Partners Group opens in Tokyo(2)

Partners Group, the Switzerland-based alternative asset manager, has opened an office in Tokyo, its second in Asia-Pacific. The move comes amid an ongoing marketing campaign for a second Asia-focused private equity fund of funds.

Junichiro Kawamura will oversee the office and be responsible for the firm’s business development activities, investment origination and client relationships in Japan. Kawamura joins Partners as a vice president from Mizuho Group, a Japanese financial group, where he established an alternative investment operation, according to a statement.

Christoph Rubeli, head of Partners Asia/Mid-East, said: “The Tokyo office ensures we are well positioned to take advantage of the investment possibilities as well as the increased appetite for the alternative asset class displayed by Japanese investors.”

He also cited a recently announced strategic distribution partnership with Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management as part of Partners’ Japanese strategy. Partners is active in private equity, private debt, real estate investing and hedge funds. 

Partners Group, which became a publicly listed company last year, established its first Asian office in Singapore in 2004 and launched its first Asian private equity product in 2005. The fund held a final close on $375 million last year.

Other international fund of funds managers to recently have chosen Singapore as a base for Asia include  AXA Private Equity and Adams Street. Capital Dynamics and Macquarie Funds Management are also recent entrants to the region, and chose Hong Kong to base their respective Asian operations.