Msquared Capital appoints new GC

Kathleen Faulkner (pictured) has joined Sydney-based private credit provider Msquared Capital as its new GC, bringing more than a decade of experience specialising in banking and finance.

She joined from JHK Legal, where she served for over a decade, and worked her way up as an associate, senior associate, and associate director before spending nearly five years as a legal practitioner director.

In her role as GC, Msquared outlined in a statement, Faulkner will oversee all aspects of the private credit fund manager’s legal responsibilities and have a particular focus on liaising with its external legal partners to continually strengthen documentation and investor protection.

The Australian private credit market has grown considerably in recent years, the fund manager continued, due to several factors, including changes to bank lending practices and regulations and increased borrower awareness of the opportunity in private lending.

“However, not all private offerings are the same, and they differ in terms of their risk profiles. Consequently, there has been a growing focus on the importance of risk in the market. The addition of a general counsel demonstrates Msquared Capital’s commitment to strong lending due diligence, helping to generate strong risk-adjusted returns,” it said.

Speaking about the hire, Msquared managing director Paul Myliotis said: “We are delighted to welcome Kathleen to the team as her deep expertise and experience in private credit is critical as we continue to grow and the appetite for private credit increases exponentially.

“Kathleen will play a critical role in ensuring Msquared Capital has a laser focus on all legal matters in the lending life cycle.”

Faulkner said: “I am excited to join the Msquared Capital team and lead all legal matters and ensure there are stringent processes in place to protect our investors’ best interests.

“While the private credit market has experienced rapid growth in Australia, there remain risks for investors if legal protections are not properly executed and enforced.

“Msquared Capital’s consistent emphasis on best practice was a key factor in my decision to join the firm.”

[Related: Msquared Capital strengthens executive team]