Manulife Investment Management and UBS’s Unified Global Alternatives business announced a collaboration on a customized Japan Private Equity Co-investment programme for wealth management clients on Nov. 10, 2026, according to a statement reported by Hubbis.
The partnership combines Manulife Investment Management’s regional private equity experience, sponsor relationships, and underwriting capabilities with UBS’s global scale, deep expertise, and distribution power. The initiative targets wealth management clients seeking access to alternative assets in Asia.
“Private equity is an increasingly important component of a diversified portfolio,” Natascha Gjergjek, head of business development at UBS’s Unified Global Alternatives, told Hubbis. “As investors’ needs become more complex, we remain focused on expanding the breadth of differentiated capabilities and tailored solutions to help them navigate an evolving investment landscape.”
The collaboration seeks to build diversified portfolios that deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns for investors. Fund Selector Asia said that the programme uses Manulife IM's established regional platform.
“Our Asia private equity platform is built on longstanding sponsor relationships and disciplined underwriting,” said Liam Coppinger, head of private equity Asia at Manulife Investment Management. “This foundation enables us to identify high-quality investment opportunities and build diversified portfolios that deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns.”
UBS’s Unified Global Alternatives business brings together alternative manager selection franchises from asset management and global wealth management. The division held approximately $371 billion in combined invested assets as of September 30, 2026, according to Fund Selector Asia.
Corporate deal flow in Japan is shifting due to business successions, corporate carve-outs, and take-private transactions. These dynamics create a favourable buyout environment for skilled managers seeking value creation opportunities.
“Through our collaboration, we aim to offer our wealth management clients differentiated access to high-quality, customised co-investment opportunities in an attractive market,” said Qingkun Guo, head of private equity Asia at UBS’s Unified Global Alternatives.
“This collaboration also underscores our focus on harnessing Manulife Investment Management’s global investment capabilities through strategic partnerships,” said Fabio Fontainha, chief executive officer of wealth and asset management for Asia at Manulife.
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