Programme Day 1

08:30

Limited partner roundtable (invitation only)

In a confidential setting, this session will provide participants with an unrivalled first-hand opportunity to hear about alternative investing from their peers; many of whom have decades of experience investing in global markets and working with funds. The session will feature presentations by senior industry professionals, followed by a moderated roundtable discussion on topics of interest to the private markets community, including:

Has Southeast Asia become a more attractive investment destination in the last 10 years?
Are we seeing competition between LPs and GPs for deals?
What is the view on GPs branching out across asset classes?
Is there a concern about increased GP-led secondaries?
Have returns improved in Southeast Asia?
ESG and impact investing: Is the region lagging behind other markets?

10:00

Registration and networking coffee break

10:30

Opening keynote address

11:00

Private markets in 2020

As AVCJ Singapore celebrates its 10th anniversary, Southeast Asian private markets are hitting new heights and increasingly becoming a more attractive destination for global investors to deploy capital. As digitalisation and industrial shifts take place, disruption is rife, providing opportunities across sectors and asset classes. Industry leaders discuss the opportunities and challenges in this compelling but fragmented market.

How is global uncertainty affecting investment decisions? Are we heading for a downturn?
Which Asian markets are likely to be most attractive in the future?
What are LPs asking when discussing the region?
What are the opportunities and challenges across asset classes for the decade ahead?

12:00

Spotlight on the private equity model and investment arena: Leading the way in innovation

For private equity firms in this rapidly changing digital world, the new technological landscape creates both opportunities and challenges as the traditional way of doing things becomes disrupted. The need to innovate and stay ahead of the pack is more pressing than ever, as fund managers search for the right mix of product offering, enhanced operational expertise, and technological strategy. Our panel will offer insights into the best way forward.

What are the benefits and downsides of large GPs creating multi-product platforms? How do LPs view this?
How are fund managers dealing with technology and digital disruption challenges?
What are mid-market firms doing to differentiate themselves?
How has the emergence of operating partners helped achieve efficiencies?

12:45

Networking lunch

13:45

Cross-border growth – winner takes all?

Due to geopolitics and a maturing industry landscape, investors across the spectrum are increasingly looking for opportunities in the region. This changing landscape provides a platform for companies who have achieved success in multiple markets to become regional champions, or else risk being beaten to the punch by their competitors. This is where private equity, venture capital, and strategic investors come in, as they try to back the potential winners.

How can you navigate cross-border growth in a fragmented and diverse market?
Who are the regional champions and what sectors will produce new champions?
Are cross-border opportunities being capitalised to the full extent?
What challenges remain for the region to become a single market?

14:30

Value creation: Achieving operational improvements in Southeast Asia

In an increasingly more competitive environment, private equity and venture capital fund managers are always looking for ways to add value to their prospective investments. Post-investment services are increasingly part of the engagement toolkit, whether it involves serving as a high-level sounding board to founders/entrepreneurs or helping with operational matters. Either internally by recruiting operating partners or externally via third-party consultants, the hands-on approach is more prominent, with GPs building their own capabilities and using human capital to drive growth.

Where do entrepreneurs tend to require the most support?
Do you build an internal operating team or use third-party consultants?
How does Southeast Asia compare to other markets?
What are the most common challenges for value creation in the region?

15:15

Networking coffee break

15:45

Venture capital and the changing deal environment

Private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds, hedge funds, and strategic players are all active in this space; as are multi-strategy venture capital firms keen to continue backing portfolio companies and make new investments in later-stage rounds. When looking at deals, industry practitioners must now consider the landscape and implications of broader investor participation in what traditionally is venture capital territory. Our panel will discuss:

How can the ecosystem improve? Valuations, liquidity, growth capital?
What are the pros and cons of backing a multi-strategy venture capital firm?
How prominent is corporate venture capital and strategic investment in the ecosystem?
How to capitalise on the opportunities provided by technological advancements such as 5G and Industry 4.0

16:30

The tech conundrum: Achieving sustainable and profitable growth

With the IPO markets across the globe stuttering, partly due to several high-profile blunders, investor enthusiasm for highly valued yet unprofitable companies seems to be quickly waning. With valuations rapidly decreasing, industry insiders are predicting a tech winter with far-reaching repercussions. Our senior panel discusses the current landscape and addresses the profitability vs growth conundrum.

Has there been a reset on valuations and fundraising in Southeast Asia?
Are investors more focused now on profitability?\
Can sustainable growth be achieved without partners with deep pockets?
Is fundraising being affected at all by uncertainty in the IPO market?

17:15