Brazil’s private equity industry is attracting growing interest from international and local funds, with infrastructure heading the list of investment opportunities.
"I have had several fund managers tell me that even though fund-raising is very hard in the US and other emerging markets, investors want to get into Latin America. They particularly want exposure to Brazil," says Cate Ambrose, president of the Latin America Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.
In a sign of the level of interest from foreign investors to the region, Advent, one of the world’s biggest private equity firms, is likely to announce that it has raised a $1.5 billion Latin America fund. The fund comes on the back of news that another global firm, Carlyle Group, plans to invest $1.2 billion in Brazil in the next five years.
In another move, the Brazilian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (ABVCAP), and Apex, the Brazilian export bank, signed a joint venture agreement a few months ago that aims to increase the number of foreign investors coming into Brazilian private equity funds.
Low rates
Local investors are also showing greater enthusiasm for the asset class. With Brazil’s benchmark Selic rate at a record low of 8.75%,