Mehta joins Aberdeen to set up loan platform

By Claire Ruckin

LONDON, May 12 (IFR) - Paul Mehta is to join Aberdeen Asset Management to head up and build its new loan platform.

Mehta will join in July as global head of loans and will be based in London, reporting to Aberdeen Asset Management (Frankfurt: 899502 - news) ’s global head of high-yield Steve Logan.

He will focus on both the primary and secondary loan markets across Europe, US and emerging markets, formalising Aberdeen Asset Management’s loan activity, which until now has not had a dedicated platform.

Mehta will buy and trade par loans but could also invest in some special situation opportunities.

"Paul’s appointment is part of our strategy to strengthen further our loans capability, where we have been investing for a number years. This also reflects the increasing appetite from clients to invest in loans,” Logan said.

Mehta joins from BNP Paribas (LSE: 0HB5.L - news) where he worked from 2012, most recently as a senior loan and distressed debt trader. Prior to that he was at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and ABN AMRO. (This story will appear in the May 13 issue of IFR Magazine; Reporting by Claire Ruckin)