Northwestern Mutual, DWS Reach $500M Goal for Private Equity Fund

Northwestern Mutual Capital, the investment management arm of Northwestern Mutual, and DWS Group have clinched $500 million in commitments for a new private equity fund – Four Columns Junior Capital Fund VI.

NMC and DWS announced their partnership in October 2020.

The fund is unlevered and invests in junior capital of performing, private-equity-backed businesses. A specified amount of each investment by NMC for Northwestern Mutual is allocated to the fund.

“This is a unique opportunity for investors to access the same investments that Northwestern Mutual selects for its own general account,” said Dan Julka, vice president – securities of the Northwestern Mutual Investment Management Company and head of Northwestern Mutual Capital.

DWS’s RREEF America real estate investment unit has included the fund in a regulatory filing and says another DWS unit, DWS Distributors, is marketing the fund. The minimum investment is $5 million.

The fund has made 30 commitments and is expected to make another 45 to 70 investments by the end of the investment period.

NMC has invested $14 billion in junior capital through 425 investments since 2000.