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Hong Kong's Silverhorn recruits Bert Kwan as PE head

Hong Kong's Silverhorn recruits Bert Kwan as PE head
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Bert Kwan, formerly of Northstar Group and Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE), has joined Hong Kong-headquartered multi-asset investment firm Silverhorn as head of private equity.

The appointment coincides with an acceleration of Silverhorn's private equity strategy, with a pan-Asia, tech-biased venture and growth capital investment programme in the works. The firm now has five dedicated private equity investment professionals out of 17 overall.

Kwan most recently heading up an investment platform launched by M&A advisory firm BDA Partners. The goal was to write equity cheques of USD 10-20m for entrepreneur-led companies seeking growth capital. Investments were made on a deal-by-deal basis, the first being in 315 Nhi Dong, Vietnam's leading paediatric clinic chain.

Vietnam was a logical starting point for BDA Capital Partners, a market in which Kwan has led numerous investments, both at SCPE and Northstar. Past portfolio companies include children's media platform N Kid, mobile e-wallet platform MoMo, restaurant operator Golden Gate, e-commerce platform Tiki, online education business Topica, and co-working space operator UPGen.

Kwan began his career with Lehman Brothers Private Equity, where he spent nearly 12 years. This was followed by a seven-year stint at SCPE, latterly as head of ASEAN private equity. He joined Northstar in 2017 and moved on to BDA in 2020. Kwan has led Asian transactions with a cumulative value of more than USD 3.5bn, according to a statement.

"With substantial experience leading venture capital and private equity investments and managing teams in the region, Bert brings differentiated capabilities to one of our key business verticals. His track record across geographies, sectors, and cycles will be invaluable as we build our institutional private equity programmes," said Mike Imam, CEO and founder of Silverhorn.

Established in 2010, Silverhorn has USD 1.85bn in assets under management across private equity, private debt, and multi-asset strategies. It has a presence in Hong Kong, Singapore, India, and Switzerland, positioning itself as a firm that bridges Asia and Europe.

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