Chinese private equity firm HongShan Capital Group (HSG) has hired Komi Kyu, a former Bain Capital Managing Director, to lead its new Japan operations, according to a report by Reuters citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The move marks an expansion push by HSG as global investors increasingly turn their attention to Japan’s booming dealmaking landscape.
Kyu, who joined HSG in January, has been tasked with gradually assembling a local team in Tokyo and scouting investment opportunities ranging from growth-stage funding to full buyouts, sources said. The firm is planning to hire several junior investment professionals as part of this initiative.
Prior to joining HongShan, Kyu spent nearly a decade at Bain Capital in Tokyo, working his way up from Associate to Managing Director, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Neither HongShan nor Bain Capital provided comments, and Kyu did not respond to requests for remarks.
Although best known for backing China’s tech giants, including Alibaba, Bytedance, and Meituan, HongShan has been expanding its focus globally following its split from Sequoia’s US operations last year. The firm has been active in Japan for a decade, with stakes in ANDPAD (construction management software) and LegalForce (AI-powered contract management platform).
HongShan also opened a London office in 2023 to pursue late-stage and buyout opportunities in consumer, energy, and healthcare.
In January 2024, HongShan, which has over 1,500 portfolio companies and more than $55bn in assets under management, completed its biggest acquisition to date, acquiring Sweden’s Marshall Group for $1.15bn.
