Japan's SBI Holdings acquires equity stake in Gateway Partners
Japan's SBI Holdings acquires equity stake in Gateway Partners
Gateway manages the Africa Credit Opportunities Fund.
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Gateway Partners Group, the emerging markets investment manager, and SBI Holdings, the Japanese financial services conglomerate with over $187 billion in assets, today announced a strategic partnership that would see SBI Holdings acquire a minority equity position in Gateway, in addition to commitments to invest in future Gateway private equity funds.
SBI Holdings will have a seat on the Gateway Holdings Limited board, as well as observer status on several committees, and will assist in mobilising commitments from other Japanese investors.
Separately, economist Roger Ferguson, former vice chair of the Federal Reserve and former president and chief executive officer of TIAA, has also secured rights to acquire a minority stake in Gateway and will serve as co-chair of Gateway's Global Advisory Council.
Gateway Holdings is the parent company of Gateway's operating subsidiaries in Singapore, Dubai, and the Cayman Islands, as well as its general partner entities. Gateway now manages two active private equity funds, Gateway Fund I and Gateway Fund II. It also has a private credit fund, the Africa Credit Opportunities Fund, which is a joint venture with the Fund for Export Development in Africa. Gateway intends to launch further funds in 2025.
Gateway will continue to focus on its core markets of South and South East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
V. Shankar, Gateway's co-founder and CEO, stated that the sale of minority holdings to SBI Holdings and Roger Ferguson validated the firm's investment strategy and governance. “We are deeply honoured to have such high-quality investors as SBI Holdings and Dr Roger Ferguson on our cap table, and their participation validates Gateway’s differentiated investment strategy, diverse geographic focus and exemplary governance. They will help expand our investor access in developed markets, particularly Japan and America, and their valuable insights and experience will complement our own approach. We are fully aligned with our new partners, and this alliance assures Gateway's future growth in some of the world's most attractive and rapidly rising regions.”
Yoshitaka Kitao, representative director, chairman, president and CEO of SBI Holdings, said: “This investment demonstrates SBI Group’s continued commitment to emerging economies. Gateway Partners Group presents a one-stop solution to investing across the exciting growth markets of Southeast Asia, South Asia, Middle East and Africa. The partnership with Gateway presents an opportunity for SBI Group to further develop its private equity investment strategy. It will significantly bolster the ability of Japanese investors to access emerging markets products. Finally, it will also provide a gateway for emerging market investors to access Japan by leveraging SBI Group’s extensive distribution capabilities.”
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