New Zealand Private Equity Market – Institutional Investors Overview

This report provides an overview of the New Zealand private equity market, with specific focus on the institutional funds management industry. It examines the key features of the market relevant to institutional investors – the size of the market, investment activity, the fund manager landscape, capital available for investment (“dry powder”), and historical returns.
New Zealand presents an attractive private equity investment opportunity for institutional investors, supported by the following features:

1. Demand/Supply Imbalance Creates Conditions for Attractive Investments – The demand for risk capital and capital to finance growth from New Zealand companies exceeds supply and this imbalance is likely to persist. This creates an opportunity for private equity and venture capital fund managers to generate attractive returns.
   
2. Cohort of Experienced Fund Managers – The New Zealand private equity and venture capital market has a cohort of experienced fund managers that have managed multiple institutional funds and invested across economic cycles. The market has deepened over the last ten years, as evidenced by an increase in the number of private equity and venture capital fund managers investing in New Zealand companies and the number and type of limited partners supporting fund raisings. Fund structures are amenable to local and international investors, and taxation and legal conditions conducive to institutional investment.
   
3. Private Equity Returns are Compelling – New Zealand private equity returns are competitive with private equity returns in other developed private equity markets. A particular attraction of the New Zealand private equity market is its focus on small and mid-sized businesses operating in industries where New Zealand has international competitive advantages.
   

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