Tokyo, Japan
TPG Newbridge, the Asian investment arm of Texas Pacific Group (TPG), has announced two key executives have joined the management team of their Japan operations. Newly hired Mr. Akio Ishida joins the Japan office from Merrill Lynch Japan, where he was Vice-Chairman of Investment Banking. Mr. Ishida will assume the position of Vice-Chairman of Japan operations. Mr. Steven Schneider, former CEO of GE-Asia Pacific and since 2005 head of Asian operations for TPG Newbridge based in Hong Kong, will become Chairman of Japan operations while simultaneously serving as Chairman of TPG Newbridge's entire Asian/Japan operations group.
"I am delighted to have Akio Ishida and Steven Schneider join our management team," said Jun Tsusaka, Managing Director of the company's Japan office. "Mr. Ishida's experience in structuring major deals and management skills will greatly enhance our operations in this country. Mr. Schneider's co-assignment as Chairman of Japan operations strengthens our alignment with the global TPG team, which gives us a network of solid support and further leverage."
"The addition of Akio Ishida and Steven Schneider reinforces our commitment to the Japanese market," said Jim Coulter, one of the three co-founders of Texas Pacific Group. "Both appointments reflect the growing momentum of our business in Asia and now, increasingly, in Japan. We have been active and successful in this region since 1994 as one of the first private equity firms dedicated to Asian investments, a commitment we will continue to build upon," he added.
"I am pleased to become part of the Japanese management team where I can leverage my long-term experience in this country's market," said Mr. Ishida. "I am looking forward to contributing to TPG Newbridge's international track record of success."
Akio Ishida served as Vice Chairman of Merrill Lynch Japan's Investment Banking unit since 2001 and has been a driving force behind its successful investment banking business over his 33 years with the firm. He is widely recognized as one of the leading investment bankers in Japan by executives across a broad range of industries and has been involved in many successful financing and M&A transactions. Prominent deals that Mr. Ishida has participated in include the acquisition of DDI Pocket from KDDI, and the purchase of stakes in Nissan and Nissan Diesel by Renault.
Steven Schneider is a 20-year veteran of General Electric and served most recently as President and CEO of GE Asia Pacific and as member of GE's Corporate Executive Committee. He has worked in Asia for over 13 years, including postings in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai. Mr. Schneider also has significant experience in Japan, having been posted to Tokyo twice, between 1988 and 1991 and again between 1997 and 1999 as General Manager, Marketing Operations for GE-Plastics. Mr. Schneider first joined both TPG Newbridge and Texas Pacific Group as a partner in November 2005.
Jun Tsusaka has been a partner at Texas Pacific Group and Managing Director of the Japanese office since June 2006.
About TPG Newbridge
TPG Newbridge, the Asian investment arm of Texas Pacific Group, is one of Asia's leading private equity investment firms with approximately $4.5 billion of capital under management. Founded in 1994 by Texas Pacific Group and Blum Capital Partners, TPG Newbridge was one of the first private equity firms dedicated to Asian investments. Today, TPG Newbridge has 40 professionals throughout the region with offices in Hong Kong, Melbourne, Mumbai, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. TPG Newbridge has made significant investments in such companies as Advanced Interconnect Technologies, Hanaro Telecom, Japan Telecom, Korea First Bank, Lenovo, Matrix Laboratories, Myer Department Stores, Parkway Holdings, Raffles Hotel Holdings, Shenzhen Development Bank, Shriram Transport and Taishin Financial.
About Texas Pacific Group
Texas Pacific Group is a private investment partnership that was founded in 1992 and currently has more than $30 billion of assets under management. With offices in San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, and Fort Worth and other locations globally, TPG has extensive experience with global public and private investments executed through leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, spinouts, joint ventures and restructurings. TPG seeks to invest in world-class franchises across a range of industries, including retail/consumer (Debenhams, Ducati, J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, Petco), airlines (America West, Continental), media and communications (Findexa, MGM, TIM Hellas), industrials (Altivity Packaging, British Vita, Grohe, Kraton Polymers, Texas Genco), technology (Lenovo, MEMC, Seagate), financial services (Endurance Specialty Holdings, Fidelity National Information Services, LPL Financial Services) and healthcare (IASIS Healthcare, Oxford Health Plans, Quintiles Transnational), among others. For more information, please visit www.texaspacificgroup.com
CONTACT: Japan CNC Japan K.K. Kanji Ishibashi +81-3-5156-0913 kanji.ishibashi@cnc-communications.com or USA Owen Blicksilver PR, Inc. Lisa Baker, +1-914-725-5949 lisa@blicksilverpr.com
Source: Business Wire (Business Wire India)