DBS Private Bank launches initiative that introduces private equity deals to clients

It's available for clients with net worth of SGD50 million and above.

DBS Private Bank recently announced the launch of “PE Access” – an ‘introducer model’ programme where the bank will introduce direct investment deals to its ultra high-net-worth clients. The programme, rarely offered by Asian banks, is the first to be introduced here by a Singapore bank.

With “PE Access”, DBS acts as an introducer by informing interested clients of relevant investment deals that the bank comes across. Clients then perform their own due-diligence and, if convinced of the merits of the deal, can proceed to invest directly in the business.

With the introduction of “PE Access”, DBS also hopes to help spur the growth of private equity and venture capital deals in Asia. In 2014, 32% of the world’s GDP was generated in Asia, up from 26% in 2000, yet Asia still accounts for a substantially smaller portion of private equity and venture capital investment globally.

In 2014, Asia only accounted for 13% of the global private equity and venture capital industry’s total assets under management. Last year, USD55 billion in private equity capital was raised in Asia, as compared to USD290 billion in North America and USD131 billion in Europe(2).

DBS’ extensive pan-Asian network provides the bank with wide visibility into potential and emerging deals across the region and in all major sectors. On average, the bank comes across some 20 to 30 potential investment deals per month.

Available to clients with net worth of SGD50 million and above and with a minimum deal size of SGD5 million, “PE Access” is tailored for investors who seek alternative forms of investment, prefer to have direct access to the businesses they are investing in, and have a higher risk appetite.

Said Tan Su Shan, Group Head of Consumer Banking and Wealth Management at DBS Bank, “Many of our top private banking clients today want direct access to the businesses they invest in. These clients are highly sophisticated investors and many are successful entrepreneurs in their own right. As Asia’s leading bank, we have wider visibility to potential investment deals than most. We see great synergy in introducing “PE Access” as an investment option because of its ability to broaden our clients’ investment portfolio, allow them to participate more actively in the businesses they invest in, and at the same time help businesses in the region acquire much-needed funding. It is also our hope that this programme will help spur the growth of private equity and venture capital deals in the region and cement Singapore’s status as the region’s leading venture capital hub.”