PRESS RELEASE

eQ Asset Management holds a long and successful track record in European private equity investing. Since 2015, eQ has been offering its clients an opportunity to invest in the best US private equity funds targeting small and medium sized companies. On Jan 24th 2019 eQ held the first closing for its third US private equity fund at record 113 million USD. Fundraising will continue in the spring with a final closing scheduled in June 2019. The first US fund by eQ (2015) raised 80.2 million USD and the second (2017) 105 million USD.

Special Investment Fund eQ PE XI US shall make investments in private equity funds targeting equity capital investments in unlisted small and medium sized companies located in the United States and Canada. The fund shall include 10-12 underlying funds, investing in total in 100-150 companies diversified in several sectors and states. eQ is the General Partner in all US private equity funds and RCP Advisors based in Chicago continues to advise the funds in portfolio selection.

Furthermore, fundraising for eQ Private Credit II (launched in late 2018) has reached 70 million euros. The fund invests in direct, mainly senior, loans issued by European private equity –sponsored companies with MV Credit from London as the portfolio manager. eQ Private Credit II fund will hold a final closing during the first quarter of 2019.

Staffan Jåfs, Director, Private Equity, comments:

”eQ's first two US funds were fully committed as scheduled and we are very pleased with the deepening strategic cooperation with RCP. The US private equity market is the largest in the world but especially in the lower midmarket return dispersion is very high between managers. Having an experienced local partner is critical in finding and ensuring access to the best-performing funds.

eQ Private Credit II is the second private credit fund we have raised with MV Credit. MV was able to quickly invest the first fund in high quality loans and the investment activity of Private Credit II is already well under way. In the current interest rate environment, private credit brings stability and yield potential linked to floating rates to fixed income allocations.”

The assets under management of eQ Asset Management Ltd were 9.0 billion euros at the end of September 2018, of which 1.4 billion euros were in private equity funds. eQ PE X North raised 175 million euros in 2018 from Finnish and international investors. eQ PE XII North will follow eQ PE XI US in 2020.

Helsinki 5 February 2019

eQ Asset Management Ltd