Actis makes Singapore appointment

Lionel Soh, formerly at Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings, has joined Actis’ Singapore office as a director with immediate effect.

The appointment comes two months after the departure of Alun Branigan, who was formerly the Singapore-based head of Actis’ Southeast Asian operations. Branigan resigned from the emerging markets-focused private equity firm at the end of 2009 and was replaced by Gary Addison. 

“Asia is a key market for Actis. Lionel’s extensive experience across China, India and Hong Kong will help Actis further build and strengthen our regional network,” Addison, partner at Actis and head of its Singapore office said in a statement. 

At Actis, Soh will help Actis’ portfolio companies across a broad range of industries in Southeast Asia grow and develop. 

Soh was at Temasek for six years, based in Hong Kong and Singapore. Most recently, he led the origination, execution and exit of deals across real estate, manufacturing and natural resources in Greater China from Temasek’s Hong Kong office. He has also executed private equity transactions, including a cross-border buyout in Southeast Asia and India. Prior to working at Temasek, Soh was an investment banker at Lehman Brothers. 

Actis is presently investing out of Actis Emerging Markets 3, a pan-emerging markets private equity fund that closed on $2.9 billion in December 2008, surpassing its $2.5 billion target. 

In October 2009, Actis held a final close on Actis Infrastructure 2 on $750 million, falling short of its $1.25 billion target. 

In all, the firm manages $4.8 billion, including more than $2.4 billion in Asia. The firm has been active in Asia for about 60 years and currently has more than 40 investment professionals in Asia across offices in Beijing, Mumbai and Singapore.