a photo at the water's edge the night he died, his mother shared. 'The picture is from the evening he went into the water, the smile on his face reminds me how happy he was to be with his friends and spending time somewhere new. It's good to know he was so happy,' Renee Gonzalez added. The photo captured the smiling artist giving a thumbs up to the camera while standing in the tropical water. Gonzalez was swimming when one of his friends got caught in a riptide and the artist jumped and successfully saved her, but 'was lost in the process,' according to a GoFundMe set up for his family. His body was recovered by officials on Wednesday after a three-day search. 5 Alejandro Gonzalez with his mother, Renee, after graduating from the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in June 2022. Renee Gonzalez/Facebook 5 Alejandro poses with a plate of cupcakes, celebrating an anniversary at his work. GoFundMe Gonzalez graduated from the Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy in 2022 and had been working as a barista at a local cafe. He was studying at the College of Creative Studies in Detroit, reported. 'Alejandro is a talented artist as well as a wonderful friend. He lights up a room and is always up to a new project,' Heather Shephard, the fundraiser's creator, said. 'He is caring and fiercely loyal to his friends and family and isn't afraid to try new things. He is smart, has consistently high grades and high performance in everything he does.' 5 The cat-themed utility box mural painted by Gonzalez in the City of Sagniaw. The Great Mural Project/Facebook 5 Alejandro Gonzalez's body was recovered by officials Wednesday. GoFundMe After graduation, Gonzalez lent his artistic skills to his community's 'Great Mural Project' in 2023, decorating a cat-themed utility box mural in the City of Sagniaw. A makeshift memorial was set up underneath the mural to honor the artist along with a donation drive for the local animal shelter in his name. The crowdsourcing project, initially set up to help in the search, is now being used for donations that would fund transportation costs to bring Gonzalez home to his family. 'While it looks like Matt and I won't be going to Mexico, we are going to need help with the expense to bring him home, and all of the expenses that come with a situation like this,' Renee Gonzalez said.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Santa Rosa driver stopped on green light arrested for narcotics, assault weapon
(KRON) — A driver in Santa Rosa was pulled over and arrested Saturday on narcotics and gun charges after he didn't proceed when a traffic signal turned green, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department. Officers saw a vehicle at 12:41 a.m. 'stopped at an intersection for several seconds after the circular signal turned green,' SRPD said. The vehicle was pulled over, and officers contacted the driver, who was identified as Alejandro Gonzalez, 28, of Santa Rosa. Police said an open container of alcohol was discovered in the driver's door pocket. Following the discovery, a search of the vehicle uncovered approximately 24 grams of suspected narcotics and a loaded 300 Blackout short barrel rifle with a folding stock, according to authorities. 'The firearm is considered an assault weapon per California law,' SRPD said. A large amount of fake money was also found in the vehicle, police said. Gonzalez was arrested and booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility for: Possession of a short barrel rifle Possession of a loaded firearm in public Possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle Possession of an assault weapon Possession of a controlled substance with a firearm Possession of narcotics for purpose of sale Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
