Spotlight on HMC Private

Many Thanks to HMC Private – a key supporter of JCAS. Sean Ickowicz gives us an insight into what HMC achieves and the role they play in Australia's Changing Credit landscape.

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What is your core business?

HMC Private Credit was established with a clear mandate: to provide investors and advisers with institutional-quality access to mid-market commercial real estate private credit. Since joining HMC Capital over two and a half years ago, I have focused on building a market-leading platform grounded in strong governance, transparency, disciplined investment processes, and an exceptional client experience. With more than 15 years in funds management and investment, spanning property, technology, venture capital, and private equity, my experience has centered around strategic growth and capital deployment across high-performing environments, including senior roles at SEEK Ltd and REA Group. As National Director, Wealth at HMC Private Credit, I work with wealth advisory firms, family offices, and sophisticated investors to deepen understanding of private credit and deliver strong, risk-adjusted investment outcomes in this rapidly expanding asset class. My mission is simple: empower advisers and investors to confidently access high-quality private credit opportunities usually reserved for institutional investors.

How is your business different to others who do a similar thing?

Private credit is now one of the fastest-growing segments in Australian investing, surpassing $200 billion, with more than $80 billion in commercial real estate private credit. But not all private credit is created equal. HMC Private Credit is differentiated by our clear strategic focus on the mid-market. This segment is focused on solving the housing shortage, which is Australia’s most pressing social and economic challenge. By partnering with quality mid-market developers and backing projects that deliver essential new housing supply, we achieve two key goals: • robust, risk-adjusted returns for investors; and • meaningful contribution to communities and much-needed housing availability. We pride ourselves on combining institutional-grade discipline with agility and partnership, ensuring our capital delivers both performance and impact.

What are your hopes for the business moving forward?

Our vision is to continue educating, elevating, and expanding access to private credit as the market matures. Awareness of the asset class is rising quickly, but many investors are only beginning their journey. We see enormous opportunity to lead through education and transparency, enabling advisers and investors to make informed, confident investment decisions. Since joining HMC Capital over 16 months ago, we have transformed our platform to institutional grade standards, strengthening governance, reporting, and operational frameworks. As the sector grows, we remain committed to best practice, disciplined risk management, and delivering high quality investment outcomes.

How do you see your business aligning with what JCAS does?

HMC Private Credit proudly shares JCAS’s commitment to creating opportunity and strengthening communities. Where JCAS ensures every child can participate fully in education, we similarly focus on enabling participation, ensuring private investors can access institutional-standard private credit opportunities with confidence and integrity. We believe leadership means delivering outstanding outcomes while contributing positively to the broader community. Supporting initiatives like JCAS reflects our commitment to inclusion, long term value creation, and responsible stewardship.

How do you build and maintain strong relationships with investors and advisers?

Trust, transparency, and genuine partnership sit at the core of how I work with clients. I believe high-quality investing is built not just on returns, but on education, clarity, and consistent communication. I take a client-first approach, listening deeply to adviser and investor needs, tailoring insights to support their decision-making, and ensuring they feel supported at every stage of the investment lifecycle. Whether it is through strategy discussions, detailed reporting, or one-on-one guidance, my role is to simplify complexity, provide confidence, and ensure our partners feel empowered and well informed. Ultimately, I measure success by long-term relationships and repeat engagement, a reflection of delivering both exceptional service and strong investment outcomes