IFM Investors Opens Singapore Office
IFM Investors, a global investment manager owned by pension funds, has opened an office in Singapore as it seeks to expand its presence in Asia-Pacific and capitalize on growing demand for private-market investments.
The firm, which manages A$291.6 billion ($204.8 billion) in assets, said Thursday that the new Singapore office will strengthen its ability to pursue investment opportunities and attract institutional capital across Asian markets.
The office will also support the expansion of IFM’s private-market capabilities in the region, with a particular focus on diversified credit. The firm plans to build local origination and execution capabilities to identify and complete private-market transactions across Asia.
IFM said Asia is becoming increasingly important to institutional investors, including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurers. The region’s relatively underdeveloped private markets, demand for flexible financing and growing appetite for portfolio diversification are creating opportunities for investors, the firm said.
The expansion comes as institutional investors seek to increase allocations to private assets while gaining exposure to the region’s economic growth.
IFM said its investment approach is supported by three decades of experience in infrastructure and diversified credit, as well as its ownership structure. The firm is owned by 15 Australian industry superannuation funds and one U.K. pension fund.
Australia’s retirement savings system provides a significant pool of institutional capital for IFM. The country’s superannuation sector currently manages about A$4.5 trillion ($3.1 trillion) and is projected to reach A$8.3 trillion ($5.4 trillion) in the 2030s, according to IFM.
