Acquired in 2015 by Mediobanca, Cairn Capital is an independently managed affiliate of the Milanese bank's asset management division.

Just over a year ago, Cairn Capital closed the acquisition of Bybrook, a London-based rival focused on special situations in Europe and stressed and distressed debt, with $2.4 billion in assets.

"We have already seen the benefits of the merger ... I look forward to embarking on this next chapter of growth," Polus CEO Nicholas Chalmers said.

With a team of more than 30 investment professionals in London and New York, Polus Capital manages $9 billion in assets on behalf of institutional investors including pension funds, insurers or family offices.

(Reporting by Valentina Za; Editing by Keith Weir)