Global private equity firm HQ Capital has opened a new office in Singapore and appointed Michael Hu as managing director and head of Asia, according to a company statement.
Singapore-based Hu joined in late 2023 and is leading the investment and business development activities in Asia and join HQ Capital’s global executive committee. The new Singapore office will serve its private wealth and institutional investors in the region, whilst acting as a "gateway" for investment activities in markets including Australia, Greater China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia (SEA), according to the statement.
HQ Capital has had investments in Asia since 1997 and an office in Hong Kong since 2007. HQ Capital invests globally with private equity managers, focusing on small to mid-market firms. The private equity player also has offices in New York, Frankfurt and London.
Prior to joining HQ Capital, Hu was a managing director at private investment house Ardian, also based in Singapore, where he was a senior member of the secondaries & primaries investment team and led investor relations and private wealth solutions. Before joining Ardian, Hu was a principal at Greenhill & Co. in Singapore and Hong Kong, where he was responsible for the capital advisory business across Asia Pacific (Apac). Hu has over 12 years of experience in private equity and 15 years of experience in finance.
Marc Brugger, chief executive officer and chief financial officer of HQ Capital, said in the statement: “Michael has a great track record in private equity investing, on both a primary and secondary basis, as well as co-investments, and a strong network in the region. The opening of our new Singapore office also deepens our presence in Asia, a growing market with unmet investor demands.”
Hu added: “With a global platform and a specialised investment focus, we will offer long-term, bespoke investment solutions to private wealth and institutional investors looking for differentiated access to private markets. I look forward to working closely with our investors, HQ Capital’s global team, and top-tier private equity managers in Asia.”
HQ Capital has submitted its application for a capital markets services license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which is pending approval and can usually take around six months.
