Bahrain’s Investcorp, the alternative asset manager that counts Mubadala Investment Company as its biggest shareholder, has entered the Japanese market as it seeks to source deals in Asia’s second-largest economy.
The new office in the Japanese capital Tokyo is part of Investcorp’s global expansion drive as it looks to boost its investment portfolio and increase its assets under management, the company said on Monday.
“Following our historic achievement of surpassing $50 billion in assets under management in December 2022, the opening of an Investcorp office in Japan is the next major milestone along our road of global growth,” Mohammed Alardhi, executive chairman of Investcorp, said.
“We are looking forward to further expanding our base of Japanese investors and bringing new investment capital into the region … from the GCC.”
Heizo Takenaka has been appointed chairman of Investcorp Japan, which will seek direct private equity and real estate investment opportunities in the country.
Mr Takenaka served as Japan’s minister of economic and fiscal policy in 2001 and later became the country’s internal affairs and communications minister in 2005. He is currently a professor at Tokyo University and has been a part of Investcorp’s international advisory board since July 2020.
The office in Tokyo is Investcorp’s 14th globally and its fifth in Asia, after Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore and Beijing.
With the expansion, Investcorp’s wider Asia team has risen to 40.
“Our Asian footprint today is more prominent than ever,” Hazem Ben-Gacem, co-chief executive of Investcorp, said.
Japanese investors are seeking access to global alternative investment strategies that Investcorp is well positioned to provide, given the company’s extensive experience in Asia, he said.
“We are proud to build on our existing relations with Japanese investors who currently allocate more than $2 billion of AUM to our investment products,” Mr Ben-Gacem added.
Established more than 40 years ago, Investcorp has grown to become one of the leading alternative asset management companies in the region.
The company went on an acquisition spree during the Covid-19 pandemic to capitalise on lower asset valuations and continued its aggressive portfolio expansion in 2022.
Investcorp has carried its deal-making momentum into 2023 and in January said it plans to invest up to $1 billion in the GCC real estate market over the next five years.
Last month, the company announced its first Gulf real estate investment in a 215,000 square foot temperature-controlled warehouse in Dammam. It is the first of the $100 million in real estate investments that Investcorp is assessing in Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, the company said at the time.
In February, Investcorp agreed to make a “significant” investment in Finland-based technology company Eficode to become its majority shareholder.
As part of the deal, Investcorp is teaming up with Eficode’s founder Risto Virkkala and its chief executive Ilari Nurmi to support the company’s next phase of growth and international expansion.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Results
Stage seven
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 3:20:24
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 1s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 5s
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates, in 25:38:16
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers, at 22s
3. Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain-Victorious, at 48s
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Salem Rashid, Mohammed Al Attas, Alhassan Saleh
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Yahya Nader, Ahmed Barman, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah, Yahya Al Ghassani
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Results:
Men’s wheelchair 200m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 27.14; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 27.81; 3. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 27.81.
