AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum
Asia's premier private equity & venture event for the last 36 years
LIVE Broadcast & In Person
Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong & Online
13
Nov
GP leader insights: moving the needle on diversity, equity and inclusion
According to a 2022 industry report, 26% of private equity roles in Asia Pacific were held by women, compared to 23% in America and 21% in Europe, with 40% representation at the VP level- yet numbers dropped off to 10% at the principal level. It is clear, therefore, that whilst the conversation surrounding DEI and gender parity in the region has shown promise in the past few years, in practice, progress has been slow, especially at the top. What obstacles to diversity remain, and what needs to be done by all facets of the industry - from the investment committee level to institutional investors? Our panel of regional and global GP leaders will share updates on their individual firm’s progress, views on the industry and provide actionable insights.
- How has the conversation of diversity and inclusion moved along in the past year in APAC, and is it becoming more of a priority amongst investment committees?
- Have GPs been facing increased pressure from global and regional LPs to diversify their teams, and has there been an increased emphasis on diversity metrics/data?
- What strategies have GPs put in place to look at diversity, equity, and inclusion beyond gender, in areas such as ethnicity, cultural background, education, and unique skillsets?
- What are senior private equity leaders doing in Asia to ensure that they are making meaningful and concrete improvements towards DEI in their respective firms?
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SpeakersLucinda Guthrie Executive Editor MERGERMARKET
Lydia Hao Managing Director HARBOURVEST PARTNERS
Yan Jiao Partner BPEA EQT
Michael Octoman Senior Partner NAVIS CAPITAL PARTNERS
Pamela Fung Executive Director MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PRIVATE EQUITY SOLUTIONS
Kate Kui Partner HARVEST CAPITAL
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Lydia Hao joined HarbourVest’s primary partnership team in 2021 as a Managing Director based in Hong Kong and focuses on Asia-Pacific investments.
She was previously a Principal in Neuberger Berman’s private equity team, where she led the firm’s primary funds, co-investments, and secondary investments in the Greater China region. Prior to joining Neuberger Berman in 2017, Lydia spent seven years at CPP Investment Board in Hong Kong as one of the founding members of the Private Equity Asia team, building its direct investment portfolio across the Asia-Pacific region. Previously, she was based in New York where she worked at Apax Partners focused on US private equity buyouts in the consumer and TMT sectors, and worked at UBS Investment Bank in the Mergers and Acquisitions group advising clients across various industries.
Lydia received a Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude) in Hotel Administration, from Cornell University. She speaks fluent Mandarin.
Yan Jiao is a Partner in the BPEA EQT team. She currently leads the Healthcare sector for APAC. Yan worked for BPEA from 2005 until 2022, when the company joined forces with EQT and was renamed BPEA EQT.
Prior to joining BPEA, Yan was an Associate at Borden Capital, an affiliate of KKR. Before that, Ms. Jiao was an Analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston in New York.
Yan holds undergraduate degrees in Economics and Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Octoman is a Senior Partner at Navis and an Investment Committee member.
Mr. Octoman joined Navis in 2000. His primary responsibility is to manage the Navis Asia Credit Fund, as a senior member of the team, and to ensure that synergies with Navis’ Private Equity platform are optimized. He also oversees the ESG Portfolio Operations team and drives the strategic focus of ESG at Navis. He has extensive private equity investment experience across multiple Navis funds investing in the ASEAN region and was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Navis, overseeing the Navis Private Equity Funds’ Investment Committee decision-making process, the Portfolio Operations group, human capital, and Navis’ strategic banking relationships.
Prior to joining Navis, Mr. Octoman worked with Price Waterhouse Coopers with a focus on capital market transactions and financial due diligence in emerging markets. Mr. Octoman also worked for KPMG in Australia and Canada in Business Advisory services.
A lifetime resident of Australasia, having been raised and educated in Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accountancy from the University of South Australia and is an Australian qualified Chartered Accountant. He is also a member of the UNPRI PEAC committee.
Pamela is a partner and investment committee member for the Morgan Stanley Private Equity Solutions Team and has 18 years of industry experience. Prior to joining the firm, Pamela was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company's corporate finance practice in Hong Kong, responsible for investment opportunity identification, deal advisory, merger management and strategy development. Previously, she was a management consultant with Monitor Group, specializing in marketing strategy for clients across Asia, and a member of the corporate finance team with Lehman Brothers in Hong Kong. Pamela has a Law degree (first class honors) from the University of Hong Kong and an M.B.A. with honors in finance and management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Kate Yingchun Kui, Partner, Harvest Capital.
Kate Kui graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University with BA in English Literature and the University of Birmingham UK with MA in International Political Economy. Before joining Harvest Capital in 2023, Kate has more than 15 years of professional experience in investment banking and e-commerce. She headed the tech franchise of Merrill Lynch (Hong Kong) and acted as senior vice president of the JD group responsible for financing and platform business. Kate Yingchun Kui was awarded “Mu Lan Female Entrepreneur in China” in 2015 and she is a fellow of the Aspen China Fellowship Program.