Partners Group continues to strengthen its presence in Japan with the appointment of Teppei Kawai as Country Head

• Mr. Kawai has over 15 years of private markets experience across asset classes
• He will head the Tokyo office and oversee the firm’s Japanese client relationships
• His appointment follows the recent hire of Tatsuya Ochi to lead the firm’s direct private equity investment business in Japan

Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm, today announces the appointment of Teppei Kawai as Managing Director, Head of Client Solutions Japan, and Head of the Tokyo office starting 1 April 2023. In this capacity, Mr. Kawai will work closely with the existing Tokyo-based team to grow Partners Group’s presence in Japan, a key growth market for the firm.

Teppei Kawai brings over 15 years of private markets industry experience in the Japanese market, across asset classes. Most recently, Mr. Kawai was Head of Client & Product Solutions, Japan, at Apollo Global Management for over seven years, leading capital raising and client services for Japanese investors.

Teppei Kawai comments: “I am very excited to take on this new challenge, which comes at an inflection point for the Japanese market. Institutional investors in Japan are increasingly turning to private markets and Partners Group’s ability to provide bespoke solutions that address their specific needs is a key differentiator in the market. I look forward to working closely with Shunsuke Tanahashi, Tatsuya Ochi and the rest of the Tokyo team as we expand the firm’s business in Japan.”

Kevin Lu, Partner and Chairman of Asia, Partners Group, says: “With his in-depth understanding of private markets and substantial profile in the Japanese market, we believe Teppei Kawai is ideally positioned to lead our efforts in Japan. I look forward to working together with him in the future to build out our relationships with institutional investors and distribution partners in this important market.”

The appointment of Mr. Kawai is the second management hire in Japan within six months. In August, Partners Group appointed Tatsuya Ochi to lead its direct private equity investment business in Japan.