Armada Credit Partners nominates Matias Kaila to its Board of Directors
The pioneer in the Nordic private debt markets, Armada Credit Partners, strengthens its board by welcoming Matias Kaila as the external board member. Matias combines deep expertise in alternative fund due diligence, risk management and governance with a strong background in corporate finance and M&A. The nomination reflects Armada’s commitment to institutional best practice as we build on our track record as an agile lender to SME growth companies in the Nordics and DACH.
Matias Kaila is an experienced professional in investing in private equity and private debt funds across Nordic and international markets. He brings an institutional investor’s exacting standards and views to Armada’s board and strategy work. At TESI (Finnish Industry Investment), Finland’s state-owned private equity fund of funds, he built hands-on expertise across the full fund investment cycle — from due diligence and terms negotiation to ongoing risk management and governance.
Matias has also contributed in Invest Europe’s Limited Partners Council and in European Venture Fund Investor Network (EVFIN). Matias’ institutional expertise is grounded in an earlier career in corporate finance and M&A, where Kaila developed a thorough understanding of company valuation, transaction structuring, and the financial dynamics of growth businesses. The combination of transaction experience with fund-level governance and risk management gives him an unusually complete perspective on the private market ecosystem Armada operates in.
“Matias brings a rare combination to our board. He has worked at the sharp end of fund due diligence and governance, and he understands how the most demanding institutional investors evaluate fund structures and hold managers to account. At the same time, his corporate finance and M&A background means he fully understands the growth company perspective we exist to finance,”
says Armada’s co-founder and CEO Ilkka Santti.
Armada provides capital solutions to companies across the Nordics and DACH, combining flexible debt structures, often with equity co-investment, to support acquisitions, international expansion, and organic growth alongside a strong owner.
“Having conducted due diligence on private debt managers professionally, I understand what separates a truly institutional-grade manager from the rest in terms of investment process, risk controls, fund governance, and LP alignment. Armada meets that standard. Combined with my background in corporate finance, I hope to bring a perspective that is useful both to the firm’s continued institutional development and to the growth companies that Armada backs,”
says Matias Kaila.
Armada was ranked the top private debt fund in EMEA by PitchBook in 2023 and second in 2024. Fund VI is anchored by the European Investment Fund, the Finnish State Pension Fund, and pension company Elo. Responsible investing is integral in Armada’s investment process, with a focus on companies contributing to the green and digital transition.
For further information:
Niina Bergring
Partner, Investor Relations & Operations
+358 40 822 1514
niina.bergring@armadacredit.com
Ilkka Santti
Joint Managing Partner
+358 40 700 2876
ilkka.santti@armadacredit.com