Expansion across multiple states follows numerous aggregator panel appointments
Private credit player Msquared Capital has promoted Michael Volkiene (pictured, right) to the newly created role of chief commercial officer and added to its origination team across the eastern seaboard.
The expansion comes as the group surpasses $1.5 billion in capital deployed into commercial loans since the firm's founding in 2017.
Msquared Capital co-founder Paul Myliotis said the changes reflect the firm's focus on its people, distribution network and product offering.
“Sustainable growth in a complex market requires strong origination, deep credit expertise and communication of risk to investors. These appointments enhance our ability to scale while maintaining the lending quality our investors and borrowers expect,” Myliotis said in comments sent to MPA.
Myliotis credited Volkiene with broadening the firm's reach across the broker channel, with Msquared Capital's loan products now available to approximately 70% of brokers – growth that follows the firm joining aggregator AFG's lending panel to extend its distribution further.
In his new role, Volkiene will oversee Msquared Capital's product development strategy and lead growth of its investor and lending businesses. He joined the firm after almost 20 years at ANZ Bank, where he led a lending division focused on growing the bank's broker channel.
Volkiene said demand for private credit remains strong, particularly among experienced businesses seeking to unlock value from real estate assets. “These borrowers often require tailored solutions, and I'm excited by the opportunity to continue growing a business focused on delivering certainty in complex lending scenarios,” he said.
Msquared Capital points to two converging pressures reshaping the commercial lending market: banks tightening their lending criteria, and a shortage of experienced credit professionals creating capacity constraints across the non-bank sector.
It's a dynamic the firm's broker partners have also flagged – LMG recently added Msquared Capital to its commercial lending panel as valuations tighten and settlement timelines come under pressure.
Melbourne hire signals further expansion
Michael Taipi (pictured, left) has also joined Msquared Capital to service brokers from its Melbourne office, with the firm flagging further hires planned in Sydney and Brisbane.
Taipi spent more than 12 years as owner-operator of a mortgage broking business – experience Volkiene said gives him “a unique perspective on what brokers need to succeed”.
The push into new markets follows a broader trend of brokers taking a larger share of commercial lending, as outlined in MPA's recent analysis of commercial broking growth.
Msquared Capital lends to Australian businesses backed by real estate, deploying capital on behalf of private investors, advisers and institutions across managed funds and institutional mandates.
