Carol Hall, a specialist in hedge and private equity funds, has been appointed as the head of the newly formed investment funds group in Walkers’ Hong Kong office. Hall will be supported in her role by partner Denise Wong.
It seems that the group has been formed at the right time. “We anticipate a period of sustained hedge fund start-up activity in Asia over the next 12 – 18 months, with more managers from mainland China setting up shop in Hong Kong or Singapore and attracting money from mainland investors,” said Denise Wong, partner at Walkers. “Potential legislative changes could also result in managers establishing representative offices in or, in some cases, fully relocating to Asia from Europe and the United States.”
The investment funds group is comprised of hedge fund and private equity lawyers with experience in private equity fund structures and transactions, including fund raising, secured lending, due diligence, M&A, IPOs and other exit strategies. In particular, the group also has expertise in distressed funds and the firm regularly acts for funds, investors, services providers and affected financial institutions on distressed funds matters.
“With the resurgence in client activity that we have seen in recent months in Asia, and with many managers now looking to structure funds with more complex strategies and higher levels of liquidity, 2010 promises to be a particularly interesting time for the market,” said Carol Hall, head of the investment funds group at Walkers.
Hall has led the development of Walkers’ hedge funds practice in Hong Kong since joining as a partner in 2005.
Related stories: