Steven Kwok and Sokho Jung have joined Credit Suisse Private Equity Asia as managing directors overseeing its activities in greater China and Korea respectively, responsible for heading th
Steven Kwok and Sokho Jung have joined Credit Suisse Private Equity Asia as managing directors overseeing its activities in greater China and Korea respectively, responsible for heading the operations in terms of originating and advising on private equity opportunities. Based in Hong Kong they will report to the firm’s head Harjit Bhatia.
‘I am very pleased that both Steven and Sokho have joined our team,’ Bhatia says. ‘Asia-Pacific continues to be an area of growth and focus for Credit Suisse in private equity. The investment experience and relationships brought in by Steven and Sokho will further strengthen coverage of this dynamic region by our teams based in Hong Kong and Mumbai.’
Says Kwok: ‘Credit Suisse’s established presence and strong track record in greater China presents a unique opportunity for us to provide growth capital to rapidly expanding businesses in this important market.’
He was previously a senior managing director and head of the Eagle China Retail and Consumer Fund at Bear Stearns Private Equity, having been a managing director at Orchid Asia, an independent China private equity fund pursuing a growth capital strategy.
Earlier Kwok was head of greater China at UBS Capital in Hong Kong, in charge of building up and managing investment business in the region and responsible for deal origination, due diligence, investment process and portfolio management for growth capital investments.
This followed spells as a vice-president at the Carlyle Group, where he was involved in sourcing and investing in expansion stage companies in greater China, and with Salomon Brothers in New York and Hong Kong.
Jung has been head of Korea since 2002 at Standard Chartered Private Equity and spearheaded the firm’s buyout practice covering key Asian markets, after leading the distressed asset investment team at Lone Star Advisors Korea and a spell as a senior investment officer at GIC Special Investment, the private equity arm of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.
Earlier Jung worked in public equity portfolio management at Pacific Gemini Partners, auditing at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the US and credit analysis and structured finance at Bankers Trust in Korea.
He says: ‘I am very excited about working with the team to further expand the business into Korea’s developing private equity market, which continues to be one of the most active in the region.’
Credit Suisse Alternative Investments is active in private equity, hedge funds and related activities through including funds and alternative solutions, leveraged investments, quantitative strategies and equity options specialist Volaris. Its private equity business includes leveraged buyout funds, mezzanine funds, core and opportunity real estate funds, secondary funds and private equity fund of funds.
With more than USD155bn in assets under management, Credit Suisse claims to be one of the world’s two largest managers of alternative investment products. Credit Suisse Alternative Investments is also a leading placement agent in alternative assets, raising capital for third-party managers through its private fund and real estate private fund groups.
