PRESS RELEASE

eQ PE X North held its first closing at 83 million euros. The fund attracted 43 limited partners in the first close, out of which 40 LPs are repeat investors. Fund raising will continue during spring and final close will happen in June 2018. The fund has a target of 175 million euros.

eQ PE X North invests in private equity funds targeting unlisted small and mid-market growth companies in Northern Europe. The fund aims to diversify underlying holdings in different geographical regions, development stages and industries. Commitments will be made to primary funds and, to speed up capital deployment, in selected secondary transactions (between 20-40% of commitments). First investments will be made immediately upon launch and the fund aims to be fully invested during 2018-19.

Simultaneously, eQ launches its second private equity secondary fund, eQ PE SF II, with a first closing at 65 million euros. eQ PE X North’s entire secondary allocation will be invested through eQ PE SF II and eQ PE X North is committing 32 million euros in the first close Fund raising and investment periods will be the same for both funds. eQ PE SF II will start its investment programme immediately with the acquisition of seven fully invested private equity funds.

‘’Our private equity team, with over 90 years of combined manager selection experience, is one of the most senior PE teams in Northern Europe. We have made 67 fund investments with an impressive track record. Our long term approach is widely renowned, which helps us to gain access to top tier fund managers. In recent years, our secondary markets activity has also been widely recognized. Investors in Finland, and globally, appear to be increasing their allocation to alternative investments. An increasing number of investors in Finland choose to partner with eQ in building their private equity portfolios’’, concludes Staffan Jåfs, Head of Private Equity Investments at eQ Asset Management Ltd.

Helsinki 1 February 2018

eQ Asset Management Ltd

For additional information:

Staffan Jåfs, Head of Private Equity, eQ Asset Management Ltd

+358 (9) 6817 8736, staffan.jafs(at)eQ.fi