Actis poaches Macquarie Capital pair to launch Japan office

Actis has opened its first office in Tokyo with two senior hires, part of a strategy to invest almost $500 million in Japan over the next five years.

The firm said in a statement that Jun Ohashi has joined as head of Actis Japan and partner and Tareq Sirhan has been appointed head of energy for North Asia.

Ohashi joins from his role as head of Macquarie Capital Japan, where he was also managing director, Japan, for the firm’s Green Investment Group. He will oversee Actis’s operations, relationships and growth in the country, and work to strengthen the firm’s institutional investor base in the region.

Before joining Macquarie Capital in 2008, Jun held roles at Fuji Bank, Mizuho Corporate Bank and UBS.

Sirhan also joins from Macquarie Group, where he was head of principal transactions for Macquarie Capital Japan from 2016. He had worked in roles at both Macquarie Capital and Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets for more than 20 years. He will lead the growth of Actis’s energy business across Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, with responsibility for the origination and execution of deals as well as investment management.

Macquarie Group declined to comment on who would replace Ohashi and Sirhan in the senior Tokyo-based roles.

Actis senior partner Torbjorn Caesar said in a statement that the launch of a Japanese office was a “statement of intent” for the firm, adding: “We see compelling opportunities in Japan and across North Asia, which we can enhance with our operating skills and leading approach to sustainability. I’m delighted to welcome Jun and Tareq, who are huge talents and experienced professionals, and I am confident they will help to drive our growth and diversify our partnerships in the large and exciting Japanese market.”