OCBC rolls out $550m private equity fund, sets sights on Asian SMEs

HNWIs are looking for high-growth firms.

OCBC is riding on the growing demand for alternative assets with the launch of its $550m private equity fund.

The Lion-OCBC Capital Asia Fund 1 was jointly established by OCBC Bank and its asset management subsidiary Lion Global Investors.

It targets high-growth small and medium enterprises in four core markets of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.

Among the fund’s investors were insurance companies, regional banks, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth individuals, including customers of OCBC Bank’s private banking subsidiary, Bank of Singapore.

This marks the first time OCBC, through its private equity investment unit Mezzanine Capital Unit (MCU), has created a private equity fund investing in SMEs.