Episode 364: Fund Finance: Evolution, Opportunity, and Portfolio Construction for Insurers

Michael Timms, Managing Director and Co-Head of Fund Finance at Bayview Asset Management, joins the InsuranceAUM.com podcast to explore how fund finance has evolved into a critical and rapidly expanding segment of private markets. From its origins in subscription lines to today’s broader ecosystem including NAV lending, GP financing, and structured solutions, Michael outlines how innovation and growing capital demand are reshaping the landscape. In this episode, Michael shares where he is seeing the most compelling opportunities today, particularly as insurers increasingly play a larger role in providing capital where traditional banks have stepped back. He discusses how different fund finance strategies offer a wide range of risk-adjusted return profiles, and why understanding the structure and underlying collateral is key for effective portfolio construction. The conversation also dives into how insurers should think about accessing the space, where manager differentiation truly matters, and what potential risks or headwinds investors should keep in mind. As adoption continues to grow, fund finance is moving from a niche strategy to a core consideration for insurance portfolios.