MCAM hires Asia MD to spearhead regional push

MCAM Group, a Geneva-based placement agent focusing on private equity and hedge funds, has hired James Han as a managing director in Asia, according to a statement.

The appointment comes as the firm gears up to open a Hong Kong office, hoping to “better serve its client base” by getting access to Asia Pacific institutional investors.

Han was most recently head of private placement services at KTB Investment & Securities, one of South Korea’s largest independent investment banking and brokerage firms. Prior to KTB he was a founding partner of Straight Wharf Capital Management, an Asian equity long/short hedge fund seeded by Julian Robertson’s Tiger Fund Management.

“James’ appointment and the opening of our Hong Kong office further underlines our on-going commitment to expand the firm’s global distribution capabilities,” Lars Bjoergerd, managing director, MCAM Group, said in a statement.

“Asia-Pacific has enormous untapped potential for alternative investment managers raising capital as many of the largest institutional investors such as the public and private pension funds and insurance companies in the region continue to recognise the importance of allocating to private equity, hedge funds and other alternative asset classes, and we are confident that having a local presence will significantly benefit both our clients and the investors [we] maintain relationships with.”

Placement groups have been refocusing their efforts on Asia Pacific as the region’s LP base continues to grow.

Last year, MVision Private Equity Advisers founder and chief executive Mounir “Moose” Guen relocated to Hong Kong, having pegged the Asia Pacific region as the most interesting from an LP perspective in the coming years, Private Equity International reported earlier.

Similarly, Monument Group, a Boston-based placement group, opened its Hong Kong office in March last year, with ex-MVision executive Niklas Amundsson resurfacing at the firm to lead its efforts in the region this February.