Andrew Low, the former chief operating officer for Macquarie Capital Advisers, is pairing up with Grant Samuel, a well-established independent advisory and funds groups in Australia and New Zealand, to form RedBridge Grant Samuel early next year. Low will become CEO of the new venture and will be based in Hong Kong.
“The new business will be an advisory and funds-focused independent,” said Low. It will focus on Asian investment into Australia and New Zealand and Australian/New Zealand investments into Asia.
Low pointed out that the fastest growing investors into Australia during the past five years have been from South Korea, increasing by 77% a year, and from China, up by 54%, although both are coming off low bases.
And while Australia sends roughly 70% of its exports to Asia, the nation still puts roughly 70% of its foreign investments into America, Europe and New Zealand. Low wants to be at the forefront of changing this.
“I think there’s now enough critical mass in the shifting centre of gravity of finance towards Asia-Pacific from traditional hubs in the US and Europe that the region is ready for this business model," he added.
“Our ability to provide the highest quality, focused advice to our clients will be substantially enhanced by the involvement of Grant Samuel's sector specialists, offices in Sydney/Melbourne/Perth/Auckland and pre-eminent reputation in providing independent corporate advice and structuring of business combinations.”
Grant Samuel provides merger and acquisition, strategic advisory, equity capital, debt restructuring, and company valuation services. Additionally, it offers asset financing and investment advisory services. It was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Sydney.
After running Macquarie Capital's business in Asia for six years, Low left the region in October 2009 and took some time off before returning to Sydney in January this year to take on the role as COO for Macquarie Capital Advisers. In June he announced he was leaving Macquarie to pursue other interests after nearly 20 years with the firm and its predecessor Bankers Trust Australia.
