Partnership is in the air in Asia

This week the BVCA undertook its first tour of Asia, in over a decade, to engage with LPs and we were delighted to travel with senior representatives from GP members spanning large buyouts, the mid-market, venture capital and private credit.

We travelled to Tokyo, Seoul and Singapore and hosted a series of conferences and receptions with the fantastic support of the Department for Business and Trade, Clifford Chance, Aon, and the Japanese and Singaporean PE/VC Associations.

The tour followed 15 months of BVCA engagement with LPs in the region, and, as one GP commented to me, the sense of ‘actionable engagement’ was palpable. In this changing world, the dynamics of international relations are adjusting. New partnerships are forming, and there’s a greater acknowledgement of co-dependence to capture the opportunity of emerging sectors and technologies and expand them in Asia, Europe and globally. Sectors and themes discussed at length included AI, deeptech, clean tech, fintech, SAAS and human health.

From a private equity perspective, LPs that have traditionally invested at the larger end were eager to engage with more smaller managers operating in niches.

There was vibrant discussion about how the industry has continued to evolve to attract international investment, including managed accounts and co-investment opportunities.

The BVCA’s international LP engagement will continue over the next year, including plans for tours of the Middle East and North America early next year, and international LP attendance at the BVCA Summit on 11-12 September including the Limited Partners Summit, the LP-GP Summit Dinner and the Main Conference.

If you would like further information, please do get in touch at [email protected].

Authored by Leon de Bono
Managing Director, Industry Development, BVCA