PGIM’s Engin Okaya on private credit opportunities and the use of AI in investments

On the latest episode of the Debtwired! podcast, Engin Okaya, executive managing director at PGIM Private Capital, joins Melina Chalkia, Debtwire’s primary market reporter for North America, to discuss trends and strategies in private credit. Okaya oversees the private placement and mezzanine activity for PGIM Private Capital's Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis and New York Global Corporate Finance offices. She is also a partner of PGIM Capital Partners, the middle-market mezzanine debt and structured equity fund management business, sponsored by PGIM Private Capital. In this conversation, Engin explains PGIM’s approach to evaluating lending opportunities, emphasizing a structured framework that balances risk and return. She highlights the appeal of middle-market companies and discusses the growing collaboration between private credit firms and banks to diversify portfolios and enhance deal origination. The conversation also touches on sector-specific investment opportunities in private credit for 2025. Lastly, Engin elaborates on the growing role of artificial intelligence in private credit investment decisions and highlights her view of AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human decision-making.#PGIM, #Private Credit, #Market Opportunities, #Artificial Intelligence