Advancing the ball for lenders with a new LME game plan with Greg Cass and Michael Chaisanguanthum

In this episode of Debtwired!, managing editor Madalina Iacob sits down with Michael B. Chaisanguanthum, Managing Director at UBS Asset Management and Head of Restructuring for the Credit Investments Group, and Gregory Cass, Principal at PGIM, to discuss the rapidly shifting landscape for credit investors. The conversation examines how aggressive sponsor tactics and the rise of liability management exercises have changed the creditor playbook, pushing lenders toward earlier engagement, tighter coordination and more creative restructuring solutions. Greg and Michael discuss the limits of LMEs, which can extend runway and preserve optionality but often delay, rather than solve, overleveraged capital structures. They also explore the growing use of cooperation agreements and pro rata frameworks to curb creditor-on-creditor violence and counter deal-away tactics. The episode highlights how lenders are increasingly acting collectively to protect recoveries and influence outcomes. Finally, the discussion turns to innovation in restructuring, from hybrid debt-equity instruments to highly negotiated DIP financings that can effectively pre-wire bankruptcy outcomes. With maturity walls looming in sectors such as software and pressure persisting in cyclical industries, lenders are preparing for a broader wave of stress that may require more proactive involvement, including stepping into ownership and driving operational change.