February 2012 Source: Balmain/AMAL Author: Balmain/AMAL
About Balmain Balmain is the region’s leading non-bank commercial loan manager. With over 30 years of experience and $2b in assets under management, Balmain has a proven track record that encompasses all aspects of the commercial loan lifecycle including loan origination, credit underwriting, mortgage fund management and asset recovery.
Balmain’s volume of transactions and credit cycle experience is unmatched in the non-bank sector. With over 100 staff in 8 offices throughout Australia and New Zealand Balmain has the experience and capacity to develop and manage a wide variety of commercial loan portfolios.
Balmain is a founding and major shareholder in AMAL Asset Management Limited. For over 16 years AMAL has focused on providing the most efficient and cost-effective loan servicing solutions to its clients in Australia and New Zealand. And with over $A6 billion of assets under administration on behalf of over 30 clients, AMAL is the leading commercial loan and receivables servicer in the region.
AMAL’s specialist team, customisable systems platforms and rigorous focus on quality, risk-management and compliance have resulted in a service offering trusted by some of the region’s and the world’s largest financial institutions.
Balmain’s specialist commercial loan origination network is the largest and most experienced source of loan origination not owned by the major Australian banks. This network, comprising staff of over 100 located in eight offices around Australia and New Zealand has an established market presence and a significant client base.
Over the past 30 years, and through multiple credit-cycles, Balmain has originated over $A20 billion of commercial loans, specialising not only in senior debt but also in mezzanine debt and preferred equity. The origination process includes stringent controls aimed at ensuring that the high volume of deal flow is complimented by detailed and accurate client information to allow appropriate credit assessment by our funding partners.
The origination network is supported by high levels of training and education, extensive analyst support and Balmain’s propriety BOSS loan origination and settlement system. These, coupled with an extensive risk and compliance framework, provide the network with the tools necessary to provide clients with the highest level of service and efficiency.
Over the past five years, Balmain’s credit underwriting team have approved and settled over $A2 billion of commercial loan transactions in Australia and New Zealand. The team of highly experienced credit specialists is supported by the national reach of our origination network and by the Balmain group’s broad market ‘radar’ which comprises detailed local knowledge of both markets and borrowers.
Balmain has structured the relationship between origination and credit to ensure that credit has access to all client data and communications. Indeed the ability of the credit team to directly access the originator/borrower relationship is a unique competitive advantage.
Balmain’s credit process is focused on structuring facilities to mitigate risk, with each stage of the credit process requiring workshop, review and signoff to ensure consistency of approach and maximum knowledge transfer. As well as overseeing over $A1.2 billion of internal balance sheet and funds management programs, the credit team has advised a range of external clients on portfolio purchases, credit profiling and credit policy design.
Loan servicing is undertaken by AMAL Asset Management Limited (AMAL). With over $A6 billion of portfolios serviced in both Australia and New Zealand, AMAL is the leading independent loan servicer in the region.
AMAL’s services include primary servicing, special servicing, standby servicing and trust management. A highly experienced team of administration, credit and IT staff cater for a wide range of asset classes including commercial, residential, consumer, leasing and other asset-backed receivables.
Continued investment in our technology platforms allow tailored interaction with both origination and portfolio lender systems and provides clients with maximum product development and reporting flexibility.
Loan servicing clients include trading and investment banks, non-bank lenders, fund managers and securitised programs and range from the smallest start up to portfolio’s in excess of $A1 billion in size. With over 30 customers, including some of the region and the world’s leading financial institutions, AMAL is able to provide clients with efficient and cost-effective portfolio servicing solutions.
With over $A800 million of assets under management on behalf of over 20,000 investors, Balmain is one of Australia’s largest mortgage fund managers.
Recent upheaval in the retail mortgage trust sector has upset the status quo and has created a myriad of new opportunities. During this time Balmain has been acquiring mortgage funds and leading the industry with the development of revised product structures to reconcile the requirements of investors and borrowers.
Australia is now home to the 4th largest savings pool in the world and with an aging population comes the growing need for reliable income streams secured by capital stable assets. Balmain is well placed within the commercial mortgage industry to play an ongoing role in the development of this important sector.
Balmain Fund Administration Limited (AFSL 333213) a wholly owned subsidiary of Balmain NB Corporation Limited (Balmain), is currently the Responsible Entity of two mortgage funds which are registered managed investment schemes. Balmain (MT) Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Balmain Funds Management Pty Ltd which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Balmain, is the investment manager for these schemes. Balmain AQUA Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Balmain Funds Management Pty Limited, is currently the investment manager of three mortgage funds which are registered managed investment schemes, the responsible entity for these schemes is an independent entity.
Balmain continues to support mortgage funds and is keen to play a role in the continuing consolidation of the industry.
Asset Recovery Recognising the need for specialised asset management and recovery services, Balmain established a dedicated Asset Recovery division three years ago. Today the team is managing over $A1.1 billion of distressed loans for a variety of lenders and investors.
Balmain’s Asset Recovery team brings together property professionals with specific experience in project management, investment and development, which enables a ‘hand-on’ approach to understanding all aspects impacting recovery. Over many years Balmain has also gained an intricate knowledge of the region’s property and insolvency laws, allowing the rapid assessment, development and execution of effective recovery strategies.
In addition, Balmain’s origination and structured finance capability brings an additional set of resources to the recovery process that, in many cases, provides an alternative to the traditional methods of recovery.
Collections The collections team is located at AMAL and comprises collections specialists with a wide range of industry experience including personal loans, credit cards, mortgages, investment loans, leases, rentals and mercantile agency recoveries.
The team also has experience in all aspects of loss recovery including legal action, dispute resolution, administration, liquidation and bankruptcy. Current clients include trading and investment banks, receivers and private investors. More recently the team has been working with investors looking to purchase portfolios of distressed debt.
AMAL’s portfolio servicing platform operates completely independent of any of the other teams and is subject to rigorous quality, risk management and compliance scrutiny.
The platform has been reviewed by Standard & Poor’s for six consecutive years and is STRONG, the highest possible ranking.
AMAL have 15 years of accreditation under the ISO9001:2008 Quality Management Standard, which involves a six-monthly audit of the organisation’s Quality Management System.
System controls are audited annually by Ernst & Young under the global standard for outsourcing entities, (AUASB) GS007.
Finally, a risk management program has been implemented that is fully compliant with the Australian/New Zealand standard AS/NZ4360 and ISO31000.
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