Walkers has advised Advantage Partners on the US$424 million final close of Advantage Partners Asia Fund II.
The Cayman Islands law firm acted as Cayman legal counsel on the transaction, working alongside lead counsel Debevoise and Plimpton.
The deal was led by Walkers Investment Funds and Corporate partner Ally Lam, supported by James Gaden and Henry Williams.
Regulatory advice was handled by the firm’s Asia Regulatory and Risk Advisory team, led by partner Natalie Curtis with support from Jason Hung and Bonny Louw.
According to Walkers, the transaction also involved coordination with Walkers Professional Services as part of the cross-border fundraising process.
Advantage Partners Asia Fund II focuses on control buyout investments targeting mid-cap companies across Asia excluding Japan.
The fund attracted commitments from investors across Japan, Asia, Europe and North America, reflecting continued interest in Asia-focused private equity strategies even as fundraising conditions globally remain challenging.
Advantage Partners has already completed the fund’s first investment through a deal involving ITS Science and Medical in Singapore and said it continues to maintain an active investment pipeline across several Asian markets.
Commenting on the transaction, Ally Lam said in a press release: “This transaction reflects our long-standing relationship with Advantage Partners and our continued focus on providing practical offshore and regulatory advice as fund strategies evolve across market cycles”.
The firm said its teams continue advising asset managers and sponsors on Cayman and British Virgin Islands fund structures across the fundraising lifecycle, including structuring, regulatory and execution matters linked to Asia-Pacific investment strategies.
Advantage Partners said the fund builds on its long-running Asia investment strategy, applying operational and strategic capabilities developed in Japan to portfolio companies across the region.
