Leopard Capital LP
Encyclopedia
Leopard Capital LP is Cambodia's
first private equity fund, founded by Douglas Clayton in 2007. To begin, the Leopard raised approximately $34 million during the September 2008-July 2009 credit crunch
, and now manages investment funds and provides venture
/expansion capital to businesses operating in frontier markets
across the ASEAN region. Leopard Capital engages segment leaders concentrating on fundamental industries like financial services, utilities, agriculture, infrastructure, real-estate and tourism, as well as micro-financing initiatives.
in 1989, since 1986 Clayton had worked with Sun Hung Kai's
institutional securities division in Hong-Kong. From 1994, Clayton headed CLSA
Thailand (a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole
), leading his team to position 1 in the 1997 Asiamoney Brokers Poll.
As CEO, Clayton then shifted to managing CLSA's
Latin America brokerage
, heading offices in New York
, Mexico
, Brazil
, Argentina
, Chile
, and Venezuela
, before returning to Thailand in 2001 - participating in recapitalization processes
for distressed companies following the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In this capacity Clayton founded Abacus Equity Partners, acted as CIO for Knight Asia Group, and headed the Singapore and Malaysian offices of Indosuez WI Carr Securities, a subsidiary of the Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank Division.
Clayton subsequently established Leopard Capital in 2007, recruiting Dr. Marc Faber
(publisher of the renowned Gloom, Boom & Doom reports),http://new.gloomboomdoom.com/portalgbd/homegbd.cfm, Jim Rogers
, Dr. Gordian Gaeta, Heinrich Looser, retired US Senator Larry Pressler and Dr. Jim Walker as directors/advisers.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
first private equity fund, founded by Douglas Clayton in 2007. To begin, the Leopard raised approximately $34 million during the September 2008-July 2009 credit crunch
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
, and now manages investment funds and provides venture
Venture
Venture may refer to:* VENTURE NOTC, the Canadian Naval Officer Training Centre based in CFB Esquimalt, British ColumbiaIn automobiles:* Chevrolet Venture, a General Motors Corporation minivan.* VentureOne, a concept car by Venture Vehicles...
/expansion capital to businesses operating in frontier markets
Frontier markets
Frontier Markets is an economic term which was coined by International Finance Corporation’s Farida Khambata in 1992. It is commonly used to describe a subset of emerging markets ....
across the ASEAN region. Leopard Capital engages segment leaders concentrating on fundamental industries like financial services, utilities, agriculture, infrastructure, real-estate and tourism, as well as micro-financing initiatives.
History
Before establishing Kerry Securities ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
in 1989, since 1986 Clayton had worked with Sun Hung Kai's
Sun Hung Kai
Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. is a listed corporation based in Hong Kong. The company is controlled by the family trust set up by Kwok Tak Seng, who founded the company.-History:...
institutional securities division in Hong-Kong. From 1994, Clayton headed CLSA
CLSA
'CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets' is one of the region’s largest and most highly rated independent equity brokers and financial-services groups, focused on providing broking, investment banking and asset management to corporate and institutional clients around the world.Founded in 1986, CLSA has its...
Thailand (a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole S.A. is the largest retail banking group in France, second largest in Europe and the eighth largest in the world by Tier 1 capital according to The Banker magazine. It is also part of the CAC 40 stock market index....
), leading his team to position 1 in the 1997 Asiamoney Brokers Poll.
As CEO, Clayton then shifted to managing CLSA's
CLSA
'CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets' is one of the region’s largest and most highly rated independent equity brokers and financial-services groups, focused on providing broking, investment banking and asset management to corporate and institutional clients around the world.Founded in 1986, CLSA has its...
Latin America brokerage
Brokerage firm
A brokerage firm, or simply brokerage or broker in context, is a financial institution that facilitates the buying and selling of financial derivatives between a buyer and a seller...
, heading offices in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, before returning to Thailand in 2001 - participating in recapitalization processes
Leveraged recapitalization
In corporate finance, a leveraged recapitalization is a change of the capital structure of a company, a substitution of equity for debt —e.g. by issuing bonds to raise money, and using that money to buy the company's stock or to pay dividends...
for distressed companies following the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In this capacity Clayton founded Abacus Equity Partners, acted as CIO for Knight Asia Group, and headed the Singapore and Malaysian offices of Indosuez WI Carr Securities, a subsidiary of the Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank Division.
Clayton subsequently established Leopard Capital in 2007, recruiting Dr. Marc Faber
Marc Faber
-Background:Faber was born in Zürich and schooled in Geneva, Switzerland, where he raced for the Swiss National Ski Team. He studied Economics at the University of Zurich and, at the age of 24, obtained a Ph.D. degree in Economics magna cum laude...
(publisher of the renowned Gloom, Boom & Doom reports),http://new.gloomboomdoom.com/portalgbd/homegbd.cfm, Jim Rogers
Jim Rogers
James Beeland Rogers, Jr. is an American investor, author, and occasional financial commentator. He is currently based in Singapore. Rogers is the Chairman of Rogers Holdings and Beeland Interests, Inc...
, Dr. Gordian Gaeta, Heinrich Looser, retired US Senator Larry Pressler and Dr. Jim Walker as directors/advisers.
Investment Funds
- Leopard Cambodia Fund LP: launched 2008
- Leopard Sri Lanka Fund LP: launched 2011
Investment Portfolio
- CamGSMCamGSMCamGSM, majority owned by businessman Kith Meng, operates Cambodia’s leading mobile telecommunications network via its Mobitel and Cellcard subsidiaries, delivering local and international telecommunications services, as well as being an internet service provider.-History:Originally CamGSM was a...
- Cambodia's leading mobile telecommunications network and internet service providerInternet service providerAn Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
. The Leopard Cambodia Fund participated in enabling CamGSM'sCamGSMCamGSM, majority owned by businessman Kith Meng, operates Cambodia’s leading mobile telecommunications network via its Mobitel and Cellcard subsidiaries, delivering local and international telecommunications services, as well as being an internet service provider.-History:Originally CamGSM was a...
senior, secured acquisition loan, awarded 2009 Asia Deal of the Year by Telecomfinance magazine, being the largest and most complex syndicated loan in Cambodia's history.
- ACLEDA BankACLEDA BankACLEDA Bank is a privately owned bank based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia with 232 branches nationwide, the most in Cambodia, and 7,024 staff members across all provinces and towns in the Kingdom of Cambodia and five provinces in Laos...
- Cambodia's leading bank; 232 branches nationwide, approx. 7,000 employees and a unique rural focus
- Kingdom Breweries - Cambodia's first micro-brewery, producing high-end beer in Phnom PenhPhnom PenhPhnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
.
- Nautisco Seafood - Cambodian seafood processing plant nearby the Steung Hav portStueng Hav DistrictStueng Hav is one of three districts in Sihanoukville, an urban province of Cambodia. According to the 1998 census of Cambodia, it had a population of 13,108.-Notes:...
, exporting to Japan with intentions for Korea, Europe and North America, capable of tripling current 10 tonnes per day capacity
- Greenside Holdings - rural power transmission & distribution system in Kampong Cham Province.
- Angkor Residences - residential property development in Siem Reap Province, near Angkor WatAngkor WatAngkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
- EDL-Generation Co. - largest hydropower company in LaosLaosLaos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
.
- Credit, Population, and Prosperity - Cambodian agricultural micro-finance operation, principally dealing with rice farmers