Singapore-based fund management platform Gordian Capital on Wednesday announced the launch of the Align Partners Korea Fund, a successor to its previous Align Partners Fund I. 

The new fund will be sub-managed by the Seoul-based Align Partners Capital Management, Inc (Align), with a well-known US value manager participating as the inaugural anchor investor, according to a company release.

“Korea was the third-largest activist market globally in H1 2023 after the US and Japan, and there is limited competition due to a shortage of local talent with relevant skillset. We are excited to announce the formation of a Cayman-domiciled fund, the Align Partners Korea Fund, the strategy of which we believe offers significant opportunities in unlocking value in Korean equities,” Changhwan Lee, an ex-KKR/Goldman portfolio manager and Align’s CEO, said in the release.

Align specialises in investments in listed Korean equities, employing a strategic approach intending to target superior long-term returns through a localised private equity lens, particularly focusing on shareholder activism to capitalise on the substantial “Korea discount.”

Align’s investment philosophy is rooted in the belief that South Korea represents an extreme value market, with compelling business dynamics – hence the term “Korea discount.”

Established in 2004, Gordian Capital is an institutional quality, independent fund platform specialist with assets under management worth $13 billion.