Looking forward, looking back

All things said and done, the global economy may be bumpy and the private equity industry continues to be persecuted in the US, but optimism is in the air.

Currently, there is no market in Asia that is as hot as Indonesia where we recently concluded our first Jakarta conference in well over a decade. It was good to see the market once again attracting a lot of interest from the private equity world with 200 of the region's biggest GPs and LPs in attendance.

As our keynote speaker, Indonesia's Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan put it: "Indonesia is sexy."

As a content provider, I am always skeptical about such hot markets - which typically have few indigenous funds - although I believe that the strategy adopted by the regional funds is the correct way to proceed. Meanwhile, the "buzz" in the room was unlike anything I have seen before. Indeed, speaking with the locals, I got the impression that foreign investors of all stripes are descending on Jakarta.

You know a country has become a hot property when the popular business hotels are almost fully occupied.

Back in the office, we are working on the program for our 25th AVCJ Forum, scheduled for November 14-16 in Hong Kong. It is the time of year when we examine the trends in private equity and discuss which are worthy of a closer look, which are sustainable in the long-term, and which should be dismissed as flights of fancy.

Some initial topics of interest based on feedback from the market:

• The future of private equity in the developed markets especially the US, where it is being politically persecuted.
• The sustainability of China as an investment destination for private equity. Depending on your definition, the country is swarming with PE firms, many not very good, and valuations are being driven sky-high.
• Is the regional fund model outdated? Are LPs favoring country funds or can regional funds regain the edge?
• Lessons learned from the past 25 years in Asian private equity. Successful practitioners who have survived the test of time and economic cycles share their views.

These topics are likely to feature in just a few of the panels we have in store for this year's event. As always, we are open to suggestions and if you have any observations or requests, please feel free to contact me via email at allen.lee@incisivemedia.com.

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• Topics
• Performance
• Southeast Asia
• Fundraising
• Investments
• AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum
• Southeast Asia
• Indonesia
• Fundraising