Julie Miecamp, Deputy Global Head of Editorial at Octus, opens the episode by framing a CLO market that has changed almost beyond recognition: past $1 trillion in size, more than 160 managers issuing in the US alone, and the economics of CLO equity shifting under everyone's feet (00:06). She then hands off to Sid Punjabi, CLO Reporter at Octus, who caught Vince Pompliano, Managing Director and Co-Head of the US CLO Platform at Benefit Street Partners, at a real milestone: BSP just priced its 50th new issue CLO (02:19). Vince opens with the big picture, arguing the number one lesson of the past decade is that the structure works, with the waterfall, OC tests, and portfolio quality tests doing exactly what they were built to do (02:53). He pushes back on the negative headlines around Iran and the AI software scare, pointing to positive GDP growth, contained inflation, and borrowers still growing revenue and EBITDA (04:03), and lays out his base case for sustained gross issuance into 2026, helped by refis, resets, and short dated paper giving every investor an entry point (05:48). With the field this crowded, Vince argues return dispersion between managers is only going to widen, which makes the name on the deal matter more, not less (06:58), and walks through BSP's philosophy of building lower risk, more conservative portfolios that still deliver median or better equity distributions (07:45). He reflects on CLO 50 and the platform's growth from roughly $5 billion in AUM when he joined in 2014 to more than $30 billion globally today (08:41), before getting into consolidation, why access to capital and performance will separate the winners, and what actually earns a platform tier one status (13:43). The conversation then goes global: Japan's deepening bid and the rise of regional bank capital (17:51), how Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore differ in risk appetite down the stack (19:18), and the untapped mezzanine and equity capital sitting in the Middle East (20:33). Vince gets philosophical on dislocation, explaining why diversification has to be built before volatility shows up, why BSP caps positions at 30 to 50 basis points, and why some of the best CLOs ever done were created in the worst moments (25:05). On the captive equity debate, he resets day one arb expectations around the familiar 12 to 15 percent target and makes the case that captive funds and ETFs are net positives for the market over time (33:21). He closes on reinvestment optionality as the critical driver of equity value (39:25), the role of CLO equity as a cash flowing complement to private equity in a portfolio (41:47), and the career lessons from his trading days, starting with the fact that this is still a relationship business (44:31). In the rapid fire, Sid gets the one misconception Vince would happily kill off, and the answer is three words: we are not CDOs (45:20).
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Hosted by Julie Miecamp
Guest Interviewer: Sid Punjabi, CLO Reporter, Octus.
Guest: Vince Pompliano, Managing Director and Co-Head of US CLO Business, Benefit Street Partners.
Produced and Final Edited by Tanya Hubbard
A Production of The Octus Podcast Network
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Chapter
00:00:00 Introduction from Julie Miecamp
00:02:19 Sid Punjabi introduces Vince Pompliano
00:02:53 State of the CLO market and why the structure works
00:04:53 Loan market health and 2026 issuance outlook
00:07:53 BSP portfolio philosophy and lower risk construction
00:13:56 Manager differentiation and coming consolidation
00:17:39 Global investor base: Japan, Asia, Middle East
00:24:43 Playing offense during dislocation
00:32:47 CLO equity, captive funds, and resetting arb expectations
00:41:36 The role of CLO equity in a portfolio today
00:44:16 Career lessons and rapid-fire wrap
Closing Credits
FROM BSP - Important Disclosure: This podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or investment product or to adopt any investment strategy. The views and opinions expressed are those of the speakers as of the recording date and are subject to change without notice. Statements regarding market conditions, industry trends, portfolio characteristics, expected returns, economic conditions or future events are forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and expectations and are not guarantees of future results. Any references to specific asset classes, investment strategies, securities or transactions are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as investment recommendations. References to Benefit Street Partners' investment process, portfolio construction, or risk management reflect the team's current approach, which may change over time and may not be successful in all market environments. There can be no assurance that any investment objectives, return expectations, or risk management strategies discussed will be achieved. Past performance does not guarantee future results. All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal.
