Schroders has announced it will launch a new private equity fund in Australia, the Schroders Specialist Private Equity fund (SSPEF), which will allow local investors access to global private equity (PE) markets.
The fund would be semi-liquid, according to the firm, which would mean investors would be able to access their money on a quarterly basis, generally capped at 5% of net asset value per quarter.
“The SSPEF aims to provide investors with diversification away from listed equity markets with a particular focus on small-to-mid cap specialist opportunities in the US and Europe, as well as Asian growth companies,” chief executive of Schroders Australia, Chris Durack, said.
Schroders, which currently manages A$60 billion across a range of private asset classes including private equity, real estate, infrastructure, insurance-linked securities and private debt, acquired Adveq in 2017, a Swiss PE firm, which was subsequently rebranded Schroder Adveq.
“Schroder Adveq’s pedigree in private equity coupled with Schroders’ 200-year heritage makes us ideally suited for investors looking for longer-term investment opportunities such as private equity,” Durack said.
“In a market where company valuations have become distorted, interest rates remain low and volatility in listed markets is more prevalent, we continue to look for ways that we can help investors meet their objectives over the longer term. As private equity transactions price off fundamentals, and with less capital in the market at present, we’re currently seeing very well priced opportunities. Now is an opportune time to invest in this asset class.”
