Unlocking opportunities in asset-backed finance: insights & strategies

Hear from industry expert Olamide Bello, Executive Director of Private Placements at Nomura Asset Management, disgussing asset-backed finance and emerging market opportunities. An exclusive interview at the Private Placements Industry Forum 2026, explored the explosive growth transforming the asset-backed finance sector, driven by expanding middle market financing needs and continued bank retrenchment creating new investment landscapes. Watch her insights on rigorous due diligence strategies, diverse asset classes including AI infrastructure and renewable energy, and key positioning opportunities for 2026 in the full video interview on our YouTube channel.

The explosive growth of asset-backed finance
Asset-backed finance is undergoing a transformative boom, driven by expanding middle market financing needs and continued bank retrenchment. Olamide shared her insights, exploring how this sector is creating new investment landscapes. With a focus on rigorous due diligence strategies and emerging asset classes, highlighting the key opportunities and challenges shaping the market in 2026.

Market dynamics and growth drivers
Olamide explained that asset-backed finance involves lending against specific assets—both tangible and intangible—rather than broader corporate entities. The market has doubled in size, fuelled by persistent financing needs from middle market companies and infrastructure developers, coupled with the retrenchment of traditional banks. This gap has been filled by private lenders, including life insurance companies, pension funds, and high-net-worth individuals, creating a perfect storm of supply and demand.

Investor considerations and risks
For debt investors, rigorous due diligence is critical. Olamide emphasized the importance of conducting fundamental credit analysis on both the company and the collateral pledged against the debt. Understanding the nature of the assets, lien structures, and legal protections is essential to mitigating risks in this rapidly growing market. As Olamide noted, “When there’s a lot of money to lend, there’s a lot of money to lose.”

Emerging opportunities for 2026
The asset-backed finance market is poised for accelerated growth in 2026, with diverse opportunities across both physical and intangible assets. Key areas of focus include:

• Digital infrastructure: Data centres, AI, cell towers, and fibre networks.
• Renewable energy: Gas plants and other sustainable infrastructure.
• Intangible assets: Music royalties, mining royalties, and TV contracts.

Olamide remains optimistic about the asset-backed finance sector, citing robust demand and supply dynamics that are expected to drive continued growth in 2026 and beyond.

2026 Insights
Olamide’s insights reveal a thriving asset-backed finance market with immense potential for investors who are willing to conduct rigorous underwriting and adapt to emerging trends. With opportunities spanning digital infrastructure, renewable energy, and intangible assets, the sector is set to play a pivotal role in private placements and institutional investment strategies.

Discover more exclusive insights and join the community with industry leaders at Placements Industry Forum Europe 2026, Europe’s only dedicated private placements event. Join us 15–16 September 2026 in Amsterdam.