UK private equity firm Actis targets sharp rise in Asian investors

Actis, the British private equity firm, is making a concerted push into Asia-Pacific to ride on the rising tide of an economically maturing China and growing population of sophisticated regional investors, says its partner in charge of global fundraising.

Neil Brown said that in the next five to seven years, Asian investors are expected to account for 30 per cent of the firm’s client base, up from 20 per cent of its current 235 clients globally.

“If you look at how institutional capital is spreading around the world, about 30 per cent of it is in Asia-Pacific and it’s where I think we should be,” said Brown, noting the firm is well under way to ratchet up its Asian investors exposure.

“We have made a real push to make sure we are well represented in the region,” Brown said, stressing what he sees as its urgency to cater to the burgeoning appetite of institutional investors in China as the economy expands.

Ellen Li, the company’ s newly appointed head of its Asian fundraising business, said the London-based firm is also poised to extend its reach beyond its established investor network, such as sovereign wealth funds.

The firm is seeking to tap the demand for investing by super rich individuals, corporate players and even cash-rich start-ups, to build its presence in Asia, as well as Africa and Latin America, she said.