Pengana working on plans to launch global private equity listed investment trust

Tuesday, 11 September 2018: Pengana Capital Group Limited (ASX: PCG), has today announced that it is working on plans to launch next year an ASX listed investment trust (‘the Trust’) that will invest in global private equity. It is proposed that the Trust will provide investors with exposure to a diversified portfolio of private equity investments, including funds, secondaries, directs, co-investments and other opportunistic strategies. This would be Australia’s first global private equity listed investment trust.

PCG is working with Grosvenor Capital Management, L.P. (‘GCM’), who would be responsible for selecting the investments for the Trust and constructing the portfolio. GCM is a global alternative asset manager based in Chicago and, together with its affiliates, has in excess of US$51bn in assets under management in private equity, hedge fund strategies, infrastructure and real estate. It has a long track record and vast experience in seeking to invest with high-quality private equity managers worldwide, having made investments into 650 underlying private market funds and participated in over 200 direct and co-investment opportunities since 1999.

Sophisticated investors generally recognise that global private equity can be an attractive investment proposition. This is due to the potential for higher returns than traditional stock and bond markets with relatively lower correlations.[i] Institutional investors are already significantly exposed to global private equity and a recent survey indicates that the majority are planning further increases.[ii] An example of this is the Future Fund, which in the year ended June 30 2018 increased its exposure to private equity to 14.1%, or $20.6 billion, up from 11.6%, or $15.5 billion, a year earlier.[iii] In contrast, most Australian retail investors have very little, if any, exposure to this asset class.[iv]  A key reason may be that many investors and advisers feel that there are a lack of suitable investment options, including the absence of suitable vehicles with daily liquidity.

Russel Pillemer, Chief Executive Officer of PCG said “We have had consistent feedback from clients that they are seeking exposure to global private equity investments, however this asset class can be challenging for retail investors to access. Pengana believes that private equity markets offer compelling investment opportunities and such investments should play a role in many investors’ asset allocation. We have selected GCM as our investment partner due to their excellent reputation and credentials in this space.”

A game changer for Australian retail investors.

ENDS

For all media enquiries, please contact:

Rashmi Punjabi

Honner
T: +61 2 8248 3734
M: +61 466 658 475
E: rashmi@honner.com.au

About Pengana Capital Group

Pengana Capital Group is a listed funds management group specialising in listed equities, managing eleven active strategies focused on global, Asia Pacific and Australian markets.

At Pengana we believe that alignment of interest between a fund manager and its investors is crucial. Our business and our funds are structured and managed within this framework.

Headquartered in Sydney, Pengana was founded in 2003 and also has operations in Melbourne, Brisbane and Singapore. It is a listed entity that has large ownership by directors and staff.

Important Information
This report has been prepared by Pengana Capital Ltd (ABN 30 103 800 568, Australian Financial Services Licence No. 226566) (“Pengana”). This report does not contain any investment recommendation or investment advice and has been prepared without taking account of any person’s objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, before acting on the information in this report a person should consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to their objectives, financial situation and needs.

Pengana will be the issuer of units in the Trust. A Product Disclosure Statement for the Trust (“PDS”) will be made available on the date the offer opens. The PDS will be obtainable by contacting Pengana on (02) 8524 9900 or from Pengana’s website at pengana.com. A person who is considering investing in a Trust should obtain the PDS and should consider the PDS carefully and consult with their financial adviser before deciding whether to invest in, or to continue to hold, units in the Trust.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The value of investments can go up and down. Investments in alternatives involve substantial risk, including strategy risks, manager risks, market risks, and structural/operational risks, and may result in the possible loss of your entire investment.

None of Pengana Capital Limited, Pengana Investment Management Limited, Pengana Capital Group Limited, Grosvenor Capital Management L.P. or each of their related entities, affiliates, partners, directors or officers guarantees the performance of, or the repayment of capital or income invested in, the Trust.