Leopard Capital's Cambodia fund commits to Engage Resources

The investment was made via Leopard's Cambodia fund, which reached a final close of $34.1 million in December 2009. It has since made 14 investments in Cambodia, Thailand and Laos across the telecom, financial services, food and beverage, agriculture, energy and utilities sectors.

"We are pleased to invest in a fast-growing, pan-ASEAN agriculture business and help introduce a new high-yielding crop into Cambodia," said Richard Intrator, managing partner and CIO of Leopard Cambodia Fund, who joined the PE firm in September of last year. "Engage's management has taken a leading role in developing more efficient methods of producing kenaf in Southeast Asia."

Engage was founded in 2008 by its CEO, Robert Brodie. It focuses on the commercialization of kenaf, a plant known for its short growing cycle, high protein content and strong fiber. The high protein content makes kenaf an attractive animal feed ingredient, while the automotive and construction industries are beginning to use the plant to enhance or replace more expensive synthetic materials.

The company has customers in South Korea, France, the US and Thailand.

Leopard Capital was set up in 2007 as Cambodia's first private equity firm, 16 years after founder Doug Clayton first visited the country. "I said that if in 16 years this country can completely transform from a very scary, dangerous place to a place where I could bring my family, in another 16 years it might be a modern country," he told AVCJ last year by way of explanation for the move.

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• Topics
• Southeast Asia
• Expansion
• Industrials
• Leopard Capital
• Southeast Asia
• Cambodia
• Growth capital
• Agriculture