April 24, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Global private equity giant Ardian said on Dec. 3 it has launched its Korean office -- the fourth in Asia after Singapore, Beijing and Tokyo.

The Paris-based firm, Europe’s largest PEF that manages US$82 billion globally, operates 15 offices across the world. In Asia alone, its investments amount to around US$3.5 billion. 

Ardian Korean chief Ha Won

The firm said Korea is a crucial market in its global expansion strategy, especially in the burgeoning Asian markets, citing key institutional investors, including pension funds, and big firms are increasingly investing in private equity.

The inaugural Korean chief is Ha Won who joined Ardian in 2011 and led investment teams at the Singapore branch.

“The latest Seoul office comes as part of our global expansion plans as investor demands are getting more and more complicated,” Dominique Senequier, chairman of Ardian, in a statement. “We know the importance of the Asian market. Through the Seoul office, we will come closer to investors and seek the best investment opportunities.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)